Local officials plead for census help

By Staff
Nathan Strickland
Census partnership assistants and numerators are gearing up to make sure everyone is counted this time around for the 2010 census record.
City and county officials continue to push the importance of getting a good count of folks in their communities so several benefits will continue to come to the area.
Census data is used to determine locations for retail stores, schools, hospitals, new housing developments and other community facilities.
Franklin County Probate Judge Barry Moore said it is more than just a population count, “the well-being and future of our community and country depends on it.”
Phil Campbell Mayor Jerry Mays said he was disappointed at the numbers from the last census, but believes this year there will be some improvement.
Moore said everyone no matter what age, race or ethnic group must be counted.
Mays said the 2010 census would have an impact on funds that are distributed to the area.
Mayors from around the county fear if the numbers are not accurate each town could suffer a significant loss of funding which could spell disaster for some small towns who need all the funding they can get.
Every year the federal government allocates more than $400 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data
Red Bay Mayor Bobby Forsythe believes the more representation we get the better off we will be.
Forsythe said just filling out a simple form could bring great rewards to Franklin County.
Forms are scheduled to be sent out the first half of March and will be gathered all the way up until Census day on April 1.
Census numerators will show up at doorsteps in from late April on into July to check on what happened to those who chose not to or either never received and filled out a census form. The census values each person counted and hopes to not leave anyone out.