MEASURING COMMUNITY SUCCESS: Our Community’s Quality of Life

How do we measure what is good and bad for a community? Is it good if an elected official says so? Does the newspaper editorial committee get to decide? More likely a successful community action is one that is talked about with pride around the dinner table or the coffee shop circuit. In other words, we’ll know it when we see it.

The phrase “quality of life” is thrown around like candy at a parade when describing our community measuring stick. One of our community’s greatest strengths is the “causes” that are started and implemented. Our community is vocal and engaged. When an individual or group starts a project, the volunteers and money often follow. This is a great indicator of a vibrant community. Yet, these successes still seem random and spotty. If a group declares their cause a “quality of life” issue does that mean it is good for the collective community, or just that particular special interest group. Broader community objectives should be taken into account.

Our community is interconnected and resources are finite. There is a limit to how many causes any community can successfully support. Rather than quantifying quality of life from an individual basis, perhaps we should measure quality of life from a community perspective. We should promote our “community’s quality of life.”

The school district successfully used this approach in promoting the “yes/yes” vote on the referendum. The Albert Lea Medical Center also promotes this message: quality affordable health care is a good the entire community. Yet, both of these organizations have a symbiotic reliance on community success and growth. They must support each other to be successful. Likewise, individual businesses need to think beyond their “economic bottom line” in quantifying success.

Local governments must also recognize that their funding sources are finite. They continuously struggle with providing community “good” within their means. The trap for them is to avoid mistaking more causes as progress. Again, how to promote the community’s collective interests, not special interests or causes.

It sounds like a simple concept! However, recognizing the interconnectedness of our community activities can go a long way in measuring success and allocating our limited community resources.