The Regular City Council Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 9, 2010 has been cancelled.
The next regular meeting will be held Tuesday, February 23, 2010.
Clearfield Stand Up and Be Counted! 2010 Census
Thursday, 31 December 2009
2010 marks the year for the U.S. Census, an event that has occurred every ten years since 1790. The 2010 Census forms will be mailed to households in mid-March and households will be asked to answer ten questions as accurately as possible, and return the form on April 1, National Census Day.
“The goal of the 2010 Census is to count everybody, count them only once, and count them in the right place,” explained Daniel Pacheco, a Partnership Specialist with the Census Bureau. “The Census Bureau does not ask about the legal status of respondents in any of its surveys and census programs. The short form that is being mailed out to all households has ten questions and can be filled out in ten minutes.”
The Decennial Census is mandated by the U. S. Constitution which calls for an actual enumeration or count of the people every ten years, to be used for apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives (Article 1, Section 2). The first census was conducted in 1790 by U.S. marshals on horseback, a time consuming process. Fortunately for the 2010 Census, census workers or Enumerators won’t have to ride horses; they’ll be using handheld computers with a Global Positioning System (GPS) to check addresses.
“One of the main reasons that people need to be diligent in cooperating with the Census Bureau in a timely and accurate way is because it impacts the state in which we live,” stated Clearfield City Mayor Don Wood. “Utah lost the opportunity for a Congressional seat after the 2000 Census. If people don’t submit information it impacts our state’s representation in Congress, which ultimately impacts how our city receives federal and state funds. It is to our advantage to have the optimum amount of representation in Washington, D.C. These are the people who go to bat for our cities and counties.”
The data collected by the 2010 Census does indeed impact the residents of Clearfield. According to the Census Bureau, each question on the form helps to determine how more than $300 billion will be allocated to communities across the country. The federal government uses population data to allocate funds for Title 1 grants to school districts, Head Start programs, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food grants, public transportation, road rehabilitation and construction, programs for the elderly and emergency food and shelter.
Utah is Earthquake Country, Emergency Preparedness - Step 7
Thursday, 31 December 2009
When Safe, Continue to Follow Your Disaster-Preparedness Plan
(The following information is from the Utah Geological Survey/Utah Seismic Safety Commission’s October 2008 handbook “Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country”) Let us review the previous six steps of preparing for an earthquake: step one is to identify potential hazards in your home and fix them. Step two is to create a disaster-preparedness plan. Step three is to prepare disaster supply kits, and step four is to identify potential weaknesses in your building and fixing them. Step five is what you should do when the shaking starts, and the sixth step instructs on what to do after the earthquake. The final step in this series, step seven, is to continue to follow your disaster preparedness plan the days, weeks and months following the earthquake.
Myth: “I don’t need to worry about earthquakes – the government will save me!” Don’t be fooled. Many people wrongly believe that the U.S. government will take care of all of their financial needs if they suffer losses in an earthquake. The truth is that federal disaster assistance is only available if the president formally declares a disaster. Even if you do get disaster assistance, it is usually a loan that you must repay, with interest, in addition to mortgages and other financial obligations you still owe, even on damaged property. If you don’t qualify for loans, grants may be available to you. However, these are only designed to meet your most immediate needs, not to replace your losses.
In the first days after a damaging earthquake be sure to put safety first. Ensure there are no gas leaks or chemical spills in your home, and unplug broken or toppled light fixtures and appliances. These could start fires when the electricity is restored. Be in communication by turning on portable radios and listening for information and safety advisories. Call your out-of-area contact to advise them of your status, and check on your neighbors.
households in mid-March and households will be asked to answer ten questions as accurately as possible, and return the form on April 1, National Census Day.