In the first full month of the 2020 Census, only 44.9 percent of Covington County residents have taken time to respond, according to the Census Bureau’s estimate of the population.
But in some parts of the county, residents are more engaged than others.
For instance, in Carolina, a whopping 58.5 percent of the estimated population has completed the Census.
Andalusia’s current participation rate is 47.1 percent.
Opp has a 52.8 percent participation rate.
In Florala, only 39.3 percent of the estimated population has self reported, to date.
On Thursday, Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson recorded a two-minute video encouraging participation.
“Based on our 2010 count, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated Andalusia’s population was 9,015,” the mayor said. “That’s just under the threshold of 10,000 residents that we need to make Andalusia an attractive location for many businesses.
“But we also know that our official population count was low, because the U.S. Census Bureau has determined that Andalusia and Covington County have areas of undercounted population,” Johnson said. “It is our goal to make sure every Andalusia resident – young or old, rich or poor, and regardless of skin color or ethnicity – be counted this year.”
Completing the Census only takes six minutes, he said, adding that residents may use the paper form, participate online, or call the U.S. Census Bureau to participate. Every man, woman and child in a residence should be included in the numbers reported to the Census Bureau.
“We understand the fear some feel in counting every member of their households,” Johnson said. “But your privacy is protected. It is against the law for the Census Bureau to publicly release your responses in any way that could identify you or your household, and that information is legally sealed for 72 years. The goal of the Census is to count every single person living in the United States. In Andalusia, we are aiming for 100 percent participation.”
The 2020 Census will dictate the distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funding to local and state governments. This funding supports schools, healthcare, infrastructure, community assistance and more. And its impact can last for decades to come in more ways than one. It is estimated that in 2016, more than $13 billion was allocated to the state of Alabama from programs affected by the previous census.
The census, which dates all the way back to 1790, counts every person – both adults and children – living in the United States. This information gathered is then used to monitor changes in communities, identify and address public service needs such as health care, education, public safety, housing, food, and rural access to broadband. The Census Bureau also uses the data to determine the number of seats each state has.in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Beginning last month, each Alabama household received a notification in the mail from the U.S. Census Bureau. It contained instructions for how to complete the census. Residents can respond online, by phone or via traditional paper form. The survey takes less than six minutes to complete. Each participant’s information is protected by law.
Six City of Andalusia Utilities employees are headed to Chattanooga Tuesday morning to assist with restoring power in that city after more than 60,000 residences and businesses experienced outages as a result of damages from a severe storm system and an EF-3 tornado battered the area on Sunday night.
Mayor Earl Johnson said the City of Andalusia has an agreement with Electric Cities of Alabama, which has reciprocal agreements with other states, to assist other utilities in times of crises.
“I’d rather send help than need help,” the mayor said. “But it’s good to know that, through this association, we could get help if we needed it.”
The city’s utilities department will be paid for the use of its equipment and its employees’ time, the mayor said.
A foreman, two lead linemen, an apprentice lineman, and two groundsmen are headed to Chattanooga with two bucket trucks, a digger/derrick truck and a pole trailer.
At least two people died and 21 were hospitalized in Chattanooga as a result of the storm. The EF-3 storm had wind speeds that reached 145 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Hundreds of structures were damaged.
Mayors in Andalusia, Opp, Florala, Red Level, River Falls and Lockhart have agreed to impose curfews in their municipalities from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m., beginning Friday, April 10. The curfews will continue as long as deemed necessary.
The curfews are designed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The mayors met in person and by phone on Monday.
“This sends a message that this is serious business,” Mayor Earl Johnson said. “A curfew is not designed to impede those who have a legitimate reason to be out, like traveling to or from work. But we simply cannot allow people to gather, as they have continued to do. When they do that, they are putting not only themselves at risk of catching the virus, but others around them, as well.”
The mayor expressed his appreciation to Opp Mayor Becky Bracke, Florala Mayor Terry Holley, Lockhart Mayor Eugene Birge, Red Level Mayor Willie Hendrix, and River Falls Mayor Patricia Gunter for joining the effort.
“I appreciate their cooperation,” he said. “I think it is important that we are unified in this effort.”
The City of Andalusia has announced it will furlough more than a third of its employees, effective Monday, April 13.
Mayor Earl Johnson personally communicated the news to employees in meetings on Thursday and Friday, April 2 and 3, to give them time to prepare for the changes.
“As we deal with the effects of the pandemic on the national, state and local economies, we have had to make some difficult decisions for the City of Andalusia,” Mayor Earl Johnson said Friday. “We are reducing some of the services the city provides and furloughing more than a third of our employees.”
The changes do not affect police protection, fire protection or sanitation (garbage) services, the mayor said.
However, trash pick-up (limbs and other yard debris) will not be done weekly. Instead, Director of Public Works Glynn Ralls said, residents can expect to have limbs and other debris picked up every two to three weeks. He also asks that residents separate limbs and other yard clippings from other debris like mattresses. Ralls said that the city also will suspend curbside recycling after collections on Thursday, April 9.
Beginning April 7, the city’s landfill will be temporarily closed to the public.
The city’s Nutrition Center will continue to provide meals to the senior population.
The city’s library, adult activity center and parks have been closed for several weeks, which reduces the work loads of many employees, the mayor said.
“The city’s primary source of income is sales taxes, which will be significantly reduced while the majority of our local businesses are closed,” Johnson said. “We have an obligation to our citizens to manage city services as tightly as possible to ensure that we can operate throughout the economic crisis created by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“I have assured those employees affected that it is our intent to recall them as soon as the economy begins to recover,” he said. “They are not just employees, they are family.”
The CARES package approved by Congress and signed into law by the president increases unemployment benefits to those employees who are displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is not a decision we made lightly,” the mayor said. “Our decisions were shaped in part by the knowledge that our employees are eligible for benefits through the CARES Act.”
The mayor said that all Americans are being asked to make sacrifices.
“If we think back in the history of the United States, we have asked American citizens to do difficult things,” he said. “During World War II, those who stayed at home made tremendous sacrifices to support the war effort. As a result of this pandemic, we are asking Americans to make big sacrifices again. Some in our city family will sacrifice by dealing with a furlough, while others will be called upon to take on additional responsibilities.”
