Disappointed over low population counts, Richmond Hill is moving forward with appealing the 2010 U.S. Census results.

City Manager Mike Melton told the City Council during its April 5 meeting that he’s planning on appealing the city’s census results, which showed the city’s population has around 3,000 fewer people than expected.

Richmond Hill was projected to have almost 12,000 residents, but the 2010 census counted 9,281. Melton said he’s going to challenge those “skewed” numbers.

“And we are working towards that,” he said. “I think it hurts Richmond Hill in terms of funding, in terms of a lot of different areas of state and federal money we may not get because of the lower numbers.”

Information the U.S. Census Bureau collects helps determine how more than $400 billion in federal money gets distributed to cities for schools, public works projects and emergency service, and other projects, according to the bureau’s website.

Melton pointed out that the census was conducted in April 2010, the same time that a number of Fort Stewart soldiers were in Iraq.

“The 3rd Infantry Division was deployed last April,” he said.

Even though deployed soldiers live in Richmond Hill – some of them even own a house in the city – they are counted in their home of record, which is where they entered the military, according to U.S. Census Bureau policy, Melton explained.

“I think it’s wrong,” he said of the policy.

For more, pick up a copy of the April 13 edition of the News.