CRESTVIEW — Businessman Quint Studer has invested millions of dollars in the Pensacola community; his Studer Community Institute aims to increase the area’s quality of life. Now, he’s turned his attention to Crestview with Community Redevelopment Agency Director Brenda Smith’s help.
A successful downtown area needs events, retention of existing businesses and the ability to identify and assist local establishments seeking growth, according to Studer, who said towns also need a central mission or plan.
Crestview governmental departments have respective plans, but without a central mission to encompass these plans the town will face difficulty luring investors and maintaining a high quality of life for residents, Studer said Wednesday during a CRA meeting.
Developing a central plan requires research and data, according to Studer. Therefore, he’s partnered with Mason-Dixon Polling and Research to conduct a citywide survey and begin collecting information for a metric system. This system will track data necessary for city planners, officials and the private sector.
“[Cities] are so desperate to do something, that they do something,” Studer said. The result is too many short fixes that “sizzle out” in time, he added. This is why towns need to develop a plan to diagnose problems and develop long-term solutions.
A 16-metric dashboard will be created to evaluate what the city determines are the most important factors to its quality of life. This will provide the city with data to better formalize methods for improvement, Studer said.
Mason-Dixon’s initial research will involve interviews with elected officials, business leaders and organization heads, according to Lawrence Harris, the company’s principal. These interviews will shape survey questions for city residents, of which 625 will be selected. The company has a 95 percent confidence rating in its surveys, with a 4.5 percent margin of error, Harris said.
“When you hold up a mirror, you see things you might not want to,” Studer said. The process will expose city leaders to residents’ positive and negative perspectives of them, he added.
Cities must accept the findings, identify problems and find solutions to succeed, Studer said, adding studies like this one are conducted throughout the country.
Harris will conduct analysis and present finding reports after each round of surveys. These reports will be available to view online.
The Studer Community Institute also offers leadership development training and workshops geared toward small businesses and not-for-profit companies. Over 1,500 hours of training were conducted during 2016 in Pensacola.
The Mason-Dixon research costs about $35,000 and will be paid entirely by Studer, carrying no cost for Crestview residents.
Harris will meet with local leaders and compile an initial report on the findings. This report will be used to develop the survey for residents. The entire Mason-Dixon process will take a couple of months, according to Harris, but the process doesn’t end there, Studer said.
Implementation of projects and meeting goals can be a lengthy process and Studer commended Crestview’s elected officials for taking the initial steps to help the city redevelop and grow.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Pensacola investor eyes Crestview for growth