2021 CSMFO News & Communication Survey Results

James Russell-Field, Communications Chair and Director of Administrative Services for the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District

For the month of October, I wanted to share the results of the 2021 CSMFO News and Communications survey. CSMFO and the Communications Committee truly appreciate the feedback and input provided which gives us direction for upcoming content. A huge thank you to those CSMFO members who took the survey!

The last CSMFO News survey ran from late December 2019 through January 2020. The current survey was run for a longer window, July 2021 through August 2021. As a result of the longer survey time frame as well as reminders, we received double the responses compared to the prior survey. Our goal was to receive feedback on how people access and read CSMFO News, as well as feedback on current and future content.

Let’s take a look at the results!

Most people are still accessing CSMFO News directly through email links.

LinkedIn has become the most popular CSMFO social media platform for members. I did want to note that CSMFO has increased social media engagement, and please remember that liking or commenting on CSMFO content on social media provides more visibility to the article!

Currently, an email goes out to subscribers each time an article is published through CSMFO News. Most survey respondents indicated this was the appropriate amount of communication for news articles.

Several alternatives were presented as a potential supplement or replacement to CSMFO News emails. The alternatives that gained the most traction were a weekly or monthly summary of published articles, a quarterly printed newsletter, or posting the News articles to CSMFO Knowledgebase. As a result of this survey, the monthly summary of CSMFO News content has been implemented.

Regarding CSMFO News content satisfaction, it appears about 76 percent are satisfied or very satisfied with the current content. The short answer section provided some insight into how we could increase this number in the future.

There were two short answer sections asking for specific content requests or other comments on CSMFO News and communications. The short answer responses provided some of the most valuable information from the survey. The feedback is summarized in the following general categories:

  • Tips from experts with a back to basics emphasis (auditing, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable).
  • Best practices and case studies of how other agencies handle tough or technical issues.
  • A mix of personal and professional highlights from our members.
  • Inclusion of county and special district-specific features.

What do you think of the results? Did you miss a chance to take the survey or think of something after you filled it out? Do you have a different opinion or new idea? Feel free to reach out and let us know.

We need your help! The Communications Committee is small and run by a small group of dedicated volunteers (though enjoyed by a thousand readers) who help gather and coordinate all the content you see through CSMFO News. We could really use your input to help us brainstorm ideas!

Did your agency do something unique or develop a new approach to an issue? Do you have a technical expert at your agency who we could spotlight and share advice with other CSMFO members? Please let us know and forward us leads! Use this as an opportunity to increase information sharing for our members.

Did you find this article helpful?

We are sorry that this article was not helpful to you

Tell us how we can improve this article:

James Russell-Field, Communications Chair and Director of Administrative Services for the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District. James has served on various committees and roles supporting CSMFO. Prior to the District, he worked with the Department of Interior, City of Thousand Oaks, and City of Benicia. On weekends, you can find James mountain biking through Northern California.