Confusion Reigns As La Vergne Starts Census

LA VERGNE, TN -- After warning residents of conmen purporting to be census-takers, La Vergne officials conceded that the doorknockers may have been federal census workers and not bamboozlers.

"It appears that there are people going door-to-door and asking for personal information while giving the appearance that they are census workers for the City of La Vergne. We have just begun our special census and are only taking responses online right now," the city said Wednesday.

But Thursday, the city issued another statement indicating they may have been hasty in labeling the doorknockers as nogoodniks.

"It has been brought to our attention that there are federal census workers in our area conducting surveys on behalf of the U.S. Census Bureau. If anyone comes to your door asking for information, please make sure they show you an ID or proof of who they are working for before you start giving them any personal information," the city said. "We are not aware if the person we warned everyone about yesterday was a federal census worker or someone else, but we want everyone to be cautious about who they give their information to."

The Census Bureau is conducting its household survey, rather than the decennial census

In any case, the city doesn't plan to send doorknockers out until late January once the online and mailer portions of the count are complete.

Because of growth since the 2010 federal census, the city is undertaking its own count in an effort to secure more state shared tax dollars.

Image via Centers for Disease Control & Prevention