Page:Geographic Areas Reference Manual (GARM).pdf/62

 and the local chapters of professional organizations including the American Marketing Association, the American Planning Association, and the American Statistical Association. Some CSACs have members from organizations such as State highway departments, insurance companies, neighborhood associations, local political organizations, and American Indian tribes. The Census Bureau encourages the CSACs to make their process open to all interested groups or people.

The Census Bureau requires that each CSAC designate one individual from its membership to serve as the liaison with the Census Bureau. This individual, originally designated as the census tract key person, is called the census statistical areas key person, in keeping with the expanded role of the local committee. The Census Bureau never selects, appoints, or designates a key person; that is the committee’s responsibility. Experience shows that the most important element in the successful formation and functioning of a CSAC is the willingness of one or more energetic, dedicated, and knowledgeable individuals to provide leadership, devote time to liaison activities, and coordinate organizational tasks such as arranging for meeting rooms, finding occasional clerical or typing help, and securing limited office space for the development of geographic proposals.

The CSAC selects the key person, and the Census Bureau recognizes this person as the point of contact with the CSAC when information flows to or from the committee. The key person usually is, but does not need to be, the CSAC organizer. The designation of a key person is a requirement for official recognition of a CSAC by the Census Bureau. Most CSACs select a key person at the initial organizational meeting or soon thereafter. The designated individual serves as key person at the discretion of the committee. The Census Bureau will not automatically recognize the incumbent of a particular position within an agency as the key person.

Typically, the key person functions as the chairperson of, or secretary to, the CSAC, but this is not necessarily the role in which all key persons Sources of Local Assistance3-9