U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves speaks at a colonia census count outreach event in Rio Grande City on Saturday.

RIO GRANDE CITY, April 18 – U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves admitted Saturday that his agency failed to explain its border colonia count operation to local residents and the non-profits that work in colonias.

“The Census Bureau did not get out the right message for South Texas colonia populations and did not properly coordinate with local organizations,” Groves said, in an interview with the Guardian.

“That said, in all reality the most effective way to conduct a census is to actually interface with the people you want to count. The funds aren't there to do it nationwide in every household,” elaborated the census director in a surprise answer to this reporter. “The main thing is that everybody is now on the same page.”

Many non-profits that work in Valley colonias met privately with Groves at the Hilton Gardens Hotel in McAllen on Saturday afternoon. The groups are part of the Equal Voice for America’s Families network.

The non-profits initially based their campaign – “When you get the form in the mail, fill it out and mail it back” – on information they were given by the Census Bureau. It was only three weeks ago that the Census Bureau announced 95 percent of colonia residents would not receive Census questionnaires, either in the mail or in person. Instead, Census workers would go door-to-door in the colonias in order to get verbal responses to the ten Census questions. The non-profits strongly disagree with this policy. They want to see the Census Bureau mail out Census questionnaires to colonia residents and conduct door-to-door visits.

As with the non-profits that work in border colonias, border congressmen were also not told of the Census Bureau’s colonia count policy until three weeks ago. It led U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa to demand the Census Bureau set up a Census Colonia Task Force. Groves has not agreed to that request.

At a Census Bureau Colonia Outreach event in Little Mexico on Friday, many residents said they had yet to see any Census workers in their colonias.

In Rio Grande City on Saturday, Groves stated that he has made more trips to the U.S.-Mexico border region than any other part of the country in reviewing Census 2010 operations.

“The colonias of South Texas present special challenges and therefore require special approaches because the issues involved in getting an accurate count are unlike any other part of the country,” Groves told the Guardian.

Hinojosa Elementary School was the venue for a special event geared to getting Starr County colonia residents counted.

Clowns, music, hot dogs, pop corn and drinks along with an inflatable playground for the kids were provided to attract local colonia families and get them counted in the process. South Texas icon, Rock and Roll James played the tunes for Tejano radio station 99.5.FM Que Pasa.

Groves went on to characterize the support, enthusiasm and desire to be counted in South Texas as “extraordinary.”

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar was also on hand for the Starr County event. The Laredo Democrat said it is “important for the Census Bureau or any other governmental agency to listen to local community leaders (in determining how to best count colonia populations). We hope that is the lesson learned this time around. Local leaders know their own people better than someone based in Dallas or Washington DC.”

The Guardian also interviewed Rio Grande City Mayor Ruben Villarreal. “Whatever the cause of the misunderstanding between community leaders and the Bureau, and that might never be known, it is what it is and we have to move forward, get the word out through events such as this one, and get our people counted,” Villarreal said.

Also on Saturday, Groves met privately with the business leaders that are funding the Yo Cuento 2010 campaign in Hidalgo County. The breakfast meeting took place at Don Pepe’s Restaurant in McAllen.

Guardian reporter Steve Taylor contributed to this story from McAllen.

Write Bill Rovira

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