El Dorado city officials are seeking community participation to help prepare for the 2020 U.S. Census.
At the request of the U.S. Census Bureau, the city is forming a Complete County Committee to ensure that every El Dorado resident is counted when census takers begin arriving next year.
El Dorado City Clerk Heather McVay said the purpose of the committee is to help provide leadership and support for the community in order to garner as accurate a population count as possible.
McVay said committee members will be appointed by Mayor Frank Hash, with recommendations from El Dorado City Council members.
She explained that the purpose of the committee will be to organize community outreach efforts.
The U.S. Census Bureau suggests seven committee members representing a cross-section of the community, including state, local or tribal agencies; schools/colleges; faith-based institutions; community organizations; nonprofit organizations; local businesses; local media; and special housing groups.
“It’s to make sure to include a wide range of people who may have access to people who normally don’t get counted,” McVay said.
Added Hash, “They’re not taking surveys but encouraging folks to participate.”
Civic and community leaders have stressed the importance of compiling accurate census numbers, and Hash reiterated those advisories during an El Dorado City Council meeting on July 5.
“Every person represents money to this city. That’s what (general revenue turnback funds) are based on,” Hash said.
The state of Arkansas “turns back” funds to counties and cities to provide essential services, including law enforcement and fire protection, street and highway maintenance, solid waste services, etc.
The 2010 Census validated concerns that the city’s population had fallen below 20,000. The count came in at 18,884 and a follow-up count in 2012 dropped to 18,491.
Data released in May by the bureau reflected an even lower population count, showing a total decrease of 854, or 4.52 percent, of the overall population in El Dorado between 2010 and 2017.
With the most recent population estimate at 18,030, El Dorado sits on the list of the top 10 cities in Arkansas to lose the most population during that seven-year period.
The city’s population has steadily declined since 1970, when the count stood at its highest — 25,273. The exception is a .12 percent (22 people), growth spurt in 2015.
In the years leading up to and immediately following the 2010 Census, the city embarked on several major projects, announcements and ideas that were intended, in part, to help boost population and tourism.
The announcement of the El Dorado Promise scholarship program; the rollout of a master economic development plan and subsequent passage of the El Dorado Forward and El Dorado Works economic development taxes; a marketing study and Festival City rebranding idea; construction of the El Dorado Conference Center; and the development of the Murphy Arts District all failed to reverse the long-running population trend.
But the projects have proven successful in other ways by helping to instill community pride, drawing more visitors to the city and creating state and national buzz about El Dorado — all of which city leaders are hoping will lead to a jump in population in years to come, starting with the 2020 Census.
Hash has said an accurate Census count will also help.
“El Dorado is steadily adding new stores and services of all descriptions. Companies and corporations don’t build in declining environments!” Hash said in May.
“I believe that if citizens cooperate fully with census takers this time around, El Dorado will show an improvement in population, not a decline,” he said.
El Dorado mayoral candidate Bill Luther made similar statements, saying, “I am optimistic that our population decline has stabilized and that the 2020 census will be improved from today’s numbers.”
Luther — who edged out Hash in the May 22 Republican Preferential Primary Election, and challenger Chris Lutman in a runoff election on June 19 — will face Democratic opponent Veronica Smith Creer in the General Election in the fall.
The winner of the election in November will shepherd the city through the 2020 Census process.
“The city is preparing to the best of our abilities to prepare for the event next year. We need an accurate count!” Hash said.
City officials, including a temporary city employee, are also working with the Local Update of Census Addresses Operations (LUCA) program to compile a comprehensive, city residential-address list.
McVay said the information is due to LUCA in the next 30 days.
Hash suggested that the city double its Complete Count Committee from the recommended seven members and encouraged aldermen to reach out to “folks we know that are in touch with the community.”
Noting that Council Member Willie McGhee has also been vocal about the need for an accurate Census count in 2020, Council Member Judy Ward asked if McGhee could be an ad hoc member of the committee.
“It’s such an important thing,” McGhee said.
For more information, call Hash’s office at 870-862-7911 or McVay at 870-881-4877.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.