Population Figures. –

I. The office of planning and development is hereby directed to estimate annually the resident population for all cities and towns of the state as of July 1 of the preceding year and shall certify the same to the state treasurer on or before August 19 of each year.
II. For this section only the definition of resident, and therefore those persons who are to be included in estimate figures, will be the same as that adopted by the United States bureau of the census.
III. On or before April 30 of each year, the office of planning and development shall notify the chief administrative officer in each community of all the data components which will be used as the basis for the estimate of population. Municipalities believing that such data components are incorrect shall file their specific objections and evidence in support thereof with the office of planning and development on or before May 30 of the same year. After due consideration of such evidence, the director of the division of planning and community development shall determine the final components and resulting estimates.
IV. Municipalities dissatisfied with population estimates produced by the office of planning and development may, at their own expense, have a special census conducted under contract with the United States bureau of the census. The results of such a census shall serve as a basis for subsequent estimates made by the office of planning and development after said results are made available to the office of planning and development.