By Joe Malan, Staff Writer
About 64 percent of Enid residents responded to the 2000 census survey.
Now, 10 years later, local officials hope for 100 percent participation in the 2010 U.S. Census.
“We only have 10 years to get it right,” said Mayor John Criner on Wednesday, “and April 1 is it.”
Representatives from U.S. Census Bureau’s Kansas City Regional Census Center were in Enid Wednesday to promote the kickoff of the 2010 census.
Notable local officials, including Criner, spoke about the importance of the census and their expectations for citywide participation.
Criner, the first of six speakers Wednesday morning, emphasized citywide participation in the survey, saying the amount of money the city gets from the federal government for city projects depends on it.
“There is probably nothing more important that’s going to happen in Enid than April 1,” he said.
April 1 is Census Day, or the day when U.S. Census Bureau would like all questionnaires turned in.
Census workers who are hired though, will work into July, visiting households and handing out questionnaires to people who haven’t filled one out.
Cindy Bobbitt, Grant County commissioner for District 2, also emphasized accurate completion of surveys. She said high participation would improve the area’s chances for getting federal money that is needed.
“(In Grant County) we get a lot of our funding based on population,” she said. “With-out the population being counted, we’re going to lose funding that comes to us.”
Lisa Powell, business manager for Enid Regional Development Alliance, said the organization is putting together a Complete Count Committee that will do many things to promote the census.
The 2010 Census, Powell said, will be important in helping to bring more quality jobs to the Enid area.
“The census is something everyone needs to participate in,” she said.
Representatives from oth-er Oklahoma cities also were at the press conference Wednesday. Katherine Long, of Ponca City Development Authority for Kay County/ Ponca City, and Paula Den-nison, development services director for the city of Stillwater, both represented their respective cities.
Dennison said her Count Stillwater Committee already has handed out more than 30,000 promotional items to residents for the 2010 census.
Parts of Garfield County had a more than 70 percent response rate to the 2000 U.S. Census, according to data from U.S. Census Bureau. The county as a whole had a 69 percent response rate. The only state counties to have an equal or higher rate were McClain, Washington, Cle-veland, Canadian and Ro-gers.
The parts of Enid most responsive to the 2000 census were the north, west and southwest, which had response rates of more than 70 percent. The east and southeast had a 61-69 percent response rate, while the middle of the city had only a 51-60 percent res-ponse rate.
Census workers for the 2010 U.S. census will work from February to July. Anyone who is interested in a part-time or full-time position in Garfield County can call (866) 861-2010.
