EAST PALESTINE City survey finds enough residents to keep status

The mayor thinks many residents thought the U.S. Census forms were too intrusive and refused to respond.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
EAST PALESTINE -- When the dust settles, East Palestine officials hope their town will still be, as its motto suggests, "a little city with a big future."
City officials and volunteers counted 5,058 residents, and must now wait for the secretary of state to approve the local census figures.
In the past 10 days city officials and volunteers have been staffing phones, distributing and collecting census forms, and canvassing door-to-door in an effort to verify East Palestine has at least 5,000 residents.
Census fell short: The U.S. Census 2000 reported the city 71 shy of that figure, meaning East Palestine would lose its city status.
Mayor Raymond Hull said that although a population of 5,058 would mean the city has lost about 100 residents since the 1990 census, it would be enough for East Palestine to retain its city status.
City Law Director Bradley Allison sent by certified mail Friday affidavits from five census volunteers and city Manager Patricia Quigley to show the secretary of state that the census shows a population greater than 5,000.
The local census began April 9, and by state law, city officials had 10 days to complete it. Volunteers finished door-to-door canvassing Monday, with much of the task completed last weekend.
"People were very willing to help," said Rich Pillsbury, city service director. He said city officials and volunteers spent hundreds of hours collecting the data. He personally spent three to four hours each day after work on the census data, including going door-to-door.
"There was some overlap, and toward the end you had to work a little harder to keep people in a good mood."
Volunteer Gene Hoffman said volunteers were optimistic at the beginning, but less so as the count was close. "We were losing hope there for awhile, but we're happy with the success," he said.
Would lose status: If the U.S. Census 2000 figures stand, East Palestine would be a village and lose some state Community Development Block Grant funding; and its share of local government funds, based on population, will be reduced.
East Palestine would also lose its city-run health department, and could choose to no longer recognize the Fraternal Order of Police or the Teamsters, which represents water, sewer and street department employees, after the current contracts expire in 2002.
Hull encouraged residents to return the U.S. Census forms last year, stressing their importance. He thinks, however, that many residents didn't complete the U.S. forms because they thought they were too intrusive.
"I am proud of the way the community pulled together to help in this effort," Hull said Friday. "We pulled off a monumental feat ... "Sometimes it takes a project of purpose for individuals to come together ..."
Among the volunteers who called residents and collected census forms were members of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents 11 patrolmen, sergeants and dispatchers of the East Palestine Police Department.
"We felt the U.S. Census numbers weren't high enough," said dispatcher Brett Todd. "We were suspicious of the numbers, so when the city asked for help, we offered our support."
Jane Zellem, a longtime East Palestine resident and secretary at East Palestine City Schools, said the health department is the most important benefit of city status.
"Senior citizens use the health department a lot," she said. "They offer blood pressure screenings, and people line up for blocks for flu shots. A lot of young couples take their kids there for immunizations."
Zellem said she's pleased with the count, but was surprised it wasn't higher.
"I thought we had about 5,200," she said. "There are a lot of older homes on my street and when an older couple or a widow or widower sells out, a family of four or five moves in."