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PETAL NEWS
PETAL , MS
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WEE KLY
01 /07 /2010
Dana@lamar-times.com
The city of Petal could see a
roughly 50 percent jump in its
official population following the
2010 Census, in large part due to
an annexation that 'was approved
in early 2003.
Based on traffic counts and
the number of households billed
for water and sewer in the city,
local officials estimate total pop­
ulation at about 11,000-12,000,
up from just less than 8,000 in
the 2000 Census, Mayor Hal
Marx said this week.
in February, 2003, the
Mississippi Supreme
Court approved Petal's
request to annex about
8,5 square miles of
property to the north
and east of the city's
limits, nearly
doubling 'the
size of the
city.
There
has been
Based on traffic counts
and the number of house­
holds billed for water and
sewer in Petal, local offi­
cials estimate total popula­
tion at about . JJ, 000­
J2,000, up from just less
than 8,000 in the 2000
Census.
substantial growth in the
annexed area, Marx said.
To help ensure an accurate
count during the 2010 Census, a
local committee has been organ­
ized to help publicize the impor­
tance of everyone being counted,
he said.
"We don't get a lot of federal
money, but there are the possi­
bilities of getting grants that are
tied in to population," Marx said.
Kat Smith, U.S. Census
Bureau media specialist for
Mississippi, said getting an
accurate count is vital to cities
and counties, since about $400
billion in federal money is allo­
cated each year nationwide
based on population.
Census workers are currently
See CEffSUS, Page 9