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function. To avoid misunderstandings and potential conflicts, the Census Bureau expects the key person to be responsible for transmitting CSAC correspondence to the Census Bureau. There are times when the Census Bureau, on very short notice, needs answers to questions concerning the CSAC’s proposals or other local census-related matters; the Census Bureau expects the key person to be able to speak for the entire CSAC when there is need for such an immediate response.

The Census Bureau sends all relevant correspondence, selected census publications, procedures and guidelines, and other work materials to the key person. The key person also serves as the local point of contact when CSAC members or other data users need Census Bureau statistics. Accordingly, the Census Bureau expects the key person to make available to all local data users any information provided by the Census Bureau as a resource for the CSAC. Furthermore, the Census Bureau will refer any agency or individual with questions about the locally delineated geographic entities or with suggestions for the revision of such areas to the appropriate key person.

In some areas, the CSAC or the key person names a work contact in addition to the key person. Often, the work contacts serve as the chairpersons of the working subcommittees for each county in the larger metropolitan areas. If requested to do so by the key person, the Census Bureau will review procedures and discuss questions concerning geographic area proposals with the work contact rather than the key person.

In areas where there was no local interest in establishing or reactivating a CSAC, the Census Bureau sought advice and suggestions from tribal officials and from State agencies designated by the State governors’ offices. By means of their assistance, it was possible to establish BNAs, BGs, CDPs, and other geographic entities. In many instances these State agencies also were involved in the Census Bureau’s State Data Center program.[1] Only as a last resort did the Census Bureau have its own staff develop the geographic plans for an area.

Notes and References

  1. The State Data Center program involves over 1,300 agencies and organizations to which the Census Bureau provides selected statistical products and appropriate training for further dissemination among data users. See Appendix B, “Sources of Assistance,” in the Census Bureau’s Census Catalog and Guide—1991.
3-10Sources of Local Assistance