Waitsburg May Conduct A Recount

WAITSBURG - Citizens of Waitsburg should be ready to be recounted.

City Manager Randy Hinchliffe said the recent federal census count was lower than the city believes it is, at 1,217 people. With a lower count, the city will receive less money from the state each year, he said. The state currently dishes out funding through liquor tax, gas tax and other revenues based on the city's current population.

With a low count, Hinchliffe is worried that until the next census, the city could miss out on a good amount of state money.

"If you leave it the number that it's at, you could go forward with a deficit," Hinchliffe told the city council last Wednesday night.

Based on utility accounts through the city, Hinchliffe estimates there are at least 1,280 people in city limits. If the city's count brings the population up to 1,300 people or more, Hinchliffe said the city could gain an extra couple thousand dollars a year from the state over the next 10 years.

But, if the count comes out lower than what the federal census came up with, the city may lose state funding.

" You take a chance," Hinchliffe said. "If it comes down, you have to take that number."

Hinchliffe said he doesn't believe the population will decrease if the city conducts its own counts because he heard some people in town were never counted for they did not receive a census questionnaire in their post office boxes.

If the city conducted its own count, it could also do an income survey, which could help it obtain grants.

The city would need to round up volunteers to go door-to-door for the count. It would likely take place in March and would need to be completed by April 1. Hinchliffe said the city could hire a contractor to conduct the survey for about $8,000, or the city could do it for about $500 with the use of volunteers.

Councilman Orville Branson said he supported the city's count because 10 years is a long time to wait for a correct census.

It was suggested that the Lions Club, Commercial Club or high school seniors could volunteer to go door-to-door to count everyone in the city.

Councilman Kevin House said he was worried about getting all of the counting done by the April 1 deadline.

"I'm concerned about having to pull it off with a small time frame," House said.

Hinchliffe said tabulating the numbers is the easy part and with volunteers on board, he believes the counting will take about one month.

No action was taken on the proposed city census and it will be discussed again in January.