UPDATE — After publication, city leaders have changed the incentive from a $10 Walmart gift card to a $10 VISA gift card.

MT. VERNON — The Mt. Vernon City Council approved to set aside up to $74,000 for a financial incentive for city residents to fill out this year’s census online.

The council approved the measure to give each household that fills out the census online and brings their confirmation code to the city clerk’s office a $10 Walmart gift card.

Lori Ulrich is the census liaison for the city of Mt. Vernon. She says the money brought back to the city for each person counted will more than cover the money to be spent on the incentive.

If you have any questions about the census or the new census incentive program in the city of Mt. Vernon, you can give Ulrich a call at Mt. Vernon City Hall at 242-5000 ext. 3.

This is what the screen will look like, and what you will need to present to the clerk’s office in order to receive their $10 gift card.

You can hear more about the census from Ulrich as well on the Southern Illinois Insider this Sunday at 11 a.m. on AM 940, 96.1 and 96.5 FM, or on 94.1 FM, WMIX.