A comprehensive plan is a document which identifies the goals, policies and strategies for the development of the community and may include guidelines for utilities and infrastructure, economic development, land uses and government services.

``This is one of the important steps in gathering information to update Hartwick’s comprehensive plan,’’ said town supervisor Mary Balcom.

Town officials and volunteers will go door-to-door to distribute surveys to a random sample of adult residents.

Tim Hayes, of the Center for Economic and Community Development at SUCO, helped the town develop the survey and determine how it would be distributed.

Hayes said 630 surveys will be handed out which represents approximately one-third the adult population of the town.

Those residents who are not among the randomly selected group may still participate in the survey by getting a copy at the town clerk’s office or the link on the town’s website. They can then complete the survey and turn it in.

``We don’t want people to feel left out of the process,’’ Hayes said.

According to Hayes, the three page survey should take about ten minutes to complete and includes questions concerning demographics, future growth, quality of life, community issues and governmental services.

The questions were developed with input from town officials working on the comprehensive plan update.

Hayes said it should take two weeks to distribute the surveys and that as soon as they are returned, he and staff at the Center will analyze the data collected and prepare a report for the town board.