(Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter)
Correction, May 21: The Marion County Commission will meet 6 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Paul Community Hall, located at 20239 Main St. N.E., St. Paul. A previous version of this article misstated the time and location of the meeting.
The 2020 Census is about a year away, but Marion County Commissioners on Wednesday will discuss a resolution to commit the county to a precise count.
If adopted, commissioners would resolve that “Marion County supports the goals and ideals of the census and will conduct robust public awareness and educational campaigns up to, on, and after the nationally recognized ‘Census Day’ on April 1, 2020.”
The U.S. Census Bureau conducts its nationwide count every 10 years, dating back to 1790. The census is one of the few mandates of the federal government specifically outlined in the U.S. Constitution.
Besides collecting troves of data to understand the country, the census helps the federal government decide how and where to send money and resources. Marion County says approximately $1 billion in federal dollars flows into the county annually via transportation dollars, Medicaid, Medicare, housing vouchers and more.
County spokeswoman Jolene Kelley said Marion County is collaborating with the city of Salem to develop a committee that will be spearheading the census locally, while working with statewide census organizers and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Kelley said subcommittees are also being formed to help make recommendations to the main committee about how it can best reach specific populations, such as very young people or people in elder care or people who don’t speak English, for example.
“The resolution really shows the county’s commitment to an accurate and complete census,” she said. “It just says we’re doing our best to ensure we have an accurate count for our communities and it’s as complete as possible.”
The committee met in April and will meet again in the fall, Kelley said.
The upcoming census will also be the first where people can fill it out online, Kelley said, although people may still complete the census by mail or by phone.
The 2020 Census has already drawn headlines a Trump administration proposal to ask about U.S. citizenship, which opponents said could cause immigrants or other non-citizens to skip the question or the census entirely. The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case last month.
Kelley said the resolution isn’t tied to anything occurring at the federal level.
Besides the census, county commissioners will also consider revising its agreement with Polk and Yamhill counties in their collaborative effort to collect and manage household hazardous waste.
Commissioners will also consider proclaiming May as “Older Americans Month” in Marion County.
Commissioners’ consent calendar also includes approving a $1.63 million contract with North Santiam Paving Company for work on Wintercreek Road Southeast, as well as distributing $1.47 million from timber sales.
Meeting details: Wednesday, May 22 at 6 p.m. at the St. Paul Community Hall, 20239 Main St. N.E., St. Paul.
Commission members: Kevin Cameron, Sam Brentano and Colm Willis.
Have a tip? Contact reporter Troy Brynelson at 503-575-9930, [email protected] or @TroyWB.
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