Complete 2010 Census Count
Important To Arab's Future

Members of the Arab 2010 Census Complete Count Committee surround Mayor Gary Beam as he signs proclamation signifying Arab's support of a complete and accurate count in the 2010 U.S. Census.  L-R: Judy Cox, Becky Hawkins, Teresa Campbell, Tony Cox, Tonya Nix, Deneille Dunn.           Arab Today Photo by Dwight Hayes

September 21, 2009
In March 2010 the next U.S. Census will begin and Arab officials want the City's count to be accurate and complete.  To help assure a complete count, Mayor Gary Beam has appointed a committee to encourage participation in the census and to educate Arab Citizens about the importance to the City.

The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States: in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Island Areas and is required by law.  The Census Bureau will mail or deliver questionnaires to all households in March 2010.  A second form will be mailed to households that do not respond to the first questionnaire.  Anyone failing to respond to the second questionnaire will be called or visited by a Census worker.  The census is supposed to be completed by December 31, 2010.

Mayor Beam hopes that a complete and accurate count will benefit Arab as the City enters the next decade.  Data gathered through the census will be used to determine how more than $400 billion in federal and state funding is allocated each year.  An accurate count will help to ensure that Arab receives it's fair share of the funding.  The data is also used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of representatives and to redistrict the Alabama Legislature.  The information collected by the census is protected by law and remains confidential for 72 years.

Members of the Arab 2010 Census Complete Count Committee and the subcommittees that they chair are:  Teresa Campbell, Overall Committee Chair; Becky Hawkins and Wendell Smith, Government Subcommittee; Melinda Hamilton, Education Subcommittee; Glenda Thomas, Faith Based Subcommittee; Charles Whisenant, Media Subcommittee; Tony Cox, Community Based Organizations Subcommittee; Deneille Dunn, Business Subcommittee; Tonya Nix, Law Enforcement Subcommittee.