Agenda 06-18-19 Item 8-a - Minutes

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16 The population totals from the census determine the number of seats each state receives in the 1 U.S. House of Representatives. States and local governments use the totals to redraw districts 2 for governing boards, including legislatures, school boards, municipal boards and county 3 commissions. More than $675 billion in federal funding is distributed to states and communities 4 each year based on census data. An accurate count will ensure that Orange County residents 5 receives fair and accurate representation at all levels of government and that the County 6 receives all entitled federal funds that support such initiatives as housing, public health and 7 education. 8 9 Attachment 1 includes proposed membership for an Orange County CCC. The proposed 10 members represent a broad spectrum of government and community leaders from business, 11 non-profits, faith-based organizations and other community members. 12 13 Two target groups: children to be included in the counts and non- English population. 14 15 The CCC will meet monthly beginning in summer 2019 to develop and implement a 2020 16 Census awareness campaign to encourage residents to respond. The CCC will focus on hard-17 to-reach communities to ensure an accurate count in the 2020 Census. Everyone counts in 18 Orange County. 19 20 FINANCIAL IMPACT: The CCC will create marketing materials such as posters, flyers, utility 21 bill inserts, etc., which will be shared with community partners. Funding totaling $1,500 is 22 included in the Manager’s 2019-20 Recommended Budget in the Community Relations 23 Department. 24 25 Commissioner Price said the proposed list is a starting point, and it is the hope that each 26 person will be able to reach out to others and have a domino effect. She said most of this 27 count is to be done online but they will be working with resources for Internet access. 28 Commissioner Greene suggested including Katie Murray, asking her to reach out to 29 schools or community centers and families and kids through arts and crafts projects about the 30 census. 31 Commissioner Dorosin said this is a great idea, and this list is the core community but 32 stressed the need to add to the core group more non-native language residents. He suggested 33 asking department heads to use their seat for the non-English speaking community. 34 Commissioner Price said there is a representative from El Centro. 35 Todd McGee said there are different departments with expertise in these special 36 communities (the Health Department, in particular), and staff will reach out to them for ideas 37 and input. 38 Commissioner Dorosin said he wants these people to actually be on the committee. He 39 said there is a suspicion of the government in general and, if a department as a native non-40 English speaker, their involvement could do a lot to build trust. He said Orange County is a 41 highly educated community, and those people will fill out the census. He said the County needs 42 to focus on reaching the unreached, which will be even more critical this year, as people are 43 fearful. 44 Commissioner Price said some of this is a matter of protocol, and each jurisdiction can 45 appoint whom it deems best. She said she hopes that each of these people on the list would 46 help the group to grow the list effectively. 47 Commissioner Dorosin said to tell all on the list that it is a high priority to have non-48 English representation. 49