Officials to begin North Liberty special census count

NORTH LIBERTY - U.S. Census Bureau employees have been trained and are ready to begin counting the residents of North Liberty.

Enumerators, wearing official Census Bureau badges for identification, will begin North Liberty's special census count on Thursday.

Nick Bergus, North Liberty communications director, said resident cooperation will help the process move as quick as possible.

'I think it's really going to depend on those sorts of things, it will take a few weeks regardless, but it will take longer if we have to work harder to get people to make contact,” he said. 'At this point we need folks to answer the door and take the time to answer questions.”

Tracey Mulcahey, assistant city administrator, said in an email an official count of the number of enumerators hired was unavailable, but added that the bureau still is hiring employees.

North Liberty officials decided earlier this year to pursue the special census, due to the community's rapidly growing population.

While the 2010 count by the U.S. Census Bureau found North Liberty's population to be 13,374, officials estimate the city now has more than 17,000 residents.

The cost of a special census estimated to be about $310,000, but could generate an additional $280,000 annually in road use tax revenue, which is based on population. With February changes to the state gas tax, that revenue is anticipated to be even higher.

With such a big financial impact, Bergus said it is crucial that all residents cooperate to allow for the most accurate count possible.

'The census is important because the official population count is used by the state to help a portion of road use tax funding,” he said. 'It's really important for folks, it helps us improve the roads that they use.”