PATTERSON — The Development Ready Community Committee is kicking off its public efforts to learn what city residents want to see and do.

The committee is making surveys available for local residents to evaluate the strengths of the community in such areas as education, health care, job opportunities, transportation, quality of life and other measures.

Surveys are available online by visiting the committee’s Facebook page, Patterson Development Ready Community, and following the link to survey. Alternately, printed surveys will be available at city hall and other organizations and businesses in the city.

Surveys and instructions for online access will be available at a booth at the Patterson Community Fair tonight through Sunday.

Those Patterson area residents — within the 70392 ZIP code — who complete a survey and provide their names will be entered into a drawing with several prizes.

The committee has also planned two town hall meetings for residents and business owners in the Patterson area.

The meetings on July 12 and July 16, both at 5:30 p.m. at city hall, will be led by facilitator Roxane Barnes of Cleco and focus on three questions: What do you like about Patterson? What do you dislike about Patterson? And, if you had a magic wand, what would you change about Patterson.

The town hall meetings should last between an hour and an hour and a half.

The DRCC was formed in June to help make Patterson the best it can be through community and economic development. The program is part of a Louisiana Economic Development initiative.

For more information on the surveys or the town hall meetings, call city hall at 395-5205.