Planner Dianna Broadie will be Flathead County's liaison on the Complete Count Committee that's forming locally to provide assistance as the U.S. Census is conducted next year.

Similar committees are being put together across the country to educate the public about the importance of the 2010 census and to motivate residents to complete census questionnaires.

"We definitely want a complete census of the area," county Commissioner Dale Lauman said. "It's vital to have an accurate count. People in Washington, D.C., don't realize how rural our area really is."

Broadie, who works as a Planner II at the county Planning Office, was involved with census work a decade ago in Redmond, Wash., where her job involved keeping a database for land use.

Her database experience will be put to good use as she joins representatives from Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls on the committee.

Complete Count Committees typically are made up of state, local and tribal governments, and/or community leaders, and are one of the core strategic elements of the 2010 census, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Committees often include a cross-section of community representatives and help address the various racial, ethnic, cultural and geographic considerations of their communities.

Planning Director Jeff Harris said the aim is to provide assistance, not "do the bureau's work for them."

Committee members help address the special characteristics of their communities.

According to the bureau, Complete Count Committees have played a major role in raising awareness of the census since 1980.

Census data is used to distribute congressional seats to states and distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year.

The 2010 census questionnaire will be one of the shortest in history and consists of 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to complete, according to the bureau's Web site.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at [email protected]