Boyceville survey shows less than half would support referendum to improve infrastructure
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
BOYCEVILLE – A year ago the Village of Boyceville engaged Dr. Tina Lee with the University of Wisconsin, Stout to do a Community Needs Survey.
“The survey was aimed to better understand community needs as well as support for changes in the community and for a referendum to increase revenue.”
The survey was distributed in September of last year and ran until March 8th, 2024 with 106 responses, 81 of which were village residents and 25 who were not village residents. Dr. Lee delivered the results of the survey to the village board at a recent board meeting.
When participants were asked if they would support a referendum to increase taxes to expand infrastructure like roads, water and sewer utilities and village services like police, village office, parks and recreation, etc, only 41 percent were either extremely or somewhat likely to support that referendum.
Nine people stated that “taxes are already too high, or people cannot pay more, like those being on a fixed income.”
In Dr. Lee’s report listed several “main take-aways” including the following.
“There was not significant concern with the quality, affordability, or accessibility for housing.
“There was significant concern about the quality and variety of businesses.
“There was support for expanding recreational infrastructure like bike trails, splash pad and parks and increased youth amenities, but not much support for services and amenities for adult or seniors.
“A new library building got sixty one percent support from village residents.
“Respondents were fairly split about the police presence with twenty-four percent dissatisfied, forty-three percent satisfied and thirty-two percent neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. But there was little support for adding a third police officer; with sixty-four percent indicating they would not support this.
“There was strong interest in seeing more restaurants, businesses and renovated/restored/maintained historical buildings on Main Street.
“There was strong support for renovating Main Street buildings, dealing with empty lots, and adding infrastructure for more housing.
“Only half of respondents were satisfied with village roads, and multiple roads that need improvements were listed.
“When asked to envision Main Street in ten years, most comments focused on seeing more businesses, more vibrancy, and it being a more pleasant place to be. However, there were also several comments expressing pessimism that anything would either change or improve.
“Regarding the referendum, only forty-one percent reported being either extremely or somewhat likely to support it. When asked how much of an increase they would support, the majority (56%) said it would depend on what the money was used for. There were comments expressing support for particular projects as well as a general senses that increases would be needed to make improvements, keep up with costs, or reward employees. However, others expressed not thinking an increase was needed or that they personally could not pay more.”
Some of the comments about what should happened to the current library if a new building is constructed for the library. Comments included turning it into a museum, historical space, restaurants, brew pub, offices, youth space, indoor pickle ball and four respondents said to demolish it with three others indicated to sell it.
