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Census Bureau counting on local people for tallies
Originally Posted Online: Nov. 02, 2009, 7:50 pm
Last Updated: Nov. 02, 2009, 9:23 pm
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Print this story | Email this storyLast Updated: Nov. 02, 2009, 9:23 pm
By Stephen Elliott, selliott@qconline.com
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Looking for a job? Hundreds of Quad-Citians will be hired by the U.S. Census Bureau for temporary jobs in coming months as the bureau gears up for the 2010 Census. One hundred to 250 workers will be hired in Rock Island County and several hundred will be hired in Scott County, Census Bureau spokespersons in Iowa and Illinois said. Pay starts at $13.50 per hour for enumerators, or census takers, and can go up to $16.50 an hour for field supervisors. There is also mileage reimbursement. Testing of prospective workers begins today in Rock Island and will continue at various locations through December. Census Bureau manager Dan Miller, of Rockford, said he still is finding additional testing sites and working on dates. "We'll be revisiting every county, every place multiple times," Mr. Miller said. "Now, we're doing a massive recruiting drive that kicked off today (Monday)." Mr. Miller said the jobs last anywhere from four to 10 weeks. According to the Census Bureau, it will recruit nearly 3.8 million applicants for the 2010 Census field operations. Of the applicants, the bureau will hire about 1.4 million temporary employees. Some employees will use GPS-equipped hand-held computers to update maps and address listings for questionnaire mailings. Applicants can take a practice test online by going to www.2010censusjobs.gov. Job descriptions and pay scale information also are available on the Web site. "We do typically have a good turnout," said Rock Island grants and Web site coordinator Trisha Griffin. "These are decent-paying jobs and flexible hours. There may be a better turnout with the downturn in the economy." Applicants are asked to bring two valid forms of identification (Social Security card, passport, driver's license, birth certificate). Veterans should bring their DD214 form, according to Ms. Griffin. Application and testing will take about an hour. Applicants are asked to arrive 15 minutes early. Mr. Miller said they will test 32,000 to 40,000 people over the next six months across 31 counties, mostly in northern Illinois, including the Quad-Cities. Of those, 8,000 to 10,000 people will be hired. Mr. Miller did not have an estimate of new hires for Mercer, Henry and Whiteside counties. "There's lots of opportunity," Mr. Miller said. The importance of census numbers to a community can't be overlooked, according to East Moline Mayor John Thodos. The mayor said the city's funding, as is that for every local government, is tied directly to census numbers. "On average, it's roughly $1,000 per person," Mayor Thodos said. "If you don't count 500 people, that could conceivably be a half a million dollars (to the city)." Darryl Hysler, census manager for Eastern Iowa, said there will be a job pool of about 1,300 people to choose from in Scott County. Of those, several hundred will be hired. "We want to count everyone we possibly can," Mr. Hysler said. "it's all about power and money for individual communities. "That's why the census is important so those communities don't lose out on funding for hospitals or schools." Sites for testing applicants: Rock island County: Rock Island - Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 630 9th St. - Nov. 3 and Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Nov. 17 at 9:30 a.m.; Nov. 18 at 11 a.m.; Nov. 19 at 9:30 a.m.; Nov. 23-25, and 30th at 9:30 a.m.; Dec. 1, 2, 7 and 10 at 9:30 a.m. Rock Island Public Library, 401 19th St. - Nov. 4, 9, and 10th at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4th Ave. - Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. Hauberg Civic Center, 1300 24th St. - Nov. 17, 24, and Dec. 1 at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Moline - Moline Public LIbrary, 3210 41st St. - Nov. 18, 20, 25 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Dec. 1 and 3 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Andalusia - Andalusia Lion's Club, 302 2nd St. West - Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. Taylor Ridge - St. Patrick's Church, 9619 140th St. W - Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. Henry County: Annawan - Annawan Community Center, 206 W. Front St. - Nov. 18, 25, and Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cambridge - Cambridge Village Hall - 132 W. Center St. - Nov. 20, 24 and Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Colona - Colona Library, 911 1st St. - Nov. 19 and Dec. 3 at noon and 3 p.m. Geneseo - Geneseo Community Center, 541 E. North St. - Nov. 11, 18 and Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Nov. 23 and 30 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Whiteside County: Prophetstown - Prophetstown City Hall, 339 Washington St., Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Mercer County: Sherrard - Sherrard Public Library, 200 5th Ave., Nov. 20 and 25 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Scott County: Testing sites and dates not yet set. 
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