SULLIVAN COUNTY -- As of Friday, the County census response sat at 21 percent, which is less than half of the state's average (43.8 percent).

The Sullivan County Complete Count Committee (CCC) has been working to improve response, which according to the Rockefeller Institute of Government, was poor in 2010 when the county ranked second to last in NY State at 69.5 percent. This effort is especially crucial considering census data plays a large role in determining federal dollars and government representation that an area receives.

However, the COVID-19 crisis' social and financial impact has made the effort more challenging.

“The State suspended the program for funding census outreach,” said Commissioner of the Sullivan County Division of Planning, Community Development & Real Property Freda Eisenberg, who serves as the CCC Co-Chair. “Sullivan was to receive up to $173,000 so that is a huge loss. Additionally, a significant element of our ‘get out the count' strategy was to work with the Census Bureau to arrange for enumerators to go on site at major employers, retail outlets and events. The need for social distancing is precluding that.”

Despite the challenges, the CCC has been making adjustments. They received a small amount of funding from the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley that they're using for contactless outreach such as newspaper and radio advertising. Any funding that they originally planned to use for events and public gatherings is being shifted to other types of media.

The CCC has also put flyers on some home food deliveries from the County's Emergency Assistance Center and will be doing more once they get new materials printed. They have also been set up for text and phone banking by the New York Immigration Council, although they've only been able to load the applications with a portion of the telephone numbers in use in the county.

“Shifting gears is taking time because along with funding we've lost staff,” added Eisenberg. “Fortunately, the Census Bureau is seeking to extend the collection date to the end of October.”

Taking a look at the census response by township and village as of the end of the day on Friday -- ranking from highest to lowest -- the Village of Liberty has seen the most participation with 31.8 percent of their population filling out the census, followed by: Neversink (31 percent); Forestburgh (29.8 percent); Mamakating (29.3 percent); Wurtsboro (28.4 percent); Town of Liberty (26 percent); Monticello (25.8 percent); Thompson (24.4 percent); Tusten (24.3 percent); Highland (24.1 percent); Delaware (24 percent); Cochecton (22.7 percent); Lumberland (20.9 percent); Callicoon (18.6 percent); Rockland (17.9 percent); Fremont (14.2 percent); Bethel (13.5 percent); Fallsburg and Bloomingburg (both at 10.1 percent); Jeffersonville (9.6 percent); and Woodridge has the lowest participation rate at 6.3 percent.

Rockland Supervisor Rob Eggleton urged his town's residents to complete the census as soon as possible.

“People don't understand the importance or the financial ramifications,” he said. “If we aren't counted, we don't get the federal aid we deserve. As a small town, that has very large impacts."

Eisenberg, when asked about the county and township/village resident census participation thus far, noted that they are disappointed and concerned, but are mindful that this is a marathon and not a sprint.

“Ironically, the Village of Liberty, one of our historically hard to count areas of the County, has our highest self-response rate to date,” she said. “I think that shows our initial efforts focusing on our hardest to count areas have been successful. There are a few factors we suspect may be contributing to our slow start. One is the fact that many people have not received an invitation or form from the census bureau. Households that use post office boxes were to have materials hand delivered to them, but shelter in place protocols have prevented that from happening.”

Another factor is that many addresses in the County are for secondary residences whose owners may have already provided census information for their primary residence out of the county.

“People should know that they can and should complete a census form for their Sullivan County address, even if they enter zero for the number of people at that address,” Eisenberg said. “A third factor is that a portion of Sullivan County households lack internet access and the pandemic outbreak prevents them from using a library or other public computer.”

You do not need any prior information or census materials to complete the census form. Just go to www.my2020census.gov. Also, if you lack internet access, the census can be completed by phone by calling (844) 330-2020.