Census count efforts were not made in vain

Franklin County’s population did not change as much as officials had hoped when preliminary numbers were released by the U.S. Census Bureau Thursday.

But the county did gain a little ground, adding close to 500 new residents to its population total.

While that seemingly insignificant amount will not mean much when it comes to government funding, it is important in the fact that it was not a decrease. Hopefully that means there won’t be a reduction in dollars headed our way.

The local agencies and groups that worked so hard to make as many people count as possible should be commended for their efforts.

Times are hard and each dollar is important. Thanks to their hard work and effort, hopefully Franklin County will avoid taking a step back in this important area.