At least that is what city officials announced Tuesday night.
Mayor Lew Watson said residents have a chance to win up to $1,500 in the “Lincoln Census Lottery,” a lottery which city officials hope will encourage residents to complete and submit their 2010 census forms.
“We’ll wait until after the Attorney General’s opinion to see who claims responsibility (for the lottery),” Councilman Bud Kitchin joked. “Really we all think it’s a good idea.”
Watson did fess up to his part in the Lincoln Census Lottery.
“I would have to take partial responsibility for it,” he said.
The money for the Lincoln Census Lottery is coming out of the mayor’s and council’s pockets, not from city funds. Each council member is putting up $150, while the mayor is donating $750 for the local lottery.
“Three chances to win,” states a letter residents will receive with their water bills next month.
On March 15, U.S. Census Forms are mailed out. Residents only need to complete the 2010 Census Form, and along with the “Lincoln Census Lottery Form,” deliver both forms to City Hall.
Lincoln residents can put their completed census form in a special locked box at City Hall, and their lottery form is placed inside another drop box at City Hall.
On Thursday, April 1, the city will hold its official Census Day drawing at 5 p.m. The lucky Lincoln resident, whose name is drawn, wins $500. A second lottery drawing is slated at the end of the census count period, when city officials will give away another $500 to a Lincoln resident who has completed and delivered their 2010 Census Form and lottery form to City Hall.
Also on the Lincoln Census Lottery Form, it asks each resident to estimate the 2010 census count for Lincoln. The Lincoln resident who guesses correctly, or is the closest to the actual count, will win $500. If there is a tie, the money is divided equally.
“We hope to be well over 5,000 this year,” said Councilman Kurt Kuykendall.
The initial census count 10 years ago was 4,575, but after adjustments, Lincoln’s census count reached 4,584.
“I think this will help get us a more accurate count,” Councilwoman Sadie Britt said of the Lincoln Census Lottery.
Funds municipalities receive from the federal government are many times based on population, which is why an accurate count is important to Lincoln, as well as to other cities.
Watson said he believes the lottery will encourage more Lincoln residents to fill out their 2010 Census forms and to be counted.
“If it doesn’t, at least we made our best effort,” Watson said.
In other matters at Tuesday night’s council meeting, the mayor and council:
• Approved the low bid in the amount of $232,644 submitted by Sansom Equipment Company for a new sewer truck equipped with a camera.
• Approved the restaurant retail liquor license for F.W. Bar and Grill, located at 12175 Stemley Road.
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