Southwest Missouri News--Branson

by Carol Harris, Branson area, and Mary Engler-Guccione, Joplin area

Branson Mayor Lou Schaefer has appointed the Complete Count Committee of 10 local residents to represent a partnership between the city and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The chairman of the committee is the Reverend Howard Boyd, pastor of Branson Hills Assembly of God Church. Other members are Beth Huddleston, of Skaggs Community Health Center; Karen Hall and Mike Booth, of Ozark Mountain Bank; Carlos Rivera, youth pastor of El Calvario Assembly of God Church; Wyli Barnes, of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce; Vonda Olson, of the Missouri Division of Employment Security; Marcia Sadler, with Empire District Electric Company; and Jon Parish and Lisa Allen, of the city of Branson.

Schaefer said the Complete Count Committee will promote to all residents the importance of responding to the census. The committee will also assist with publicizing the availability of census jobs and support other census programs. Census questionnaires will be delivered to Branson households in March 2000.