GEORGETOWN, S.C. —  The hiring process for the area’s census jobs has already started, but testing for the jobs is still happening on a daily basis.

This is according to information from Max Biggs,  a manager with the U.S. Census Bureau who attended a job fair Tuesday in Georgetown.

While a trickle of possible census workers strolled through Georgetown City Hall, many others were already involved in testing taking place at the Georgetown Police Department and Fire Department.

300 to 500 workers needed

The Florence district, which includes Horry, Georgetown and Williamsburg counties needs at least 300 to 500 workers, Biggs said.

Across the state, at least at least 12,000 people are needed in the census jobs, Biggs said.

A similar job fair, to find even more census workers, was held in Conway Tuesday afternoon.

“You can take the test in a different county, but you must work in the district where you live,’’ Biggs said. “We’ve started to hire in this area already.”

The workers will start to circulate in March, encouraging people to fill out their census forms.

Office clerks will make $8.75 an hour, according to information provided at the job fair. Office supervisors will make $12 an hour. Census takers will make $11.50 an hour and crew leaders, $13 an hour.

Some residents said they didn’t know about the census job fair, but were interested in testing for the jobs.

“I’m self employed,’’ said David Lawrence, who waited for information Tuesday morning. “I might stay around ... I have some questions about it.”

Others said they were working as substitute teachers, and weren’t getting as much work as they wanted.

“I’m a substitute teacher, and I’m not getting called,’’ said Georgetown resident Antonio Padron. “I heard they were at the Piggly Wiggly today. And I am looking for work.”

‘People  need work’

Paul Smith of Georgetown applied for a census job because he worked with the 2000 census.

“So many people need money, I wouldn’t be offended if somebody who needed it more than me gets the job. It’s going to be part time, but a lot of people need work.”

While the forms will come in the mail, census workers will visit the homes of people who don’t respond to the questions.

The survey has only 10 questions, asking for information on the number of people living in the household, their ages and race.

“It’s the shortest survey in census history,’’ Biggs said.

Sorority members from Delta Sigma Theta and and a special committee formed in the City of Georgetown are getting the word out about the importance of the census.

Crucial numbers

Others attended Tuesday’s job fair stressed the importance of collecting the information.

The numbers, if properly collected, will help  Georgetown County get federal funding and representation in congress.

Because some of the forms were not returned in 2000, the county has lost out on many benefits for the past 10 years, said Edna Earle Freeman, a member of city’s Census Committee.

Census numbers determine how much the area receive highway funds, money for school lunch programs and other government benefits.

“It’s so important for the city, the county and the state,’’ Freeman said. “It’s the way federal funding is dispersed and it determines how many representatives we have in Congress.’’

South Carolina came in almost last in the number of forms that were returned in 2000, said Vermelle Simmons, partnership specialist with the U.S. Census.

Only 50 percent of the residents of Georgetown County were counted last time, which cost the area federal funding.

Georgetown City Administrator Chris Eldridge said the last census also showed the City of Georgetown was losing population.

“So much of what we do in government is based on the census,’’ he said. “Every person does count. Everybody should feel comfortable providing information to the census takers. Getting true information does help us.”

Delta Theta sorority members said they were traveling to local churches and other events to promote the importance of the census numbers.

Information will be distributed during a parade in Georgetown on Feb. 27. The parade to celebrate Black History Month is sponsored by the Center for African American History Observances.

“$400 billion is at stake,’’ Simmons said. “What we do in 2010 will last for 10 years.”

Anyone interested in testing for a census job can call 1-866-861-2010.

The census information will be collected throughout 2010, and is due to the president by Dec. 31 of this year.

By Kelly Marshall Fuller

Kfuller@gtowntimes.com