Dear Friends,
I serve with many of your neighbors on the “We Count Lee Counts” committee here in Lee County. The committee’s sole purpose is to promote the Census and hopefully as a result, improve our county’s citizen’s response to the census mailing in Mid-March. The Census is vitally important to our County, our Region, and our State. It will serve as the primary basis upon which some 400 BILLION DOLLARS is divided up among the communities of our country. Conservative estimates put the value of each citizen we count at $1,700.00. That means if we miss you in the count, it cost Lee County $1,700.00 if we miss a family of 4 it cost us $6,800.00! We can not afford to miss one single person! This same information also determines how many representatives we have in Atlanta and in Washington and even how the lines are drawn in Lee County for the election of Commissioners and School Board Members.
In March, your home should receive a simple, 10 question, census form. Fill it out and send it back. Just a few minutes of your time could mean so much for your community. For every household that does not respond, census workers will attempt to contact and count, so by filling out your form and returning it, you are saving the cost of that census worker trying to track down your household. Money that we save for the Census Bureau is really our money, since all government money comes from you and I!
This Saturday Feburary 27th our committee as well as volunteers from the community will be putting out campaign signs to encourage census completion.
Here is our plan:
On Saturday at 3:00pm we will meet at the Page Tharp Building ( 106 Starkville Rd. N., the old High School Building next door to the tag office.)
1. We will see how many teams (an indiviual as driver and installer, or a driver and a sign installer) we have, then divide up the maps. The maps will be a specific part of the county with suggested sign locations marked.If we have a least 30 teams we will each get 16 signs to install.
2. Teams depart and install signs (18×24 cloraplast signs “campaign type” on a wire holder, with the ground as wet as it now, they slide right into the earth with little effort) we can place our signs anywhere except state right of way or private property without permission. So county right of way is OK. Teams mark actual locations placed on map.
3. Return to Page Tharp to turn in maps with sign locations marked. (we intend to pick up all signs in April and their location will facilitate this task)
With good weather and great volunteers I hope this can be finished in 2 hours.
If you have transportation and would like to help please call 229-439-0590 (my insurance business) to register. The more drivers with cars we have the better.
Thanks so much for being a part of the greatest place on earth to live! Look for your Census form, fill out your Census form, Mail them Back, then ask your neighbor if they have. Reach out to your friends who may have trouble completing forms and offer to help them. Assure folks that the Census is necessary and safe.
Call me to help out with our sign explosion on Saturday!
Sincerely,
Rick Muggridge
“WE COUNT LEE COUNTS”
The Lee County Committee for a Complete Census Count
Rick Muggridge is a Lee County Commissioner representing the Century District and is Chairman of the Lee County Complete Count Committee.
