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By Carol Arnett

Mayor Robert Lowery is already starting efforts to encourage citizens to fill out their federal census forms next year so they will be counted.

At the council meeting last week, Lowery used time during his “message from the mayor” remarks to urge people to send the form in. “We have about 54,000 people,” he said. ‘if we don’t stay there, we could potentially lose $2-3 million.”

Several grants are based on census figures, as are some tax distributions. At the executive session before the council meeting, Lowery asked all the council members to help get the word out about the importance of the census. He also asked them to be thinking of other ways to get the message out.

The city will start its campaign for the census after the first of the year, Lowery told the council. Councilwoman Karen McKay said that North County Incorporated has already developed some materials for its marketing campaign for the census. Since the city is a member, they are able to use the materials.

McKay said that NCI created a simple brochure with ten questions and answers about the census. McKay said she liked it because it was simple, easy to read, and answered the questions most asked. NCI is also distributing reusable grocery bags with the census logo.

“This is so important,” McKay said, “Missouri could lose a congress seat if the numbers go down.”

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