The national head count, established in the US Constitution, takes place every 10 years, with the first count held in 1790.
This year, Census Day is April 1. This year's slogan is, “It's in Our Hands.”
Residents around Lake County will be receiving the forms from the US Census Bureau in late March, officials reported.
The forms will include 10 questions, making this year's census questionnaire one of the shortest in the county's history, according to the US Census Bureau. Information gathered from the questionnaires is kept confidential.
In advance of the arrival of questionnaires, local governments are accepting proclamations in support of the US Census in an effort to communicate its importance.
The Board of Supervisors offered such a proclamation at its Jan. 12 meeting, the Lakeport City Council offered a similar one on Jan. 19. On Jan. 28, the Clearlake City Council will make its own census proclamation, according to Clearlake City Clerk Melissa Swanson.
Andrew Britton, the city of Lakeport's planning services manager and a member of the Lake County Complete Count Committee, presented the proclamation to the Lakeport City Council on Tuesday.
Britton has added a page on the city of Lakeport's Web site, http://www.cityoflakeport.com/departments/page.aspx?deptID=39&id=132 , which offers more information on the importance of the count.
If residents aren't counted properly, the Lakeport Census page notes, “our community will not receive its fair share of funding for public services such as job training, emergency services, roads, schools, hospitals/clinics and redistricting of elective districts.”
Census counts are particularly important to communities because of the federal dollars at stake.
Britton's report to the Lakeport City Council explained that the federal government distributes $400 billion annually to state and local governments based on information derived for the census. Jurisdictions could receive up to $3,000 per person from the federal government based on their populations.
The federal government uses the national count to determine funds for health care, community services, education, aid for children and seniors, and other crucial services, the US Census Bureau reported.
The US Census count also determines districts for elected officials, as well as how many officials will represent an area.
The Lake County Complete County Committee is working to improve its mailback response rate. For 2000, that rate was 50 percent, which officials said was one of the lowest response rates in the state.
This year, the committee wants to increase the response rate by 15 percent, said Britton, raising it to 65 percent. The committee hopes to achieve that by publicizing efforts about the county's importance, as well as reaching out to hard-to-count populations.
The 2010 Census also is providing some employment opportunities. Britton said about 400 people are expected to be hired for the local counting effort.
Suzanne Kenney, a US Census recruiter for Lake County, said they're seeking 1,300 census taker applicants in Lake County. Nationwide, it's estimated that one million census takers will be hired this spring to assist with completing the national headcount.
Kenney said that only two more months are left to complete the application process. All individuals hired by the US Census Bureau must take a 30-minute basic skills exam; those test sessions are being scheduled now throughout the county.
The census taker jobs last at least a few weeks, pay $11.50 an hour an include mileage reimbursement at government rates, according to the US Census Bureau.
To apply call 1-866-861-2010. The US Census Bureau is an equal opportunity employer, and bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply, the agency reported.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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