If your address isn’t on file, expect a knock on the door, a badge to be flashed, and a friendly, “Hello,” from the United States Cenus. Training is ongoing this week in Ruidoso, to ensure that dozens of Lincoln County census workers- as well as those in the rest of the country- learn the ropes of map spotting, canvassing, identifying “OLQ’s” and the most cost-effective way to perform daily assigments. After all, the results benefit their employer, and that’s you. Whether delivered or mailed, census forms must be returned by mail, postage pre-paid, by April 1, 2010.
Beverly Dale (left) obtains one of two sets of fingerprints that U.S. census enumerator Patti Van Dusen will provide, to different census workers, for the 'uptake-leave' phase of the dicennial 2010 census. Dale is a local hobbyist woodworker, and Van Dusen volunteers at Spencer Theater. Van Dusen, like many of the current enumerators, has worked other phases of the US census, and recently finished working the "special places" phase.
“We Can't Move Forward Until You Mail It Back” is the motto and directive on the official site of the U.S. Census 2010, where more information can be found at 2010.census.gov.
It is further explained that census information affects the numbers of seats your state occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives. As people from many walks of life use census data to advocate for causes, rescue disaster victims, prevent diseases, research markets, locate pools of skilled workers and more, the information you will be asked to provide in your census questionnaire (a process required of the United States government every 10 years) is very important indeed.
Culled from all over Lincoln County, enumerators were selected from high-scoring applicants, and have all taken an oath of secrecy to protect Title 13 address information they will collect. Dozens of enumerators are now undergoing rigorous daily training at the Senior Center in Ruidoso. Soon they will be knocking on doors at residences, the addresses for which are unknown, and will mapping these residences for accuracy. The information will later be used to help determine the allocation of services to Lincoln County.
In economically challenging times it may be more important than ever to make sure that you are counted. Hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects, emergency services are all funded using the results of the census questionnaires you will be receiving in the mail. The information you’ll provide in your questionnaire will help to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services.
Ken Wilson, one of three Lincoln County crew leaders, provides daily and detailed training for enumerators. Census workers will need mapping and people skills to make sure that Lincoln County is 'counted' for 2010 Census, required every 10 years.
If your address is in the system, expect your questionnaire in the mail. But this census process, known as ‘uptake leave,’ serves only those residences without a mailing address on file. And that can get complicated, for accuracy’s sake, to figure out which residences are new, burned down, moved off trailer site pads, which names of roads have been changes, new roads added, and the like. In Lincoln County as in other parts of the United States, folks may choose to live in unique locations, such as box cars, caves, or abandoned buildings. Those need to be counted too, for all the reasons mentioned above. And that is why these folks in training, known as ‘enumerators,’ will be ascertaining whether living units are new, gone, or for some reason, not on their maps. They’ll deliver questionnaires to those un-mapped residences found, after securing mailing addresses and making sure that they are first correctly mapped.
Jose Esquivez, field operations supervisor, travels from his office in Roswell daily to work closely with three Lincoln County crew leaders, Kari Dawn Kolander (pictured right) Ken Wilson, and Craig Westbrook. Crew leaders supervise the dozens of enumerators, who are responsible for updating maps with information such as new residences, residences previously uncounted that are within businesses, and roads which are gone or have new names. Even box cars and caves used as residences must be counted, to ensure that Lincoln County residents receive their deserved share of services.
It’s a big job, a challenging job, and for your safety, these enumerators have been carefully selected. As the address information they will collect is protected under Title 13, all census workers have taken an oath never to disclose information gleaned to anyone other than a U.S. census worker or administrator, also under oath of secrecy. All enumerators were pre-tested, have been fingerprinted and are now
undergoing rigorous training. Some, like Patti are back for a second round, after completing the ‘special places’ census task in 2009. “I like maps,” said Patti, who also volunteers at the Spencer Theater. “There’s a lot of information provided on the maps for us to do the job, and it’s a good feeling to know that what I do will make a difference when I get it right.”
While enumerators during ‘uptake leave’ will be mapping and delivering questionnaires, they are not able or trained to help residents fill them out. That will be the job, for those who need it, of the next round. An 800 number is provided on the questionnaire for help with filling it out if needed. However, the questionnaire is a pretty simple document asking only for information most residents have on hand or in their heads.
While this part of the census lasts only a few weeks, a lot will be gained through the efforts of the census workers using their vehicles, shoe leather and wits to make sure that you are counted, and that your privacy is protected. Like postal workers and utility
workers, the days will get long and the work can be hard. If your address isn’t on file, you’ll be getting a knock at your door, and a badge and smile will be flashed. At that time, a smile in return, and your cooperation in providing address and residence type information will be most welcomed by your enumerator. Remember- your enumerator is there only to make sure you are counted, and receive the services your area deserves.
And the process of figuring out who gets what services, just like the census itself, “...Can't Move Forward Until You Mail It Back.”