https://dothaneagle.com/community/enterprise-ledger/news/mayor-stresses-importance-of-census-participation/article_993b69f6-d748-11ea-a7d1-a70b062e5f12.html
Mayor stresses importance of Census participation
By SWeed
Although many Enterprise residents have taken the time to complete the 2020 Census form, Enterprise Mayor Bill Cooper said there is still work to be done.
Speaking at Tuesday’s Enterprise City Council meeting, Cooper stressed the importance of making sure every resident is included in the census count.
Cooper said the numbers across the Coffee County are “very low,” and despite Enterprise having the highest responses in the county, there is still work to be done.
“I know I sound like a broken record, but we are still not where we need to be. It will either help us or hurt us, and we want it to help. I’m asking our citizens to please fill out the census,” Cooper said.
As of now, residents still have the option to complete their forms online or by mail. Soon, however, census takers will begin to go door-to-door to those who have not yet responded.
Council President Perry Vickers agreed with the mayor’s sentiments.
“This census determines our representation in Washington,” Vickers said. “If we can’t get the numbers squared away, we are going to lose our representation in Washington. We’re very fortunate right now, but it’s very important. This determines federal money. This determines federal programs, and we need our representation up there helping us move forward. It is extremely important. Please, please fill out the census.”
In December, the Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the president and Congress as required by law, and in March of 2021 the bureau will send redistricting counts to the states to redraw legislative districts based on the population.
To respond to the census, visit my2020census.gov.
Cooper also addressed the new mandate by the Alabama Beverage Control Board that forbids restaurants, bars and other nightlife establishments from selling alcohol past 11 p.m.
“This is done by the Alabama Beverage Control Board. The city has no say-so in any kind of way,” he said. “We’re asking our citizens to abide by the rules and regulations because they’re doing this to try to keep down the virus. We as a city need to cooperate and do what we need to do to be in line with what’s being done.
“I think they’re giving you until 11:30 [to leave], so I guess the saying would be, ‘That’s the last call for alcohol.’”
In an emergency meeting on July 27, the ABC Board voted unanimously to cut-off the on-premise sale of alcohol at 11 p.m. nightly with the requirement that all alcohol be consumed by 11:30 p.m. Originally, the board considered ending sales at 10 p.m. and consumption at 10:30 p.m., but pushed the deadline back after hearing from bar and restaurant owners. The mandate took effect Aug. 1.
The change does not affect curbside or retail sales, only on-premise consumption for bars, restaurants and clubs. Those businesses do not have to close but must stop selling alcohol at that time.
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