County Survey Valuable Tool in Rural Development

Spurred by vocal opposition to a proposed new pulp mill, officials in Washington’s Pend Oreille County surveyed its citizens to try to find out what the majority thought. The 1982 survey of 4,300 voters provided a source of information about citizen opinion that the officials were able to use in their decisions, and not just about the new pulp mill. The survey data also led the county to obtain new grants to improve roads and sewers and to enhance the county's health care system