Ashburn Community Survey from James Burgess

1. Which best describes you? * Check one.

• I live inside Ashburn city limits
• I live in Turner County outside Ashburn
• I grew up in Ashburn but live somewhere else now
• I work or shop in Ashburn but live somewhere else
• I'm not sure if I'm inside city limits

2. Do you rent or own your home? Check one.

• Rent
• Own
• Live with family
• Other: ____________________

3. Age range Check one.

• Under 18
• 18–29
• 30–44
• 45–64
• 65 or older

Only if you live inside Ashburn city limits (or aren't sure) and are 18 or older:

4. Are you registered to vote? Check one.

• Yes
• No
• Not sure

5. Pick the areas that matter most to you. * Number them 1, 2, 3… with 1 the most important. Rank as many as you like.

• Know Your City: how local government works and who to call
• Our Young People
• Our Neighborhoods: streets, water, housing
• Parks, Health & Recreation
• Our Elders & Veterans
• Public Safety
• Running City Hall Right: where the money goes
• Business, Downtown & I-75

6. Quick check. For each, tap Good, Okay, or Needs work.

7. Which of these have you dealt with in the past year? Check all that apply.

• A water line broke or low water pressure
• My water bill is too high
• Sewer backing up or a sewer smell
• My yard or street floods after a hard rain
• Potholes or a rough road
• The sidewalk ends, no safe place to walk
• Dark street or a streetlight out
• Loose or aggressive dogs
• Slow response when I called police, fire, or an ambulance
• Break-ins, theft, or not feeling safe at night
• Garbage, litter, or trash piling up
• An empty house falling in or an overgrown lot
• Slow internet or none at all
• Hard to get a ride to work or appointments
• Can't find a decent place to rent
• None of these
• Other: ____________________

8. What's the biggest problem on your street right now?

9. What are the biggest housing problems here? Pick up to 3.

• Rent is too high for what you get
• Not enough decent places to rent
• Homes that need major repairs
• Landlords who don't keep up their properties
• Hard to save for a down payment
• Older folks struggling to keep their homes
• Housing authority homes and the streets around them
• None of these
• Other: ____________________

10. What do young people here need most? Pick up to 2.

• A place to go after school and on Friday nights
• Paid summer jobs
• Tutoring and homework help
• Job and trade training
• Sports and things to do at the parks
• A say in what gets built for them
• Safe, fun things to do on weekends, like events, movie nights, and game nights
• Other: ____________________

11. Has finding childcare kept you or someone you know from working? Check one.

• Yes
• No
• Doesn't apply

12. What would make it easier to get health care here? Pick up to 2.

Turner County no longer has its own hospital.

• Dental and health screening days here in town
• A private room to see a doctor by video
• Rides to appointments
• One list of every clinic and pharmacy, and what insurance they take
• Help close to home for people dealing with addiction
• A safe place to walk and exercise
• Other: ____________________
• I'm happy with care at Crisp Regional or Tift Regional. They're close enough for me.

13. What would bring you downtown on a Saturday? Check all that apply.

• A farmers market
• A regular weekend event
• More shops and places to eat
• Fixed-up storefronts and local art in empty windows
• Other: ____________________
• Nothing right now

14. The Elrod Park building downtown could get a new life. What should it become? Check one.

These ideas come from the 2026 Turner County comprehensive plan, which calls for asking residents.

• A military and veterans museum
• A community and cultural center
• Space for small businesses and new entrepreneurs
• A visitor welcome center for I-75 travelers
• A veterans resource center
• Something else: ____________________

15. What would make you want to stay in Ashburn for the long haul? If you live somewhere else: what would bring you into Ashburn more, bring you back, or get you to live here? Check all that apply.

• Better jobs
• Homes I could afford
• More things to do, downtown and on weekends
• Parks that are kept up and safe places to walk
• Streets and water I can count on
• Better internet
• Nothing (I'm already here for good / nothing would)
• Other: ____________________

16. Give each an overall rating from 1 to 5 stars. Optional. Skip any you like.

Not sure who handles what? There's a quick game at the end.

17. How well does City Hall keep you informed?

18. Where do you get news about the city? Check all that apply.

• Facebook
• Word of mouth
• Church
• The Wiregrass Farmer
• The water bill
• City website
• Other: ____________________

19. What would get you to a city council meeting? Check all that apply.

• Evening meeting times
• A livestream
• Seeing the agenda ahead of time
• Knowing how to speak at one
• Childcare
• Other: ____________________
• I'd come anyway

20. Race or ethnicity Check all that apply.

• Black or African American
• White
• Hispanic or Latino
• Asian
• American Indian or Alaska Native
• Another race
• Prefer not to say

21. Has anyone in your household served in the military? Check one.

• Yes
• No
• Prefer not to say

22. If you could tell the next council member one thing, what would it be?

Q1. Someone in Ashburn calls 911 for an ambulance. Who runs the ambulance service?

• City of Ashburn
• Turner County
• Board of Education
• The state

Q2. You live in Ashburn and your water's out. Who do you call?

• City of Ashburn
• Turner County
• The state
• Georgia Power

Q3. A loose dog keeps chasing kids on your street in Ashburn. Who handles it?

• City of Ashburn
• Turner County Sheriff's Office
• Both, it depends
• The state

Q4. Who decides how the public schools are run?

• City council
• County commission
• Board of Education
• The mayor

Q5. True or false: Ashburn has its own fire department, separate from the county's.

• True
• False

Q6. If you own a home inside Ashburn city limits, who do you pay property taxes to?

• Just the city
• Just the county
• The city, the county, and the schools

Q7. True or false: Renters don't help pay for city services.

• True
• False

Q8. How many cities are in Turner County?

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4