Wilkinson Co. Chairman says ‘2010 Census Wrong’

Numbers for the 2010 Census have left Wilkinson County out of federal money. County Commission Chairman, Dennis holder, believes the Census was done incorrectly and plans to challenge the figures.

“We really don’t feel like we had a complete count like they showed there’s places in Gordon that they said had lost population there’s no way that can be,” says Holder.

The 2010 Census shows Wilkinson County has lost close to 700 hundred residents which is a figure Chairman Dennis Holder says doesn’t add up.

“I don’t think we lost them. I don’t think we had a good complete count. I just feel like our county is not really correct,” says Holder.

Chairman Holder says the county was very proactive in getting the Census forms filled according to Holder, commissioners printed more than 5,000 fliers regarding the Census to spread the word.

 “I really felt like our Census should be higher. We did a Census push,” says Holder.

According to the 2010 Census, Allentown lost more than 40% of its population. Plus, according to Holder, the City of Danville’s population wasn’t counted in Wilkinson County, which left a costly mistake.

” For every person you have that you lose in your county is roughly based on $600 per person per year as far as grant money or anything that might be coming to your county,” says Holder.

 Holder says he’s worried the negative numbers will impact future development.

 Wilkinson County is working with the Regional Commission on this matter. A Census review will take place in June.

Twiggs County will also challenge its 2010 Census findings. According to Chairman Ray Bennett, their numbers are also too low.