Census forms are due to be mailed out in mid-March, and the Census Bureau is under the gun to hire people to staff so-called "Questionnaire Answer Centers" across Northeast Ohio --- places where area residents can go for information. In addition, there's a big push to find workers that will go house-to-house to follow-up on those forms that aren't returned by mail. Anthony Grande manages Census operations for a good part of Cleveland's east side and the eastern suburbs. He says, things are going to get really busy, really soon.
ANTHONY GRANDE: Although it doesn't start until March 19th, we're into February, so you can understand the ramifications of having people selected, people trained, etc. And right now, we're at about 50% of the estimated pool that we're going to need.
Grande says the Bureau needs a large pool of applicants because Census workers tend to come and go --- some change their minds, some drop out. And this is only temporary work to begin with. Depending on when someone is hired, the job will likely last no longer than two months. But, given the local economic climate --- it's a job.
