By SARAH CULTON

sarah.culton@leaderpub.com

CASSOPOLIS — Though there are still weeks left in 2019, the Cass County Board of Commissioners began looking toward 2020 Thursday.

During the board’s regular meeting, Census Committee member Sandra Seanor presented to the commissioners about the 2020 census. With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, she highlighted the importance of accurately counting Cass County residents during the census and the impact the results of the census could have on the county.

Once every 10 years, the U.S. conducts a census to count each resident of the country. The data, which is kept confidential, collected by the census bureau is used to determine the number of seats a state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and also to distribute federal funds to local communities.

Michigan relies on federal funding to make up 41 percent of its budget, according to a State Budget Office executive budget recommendation.

“That equates to about $1,800 per person in Michigan, per capita,” Seanor said. “All of the programs [funded through federal dollars] are important to our state, our county and our townships as well. When we lose anybody off of the census count, it will impact us.”

Due to the importance of ensuring an accurate census count, Seanor said the Census Committee has been working to come up with strategies to make sure every individual person in Cass County is counted in the census. This includes hard to reach populations, such as immigrants, homeless, nomadic persons, etc. To help ensure a proper count, the committee is reaching out to local institutions such as libraries and treasurers to identify and help reach those communities.

“It’s really hard to tell how many people never responded and were never counted,” she said. “That’s why there is this initiative for 2020 outreach.”

For the first time this year, the census committee will be using the internet to count individuals. However, according to the American Community Survey, 26 percent of Cass County households do not have internet access. To combat this, Seanor said the census committee would be working with libraries and townships to allow individuals to respond outside of their homes. Additionally, if a household does not respond via the internet, the committee will follow up with mail, and phone and in-person calls.

“Again, what Cass County, Michigan wants to do is get everyone counted,” Seanor said. “If you don’t respond the first time, we will follow up a second and a third time because we really want you to respond.”