The Municipal Operations Review Committee, set up to evaluate municipal services, is about to review the results of a recent survey in which town residents had an opportunity to give their views. As I write, I do not see the survey results on the town website, but a spreadsheet of the survey results can be reached via a link from my blog article titled “MORC Survey Results.”

About 130 people responded to the survey, which, it’s important to note, was not professionally designed or conducted. For example, there was no mechanism to prevent non-residents, such as non-resident town employees, from participating. Nevertheless, some themes do emerge and the survey results provide food for thought.

• A significant percentage of respondents think Cape provides good town services, with public works receiving the most praise – snow plowing and the recycling center particularly – followed by police and other public safety services. However, even some of those praising the quality of public services questioned whether Cape is paying for a Mercedes when a Camry would do as well.

• Many said a similar group should look at school operations, which consume a much larger share of our taxes.

• Regionalizing, consolidating, and contracting out some town services were popular suggestions, even among those giving the services high marks. Police, the library, and even the highly regarded public works, were suggested as potentially fruitful areas to explore in this regard.

• The clerks at town hall received compliments for their helpfulness and courtesy. At the same time, several people suggested we have more clerks than we need and town hall hours could be cut.

• Cape’s planner and, to a lesser extent, the code enforcement officer and assessor came in for suggestions that the positions be combined, contracted out, or regionalized.

• Some participants said the town manager position should be part time, and even more criticized the town manager’s performance and/or said he had been in the job too long or was too highly paid.

• While some respondents favored charging for disposal of trash not recycled, more were against it. Several suggested composting kitchen waste at the recycling center.

• Some people recommended Cape save money by turning off even more street lights, while others thought some lights should be turned back on to deter home and vehicle burglaries.

• We have apparently not heard the last of some issues. Although the Town Council has already approved the Shore Road sidewalk, and there seems little to be done about it at this point, about 10 percent of respondents criticized the decision and suggested the sidewalk not be built. Respondents also advocated fees at Fort Williams for tour buses and that Cape bring back the public safety dispatchers, a service that was regionalized last year.

• Some participants advised a professional operations audit of town services, on the grounds that a volunteer group of residents is simply not up to the task.

One town councilor commented that 130 responses is a poor response rate for a town the size of Cape Elizabeth. I don’t know that this is true. It was, after all, not a professionally conducted survey and required respondents to take the initiative to respond in writing, either on paper or via the Internet, not just answer a few questions during a phone call. Participants appeared to give considerable thought to their answers, and many comments were lengthy and comprehensive. I think the Municipal Operations Review Committee should seriously consider all survey results. If the survey results are not scientifically valid, I think that just points up the need for a professional operations audit, similar to the financial audit done annually.

Mary Esposito grew up in South Portland and has lived in Cape Elizabeth for over 25 years. A former state legislator, she is the author of many articles on legal issues. Her blog about Cape Elizabeth town government, Cape Elizabeth Voice, is at www.CapeVoice.WordPress.com. She can be reached at CapeVoice.WordPress@gmail.com.