Montgomery First in Nation to Conduct Special Census

Village of Montgomery

The Village of Montgomery, Illinois has been selected to be the first municipality in the country to undergo a Special Census in the new millennium, Village officials announced Monday. Montgomery is mid-sized and rapidly growing, two characteristics that make the Village an ideal location for the Census Bureau to test its new software, policies and procedures before making them available to the rest of the nation. In addition to enjoying the prestige of being first, Montgomery stands to gain financially from the increased official population count that will result from the Special Census.

Municipalities receive a major source of funding from State shared revenue, based upon their official population count. Montgomery's population at the time of the 2000 Census was 5,471; however, according to Village records, the population currently stands at more than 6,200 and will reach 7,000 by September 2002. Although the Special Census will cost the Village $73,659, the increased revenue from the State based upon the new population count will more than offset that amount, bringing in an additional $178,820 during fiscal 2003/04. According to Village Manager Anne Marie Gaura, "This is the perfect opportunity to help the community benefit from the new growth." In addition, Gaura said, "The Village has the incredible opportunity to receive national public recognition and the prestige of being the first municipality of the new millennium to have a Special Census."

The Special Census will be conducted in September 2002, with enumerators going door to door for those residences that do not respond to the mailed survey. Village officials will receive the new Census count early in 2003 and Montgomery will begin receiving increased State shared revenue based upon the new official population by April or May 2003. The Village anticipates conducting partial Special Censuses every couple of years in order to receive increased revenues from the population growth that is anticipated between now and 2010, when the next regularly scheduled U.S. Census will take place.