Diving into the details: U.S. college students chart a direction for North Bay.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: NORTH BAY

When it comes to voicing their opinions about their hometown, Kevin Hutchison discovered North Bay residents are one passionate bunch.

An innovative and progressive community research project between the City of North Bay and Baylor University entered the final stretch as a North Bay delegation, led by Mayor Al McDonald, headed to the Texas campus in January to confer with students and administrators engaged in the Focus Firm Partnership Project.

If the results of the first half of the eight-month study were eye-opening for the city, Hutchison, a Baylor business grad and the local project lead, promises the final report, due out in April, should be just as riveting.

The findings of an online survey of 4,585 residents released by the Baylor team prior to Christmas revealed that city hall has much work to do to restore the trust and confidence of its citizenry.

Of the 79 per cent of respondents who liked living in North Bay, only 29 per cent trusted the municipal government. Those who disliked the city collectively delivered a single digit approval rating.

"A good number of folks don't feel the city has a plan," said Hutchison. "It's not about let's show them we have a plan, it's what leads them to think we don't have one?"

Many respondents said there needs to be greater promotion of the city and more needs to be done to retain people and business. They also felt the city is not a great communicator and needs to strategize better.

In leafing through some responses, "what really struck me is how emotional and how powerful the words are in those open-ended questions," Hutchison said.

Many wrote about the role of the community in their lives and a sense of be longing in the northeastern Ontario city of 55,000.

"Probably greater than 80 per cent of respondents poured their heart and soul into their responses. Some almost bring a tear to your eye the way they're written, so eloquent, so to the point and tough to argue with."

Some passages are so impactful, a select few will be featured in the final presentation to the community on April 22.

Normally, students in Baylor's Focus Firm Partnership work on projects with Fortune 500 companies. This is the first time they've focused on a community at the suggestion of Hutchison, who works as financial advisor in North Bay.

Beginning last September, Baylor students descended on the city...