The US Census Bureau is asking local governments to help them to redefine their boundaries for more accurate census information. There WILL be differences between what you say the legal boundary is and what the Census Bureau has on file.
Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) is voluntary, but is strongly encouraged. So, why should local officials in your area respond to the BAS?
- Many municipalities have annexed area, correcting the boundaries should result in increased funding. The BAS has implications for the allocation of federal funds, and in some states, state funds as well.
- Local officials know their areas best.
- The state county, and city will all benefit from more accurate assignment to geographic areas and better data.
- BAS provides important information for community planning and decision-making.
From the US Census web site :
These estimates are used in federal funding allocations, as survey controls, as denominators for vital rates and per capita time series, and as indicators of recent demographic changes. With each new release of annual estimates, the entire time series of estimates is revised for all years back to the last census. All previously published estimates are superseded and archived.
Even if the actual count for the Census is correct, but the boundary is incorrect, homes inside your area may be excluded from your area or included in another area, meaning that you could miss out on parts of the federal funding available to you.
Most municipalities have annexed new areas. These boundaries changes include any new annexations, additions, or subtractions to your area’s official boundary. The boundaries have a direct impact on Federal funding. Is your organization ready to make these changes? Mountain CAD can help!
We can take your boundary and the census boundary and create a map that shows the differences. The census is also asking for proof of documentation that shows why the boundary changed. Not the actual documents, just the date effective and a document number.
Let us make your map of the differences and give us the info that proves the change. We will put all of this together into a database and get it ready for submission to the US Census Bureau.
For more information on this process, visit the US Census Bureau’s BAS website at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/bas/bashome.html or Please call 304-744-7911 or contact Erin or Jerry Workman at Mountain CAD.
