The City of Westfield made it official — it’s looking for a new headcount.
In September, the Westfield City Council approved a fund transfer of $1.8 million from the operating balance to the administrative department to pay for a special census. Now, the city will focus on marketing and outreach to get the most bang for its buck.
City leaders said based on the anticipated increase in population, the city would recoup the money spent on the special census within the first two years via state reimbursements and an increase in population-driven taxes, such as road and cigarette taxes. Those funds will increase as part of an annual revenue stream until the next decennial census…