The results of the first annual Merritt Business Walk are in, and show the beliefs and perceptions about doing business in Merritt vary widely.

Eighty-six businesses responded to the seven-question survey that used mainly open-ended questions in order to capture business owners’ attitudes, Community Futures Nicola Valley general manager Rob Miller told council at the March 17 committee of the whole meeting.

He approached council in order to start the discussion about what to do next.

“I don’t want this document to sit as it is with no feedback to the stakeholders,” he said.

Location, affordability and clientele came in by a landslide as the top three reasons for business owners to conduct their business in Merritt.

Lack of local government support, signage and consumer “leakage” — the term for people leaving town to purchase goods and services elsewhere — were identified as the top three challenges.

Local government support related to things such as taxes, red tape and economic development.

The question asking business owners to identify the impact of consumer “leakage” on their business was poorly answered, but came up later in other, open-ended questions, Miller said.

“I’m not sure that all the business people have actually considered what leakage potentially means to them,” he said. “It’s almost like you don’t have the dollars coming in, so you don’t know what’s there in the first place.”

Absentee landlords were also identified as a challenge.

“They own property, but don’t live or work in the valley and are reticent to invest in upgrades to their property,” Miller said. “This is, of course, not unique to Merritt.”

Social issues such as loitering and public intoxication were identified by some business owners in the downtown core, said Coun. Ginny Prowal, who canvassed that area.

Other business owners said they’d like to see more partnerships between community groups and improved marketing.

The 86 surveyed businesses were grouped roughly into three geographic areas: the Bench/Gasoline Alley, the downtown core, and the downtown industrial fringe.

Over half of the responding businesses had been in business for at least 10 years.

Some major employers remain to be surveyed, including the two sawmills, but Miller expects representatives from the three agencies to meet with them in the coming weeks.

Volunteers from the chamber of commerce, Community Futures and the City of Merritt conducted the survey from Jan. 29 and into the first week of February.

The three organizations will review the results of the survey and work on responses according to each of their mandates.

One of the ideas brought forward at the meeting was a “shop local” campaign.

Another initial suggestion was to encourage business owners to form a downtown business association.

Coun. Mike Goetz said he’d like to see a similar survey for consumers to find out their perceptions of the other side of doing business in town.

Coun. Dave Baker said he would like to see the numbers broken down further, specifically by geographical area.

Miller said this is the baseline survey for what he hopes will be an annual initiative.

He said he expects to see improvements going forward.

“This is the first opportunity. People probably come out of the gates with a bit of emotion,” he said.