Results from the survey conducted from mid-January to mid-February 2023 are summarized below. Respondents were property owners of Incline Village / Crystal Bay.     Responses received: 623

NOTE: Survey options are condensed in the graphics, but listed next to the chart. Percentages are not listed for the first two questions, as there was no response selected by a majority. 

IVGID priorities – 2023: What is your most IMPORTANT priority for IVGID to do this year?  

Change the beach rules to align with Beach Deed

Make real progress on Effluent pipeline project

Major repair of the turf/drainage on the Village Green

Revise configuration of current usage at the Village Green

Consider a new Dog Park

Figure out what to change, if anything, at Diamond Peak for summer use, such as parking for boats or tourists

Upgrade Beach assets such as: replace Incline Beach Snack Bar, replace east bathroom at Burnt Cedar

Upgrade Diamond Peak winter facilities (example: Upgrade/Replace Snowflake Lodge)

Review and update IVGID Master Plan

Change the trash service to better fit what residents want

Beach rules, the Beach Deed, and beach access was the most frequent response. The Beach Deed (article link) restricts beach access to certain portions of Incline Village. The deed was the result of a 1968 lawsuit, and has been upheld by the courts. A few respondents seemed to be unaware of the 1968 lawsuit settlement which resulted in the beach deed of limitation on who could access the beach. And since IVGID had granted employee and dependent access which was only recently rescinded, and seemed to sell daily beach passes, the confusion is perhaps understandable.  [Update March 9, 2023: A written legal opinion was finally released March 8, 2023, and IVGID employee access is NOT authorized.]

The second most frequent was the effluent pipeline project. One respondent later remarked in comments section that they would have selected this option, but only learned about the project from a later survey question. It is likely that many property owners do not know about the effluent pipeline project. For a large capital project like this, it is common to have information about the project including the budget, funding, schedule, progress, status, and other project plan documents available via the web, e.g. under the Public Works Department on the yourtahoeplace website. IVGID does not currently do this.

Several  “other” responses listed snow removal, road repairs, parking availability/enforcement, limitation of short-term rentals, workforce housing and controlling development in “Other”. These are not part of IVGID’s charter under Washoe County Ordinance 97, however.  IVGID is able to limit access to beaches however, through its beach rules and issuing of punch cards. These rules can impact short-term rentals, so one can’t say, “Well, IVGID can’t do anything about short-term rentals,” – especially as these rules also affect workforce housing.

Several respondents priority was for IVGID to either cut budgets e.g. “shrink the number of people working for IVGID” or replace/improve financial and software systems. One respondent wrote, “Stop smells in mill creek area from the sewage treatment plant.”

Improving the boat ramp was the priority for eight respondents. A handful of residents wanted more tee time availability at the Champ Golf Course for property owners who are not in a golf club. Details here:     Q1 “other” responses .

In the next 5 months, what do you think is the most URGENT priority for IVGID to do to best serve the public?

Change the beach rules to align with Beach Deed

Lower the Recreation Fee

Improve financial reporting so the public easily knows how their money is spent

Figure out what to change, if anything, at Diamond Peak for summer use, such as parking for boats or tourists

Consider ways to increase the value received for recreation fee payments: Example: food discounts at IVGID facilities, lower cost Diamond Peak ski tickets, lower recreation center fees

Change the trash service to better fit what residents want

The top three priorties in the “short-term” (5 months) were changing the beach rules to align with the beach deed, increasing value for recreation fee payments, and improving financial reporting. Several dozen people selected “other”; details can be viewed here:   Q2 “other” responses

To make financial results more understandable, each major venue could be reported as a separate fund. Currently, the Beach fund is the only venue with a separate fund.  This means the Ski Resort, Golf Courses , and Recreation Center (including smaller venues such as tennis) would be reported with separate financial results, showing whether they broke even or what level of subsidy was necessary. Food & Beverage operations within each venue would be shown as part of the appropriate venue, showing whether those operations broke even. 

This makes sense to me

This would increase transparency and enable us to see clearly where our rec fee is being applied

I do not read IVGID financial statements

Each property owner pays a “Facility Fee” annually. The graph below shows the amount of this fee for Incline Village property owners with beach access. 

Which statements BEST describes your views?

The “facility fee” is really a tax

I understand how the money is used

I do not receive as much value as I pay

The “facility fee” is a subsidy for certain venues

The beach is the only venue for which a “facility fee” should be required

The “facility fee” is reasonable in my opinion

As a Crystal Bay owner/owner without beach rights, the “facility fee” for me should be less than it is

 

IVGID’s audited financials for 2022 indicated they did not reconcile their main checking account until 3 months after year-end, even though it contained over $14 million. And no year-end inventory was conducted of the Pro Golf Shop, even though purchases exceed $500,000 per year. Do you have concerns about IVGID’s financials?

The Nevada Globe reported on ethics complaints that had been filed against GM Winquest: https://thenevadaglobe.com/articles/the-globe-investigates-incline-village-general-improvement-district/ Do you have any concerns?

 

 In 2013, utility rates were raised with the promise that $2 million a year would be reserved for the effluent pipeline (under Hwy 28) that transports our primary treated waste water out of the Tahoe Basin. Rates were raised but reserves were not set aside. Millions were spent on a cold storage building and other projects as well as multiple repairs to the decrepit existing pipeline. The project should have been completed by now but it has not even been started. See article: https://ourivcbvoice.com/opinion-effluent-projects-costs-balloon-to-78-million/ Do you have any concerns?

IVGID needs to focus on maintenance of existing facilities rather than building new facilities.

 

 Do you watch the on-demand videos of IVGID Board meetings at livestream.com?

Endnotes

1. The first two questions were based on a survey given in 2017 by Flashvote but modified to add additional answer choices, based on test respondents’ feedback.  We are NOT affiliated with Flashvote. The 2 questions aligned with the objectives for our survey.  The wording of the responses was simply a useful starting point, as we did not see any other more recent survey that would provide such a starting point for responses. Again, we added other answer choices, based on early test feedback. The options were not in any order. We did not want more than 11 options plus an “other” category to avoid “too many choices”.  The “other” option was added to allow respondents to add their own item if it was not in the list.
2. Using closed-end questions (questions with pre-populated answer choices for the respondent to choose from) is a survey best practice according to multiple sources. This allows for quantitative data analysis, rather than attempting analysis of text fields, especially when hundreds or thousands of responses are received. 
3. Regarding “survey bias”: we have corresponded with Adam Mayer who is a post doctoral research associate with the Center for Global Change and Earth Observations at Michigan State University, and has published several papers on the topic. We plan to incorporate some of his techniques in future surveys.