Westport Island Comprehensive Plan Committee Chairman Bob Moody got selectmen’s unanimous approval July 2 for $1,500 to survey residents. 

In a warrant article that passed at the annual meeting June 23, $5,000 was allocated for the committee’s costs to develop the plan.

Moody said the committee planned to conduct a survey of all  residents and property owners over 18. He said the survey will ask islanders to look into the future and let the committee know what they would want for the town in the next 20 years.  The survey asks about town services, what residents like and dislike about their town, preserving rural areas, fiscal matters, development and internet connectivity.

The survey will be mailed to every resident and is available online via Survey Monkey, Moody said. “It’s essential that everyone who is eligible fills the survey out. If only a few people complete it, the results won’t represent the whole town.”  

In addition to answering the questions, respondents can provide written comments.

A 7 p.m. Thursday, July 26 session at the town hall will provide more information.  The deadline to respond to the survey is Aug. 31.

Moody said, “We will extract data from the survey and come up with the draft of a vision statement for the town. This statement will come before the selectmen for approval and then be placed before the town for approval as a ballot question during the Nov. 6 election.”