Carroll County government officials are anticipating 2020 census results to show the county has grown since the previous census in 2010. They are just not sure how much it has grown at this time.
The 2000 census showed the county to have 87,000 residents. That number rose to 110,000 residents in 2010.
Carroll County Community Development Director Ben Skipper said the upcoming census results are important because they will affect the way federal and state dollars are shared with the county. He said there is the possibility– if the county sees a significant jump in population– Carroll might not have as much control over that funding for transportation projects as it does now. New census numbers could force Carroll County to be lumped in with other counties considered to be part of metro-Atlanta, where the transportation dollars are controlled by the Atlanta Regional Commission, which is the planning and intergovernmental coordination agency for metro-Atlanta.
“If we are entered into the Atlanta Regional Commission then that means that the Carroll County transportation funds would be sent to the Atlanta Regional Commission instead of coming straight to Carroll County. The projects in Carroll County would then get ranked within the total Atlanta 21 county area,” said Skipper about the move.
However, skipper said if the county entered into the metro-Atlanta grouping, there could actually be more money available for the county than there is now through grants for intersections and sidewalk improvements.
