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Traffic, insurance ratings on county agenda
Chamber Lunch
County Administrator Ray Pittman speaks to North Bryan Chamber of Commerce members about upcoming projects for the county Wednesday at the J. Dixie Harn Community Center in Pembroke. - photo by Photo by Crissie Elrick

Members of the North Bryan Chamber of Commerce received an update about the Bryan County Board of Commissioners’ agenda for the year during the group’s monthly luncheon Wednesday at the J. Dixie Harn Community Center in Pembroke.
County Administrator Ray Pittman, along with District 1 Commissioner Noah Covington and District 2 Commissioner Wade Price, visited with the chamber members over lunch, taking time to address questions and introduce themselves.
Pittman told the group of about 20 about some projects the county is looking to start in the coming year, including recreation improvements at Hendrix Park and a new fire station in South Bryan.
A project that is several years out for the county, but still important for the North Bryan area, Pittman said, is the widening of Highway 280 from Interstate 16 to Highway 80 in Blitchton.
Price told the group he would like to see Highway 280 widened as far as Lanier Primary School, or at least the intersection at Wilma Edwards Road, Church of God Road and Highway 280 near the Bryan County Board of Education office in Black Creek.
Former chamber president and current Pembroke Mayor Mary Warnell asked about the potential of a traffic light at that intersection, which in recent years has had an increase in traffic flow, she said.
“I think we need a traffic light there, I really do,” Price said. “I’m glad we’ve got one now at Highway 280 and (Highway) 80 because that will save lives.”
Covington also mentioned the connector from Highway 119 to Highway 67 — a project that was slated if the transportation local option sales tax had passed in last year’s primary election. He said he isn’t sure where the county stands on the project but believes it is vital to the North Bryan area.
Pittman also told the group the county is working on lowering, or improving, the rating the county receives from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) through the community rating system.
“Our goal is to make sure that we get the lowest rating for this community rating system. And what does that mean for us?,” Pittman said. “That means on your FEMA flood insurance policy, our goal is to reduce everybody’s premium by between 5 percent and 20 percent.”
Pittman explained by identifying things like topography, flood plains and other components of flood zones, the rating the county receives will improve.

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