Report Prepared by: Michael Hren, Principal Planner, Development Services Department
Title
SUBJECT: Adoption of Resolution Recognizing the Importance of the 2020 Census and Ensuring a Complete, Fair, and Accurate Count of all Californians
REPORT IN BRIEF
The City Council of the City of Merced is asked to recognize the importance of the 2020 U.S. Census and support helping to ensure a complete, fair, and accurate count of all Californians.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion adopting Resolution 2019-53, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, recognizing the importance of the 2020 Census and supporting the efforts to help ensure a complete, fair, and accurate count of all Californians.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, with modifications; or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Continue to a future City Council meeting (date and time to be specified in the motion).
AUTHORITY
City of Merced Charter, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Council Goals and Priorities, Item 5: Future Planning is greatly impacted by the Census.
DISCUSSION
The City received a memorandum (Attachment 1) from the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG), asking for local support for the 2020 Census in the form of a resolution.
As a member of the County's Complete Count Committee, which is preparing for the national 2020 Census, MCAG was approached about disseminating information to local jurisdictions about the importance of the Census and ensuring that all residents are counted. There are efforts underway to outreach to "hard to reach" populations about the Census in many creative ways. In order to demonstrate the support of local leaders in Census work, it was suggested at a Complete Count Committee meeting that all local jurisdictions take action on resolutions to help publicize the importance of residents responding to the Census next year. Staff has also reached out to Patricia Vazquez Topete, the California Complete Count-Census 2020 Associate Regional Program Manager, who intends to attend the September 3, 2019, meeting to discuss the Census and the City of Merced’s role in the local partnership moving forward. A resolution has been prepared for City Council consideration at Attachment 2.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
No appropriation of funds is needed.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Memorandum from MCAG
2. Resolution 2019-53