Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam didn’t find a lot of surprises in the results of the community survey conducted earlier this year, but she was encouraged by what stood out.
Of the 7,147 people who responded to the survey, 97 percent agreed that the quality of life is excellent in Carmel, and 98 percent feel safe in the city.
“I knew public safety meant a lot to our residents, but to see that 66 percent of people move here because it’s a safe community and 72 percent stay (here) was an incredible statistic,” Finkam said.
Other positives for the city include 74 percent of respondents saying they would recommend Carmel as a place to live to friends and co-workers, and the quality of the schools and city services and the city’s appearance and design also received high marks. Roundabouts were also well-liked, with 91 percent of respondents indicating they are satisfied with them.
The results unveiled areas for improvement, too.
Only 52 percent of respondents said they are satisfied with communication about planning and zoning processes, 59 percent of respondents were satisfied with housing affordability, but only 30 percent of renters agreed. Public transportation options received low marks, with 63 percent of respondents dissatisfied with available options.
As a result of survey findings, the city is aiming to increase awareness of its departments and their functions to improve transparency and communication with residents. The departments will be featured during the June 8 Meet Me on Main, a gallery walk held from 4 to 8 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month in the Arts & Design District.
“We’re inviting all of our departments to have a booth set up and to educate the public as to what their department does in service for our city,” said Kelly Douglas, senior project manager of marketing for the City of Carmel.
Douglas called the survey results “overwhelmingly positive” and was encouraged that approximately 10 percent of the adult population of the community completed it.
“The amount of participation that we have had on this was incredibly high,” Douglas said. “We have a very engaged community.”
Finkam said her administration will continue to dig into the results of the survey and plans to repeat it on a smaller scale every year or two.
See more results from the survey and provide feedback at carmel.in.gov/our-city/carmel-community-survey/-fsiteid-1.
Mayor: Rebranding aims to attract those unfamiliar with Carmel, unite city staff
The City of Carmel passed along the results of its community survey to North Star, a marketing firm contracted to work with the city on a rebranding process.
Although the city received high marks from its residents and has been at or near the top of various national rankings, Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam said the rebranding initiative is primarily aimed at those who aren’t familiar with the city.
“People who live here clearly understand the value proposition about living here,” Finkam said. “We’re trying to attract people who maybe have never even heard of us before. So, how do we put our best foot forward in presenting Carmel and all that it has to offer is why we’re rebranding.”
She said the rebranding is also meant to build cohesion among city employees and departments.
“(It’s) an internal rallying cry, and I think that’s what actually excites me more than anything. Our staff has worked in silos for so long. This gives us an opportunity to align their efforts and their focus around a rebrand and then explain that to the community,” Finkam said. “So, we give them the words to say when they’re in Cancun vacationing, and someone says, ‘Where are you from?’ It’s not Indianapolis, or a suburb of Indianapolis. It’s Carmel, and six to eight words where they can give a little elevator spiel. We need to give the community a little bit better summary of our identity.”
The city is paying North Star $85,000 for its role in the rebranding project. The new branding will be phased in on city property over time as the budget allows. Finkam said a total cost for updating the branding has not yet been determined.
“There will certainly be a cost to it, but any rebranding effort I’ve been around has always been paid back tenfold or more in your ability to attract the right type of team members, the right type of businesses and people who align with what you have to offer,” Finkam said. “I’m excited about getting to our final outcome and seeing it roll out in the community.”
