Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - In 2010, the United States Census Bureau will issue a call to "be counted" to every resident of the United States of America.  The official Census questionnaires will be mailed in March 2010; Census Day is April 1, 2010.  Census data is a critical basis for the allocation of state and federal funding to Alachua County, electoral redistricting, and as an important tool for making many decisions in our community.  Therefore, it is vital that the Census be as complete and accurate as possible.

In preparation for the 2010 Census, it is important to establish a countywide Complete Count Committee - a team of community leaders working to develop and implement a local outreach plan for the 2010 Census.  The purpose of this committee is to raise awareness about the importance of the 2010 Census, reach out to hard-to-count groups, and encourage overall participation in the 2010 Census.

Alachua County Commissioner Rodney J. Long has been selected by the Alachua County Commission to be the "champion" for the 2010 Census.  Long's goal is to partner with each municipality, K-12 schools, Santa Fe College, the University of Florida, the media, the business community, service agencies, civic leaders, and faith-based and community-based organizations. 

The Complete Count Committee kickoff meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Multipurpose Center (1028 NE 14^th Street, Gainesville). This meeting is open to the public. 

Contact Ivy Bell, Senior Planner in the Alachua County Department of Growth Management at 352-374-5249 or imb@alachuacounty.us on or before Monday, October 19, 2009 to confirm your attendance or if you have questions or need additional information.