County delays census work
By Barry H. Hendrix Contributing Writer

The U.S. Census Bureau has requested from Clarke County information on street addresses of county residents. The bureau wants to make sure they can find residents when the next census campaign begins in 2009.

E-911 Coordinator Becky Neugent attended a meeting last week regarding a Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program. "They take your information and they go out into the community to find the people who live there," she said.

Participation in the LUCA program is not mandatory, but government entities who participate would receive more detailed census information after the 2010 census. "The more information that we provide to them, the more information they provide back to us."

Without E-911's new Computer Aided Dispatch program, the county would not easily be able to provide the census bureau such data. Neugent said she could gather the information during the course of her duties. At least 100 man-hours would likely be spent on the effort, she said.

Commissioner Patricia DuBose said she was initially in support of the effort but asked that the commission further study the Census Bureau request before committing Neugent's time to it. The county must decide by Oct. 31 whether it will participate, Neugent said. Once the county begins the program, there is a 120-day time period to complete it.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Clarke County population grew from approximately 27,240 in 1990 to 27,867 in 2000. There was controversy throughout the country that the 2000 census undercounted minorities such as blacks and Hispanics. Republicans also complained at the time about President Bill Clinton's support for statistical sampling.

The census count is important because federal monies are given to states based on population. Census figures also decide the state's number of representatives in the U.S. House, and state legislatures are drawn based on population.

Government agencies who participate in the LUCA program can go back and challenge whether all the residents were counted in the 2010 census. "They (the bureau) are giving you options to go and say 'we agree with your count or no we don't,'" Neugent said.

In other action from Tuesday's meeting, the county Emergency Management Agency reported that the county has received two Homeland Security grants in the amounts of $34,888 (EMA) and $27,000 (law enforcement) for equipment purchases.

• Commissioner Rhondel B. Rhone expressed concern about the lack of a sprinkler system for the landscaping around the new courthouse annex. "That should have been in there from day one," he said. "…This should have been included in the original plan. The architect left it out. I think they should add that, and it should be added at their cost.

…We repeatedly told them, and to leave something out as simple as a sprinkler system, I just think that should be added…at no cost to the county."

A meeting with PH&J Architects of Montgomery was planned for Tuesday afternoon, said County Administrator Annie Deloise Morris. Construction of the annex was supervised by J. C. Duke Contractors. A portion of payment for the annex construction has been withheld until the commission is fully satisfied, said Commission Chairman Joe Hunt.

• The commission approved a proclamation that Oct. 17 will be declared Disability Mentoring Day. The proclamation recognizes people with disabilities who contribute to the workforce.

• The Sheriff's Department was given permission to fill a vacancy of booking officer at the Clarke County Jail.

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