At the top of the agenda for Pembroke’s City Council meeting on Monday was the announcement of a Community Development Block Grant award targeting sewage and drainage repair on Lucious Drive, a residential neighborhood in Pembroke.

Pembroke Mayor Judy Cook took the time to recognize residents Ella Moore and Jesse Garrison for their help in the city getting the grant, as the pair went door-to-door to help garner information from neighbors.

“Thank you on behalf of the city for your effort, and for taking an interest in your community,” Cook said.

An award of $914,650 has been allocated for Lucious Drive in Pembroke, set to benefit approximately 328 citizens struggling with poor drainage and lack of adequate sewer lines in the area. The total cost of the project is $1,137,172 with the city of Pembroke matching $222,522 of the federal funds.

This block grant forms part of a previously-reported award for Bryan County, in which $1 million was also allocated to build a new Senior Services Center in Pembroke. City Administrator Chris Benson explained that the procural of these grants like the one for Lucious Drive are vital for the city’s growth and development.

“We have a limited tax base in the community, and the infrastructure improvements we would like to see are very expensive,” Benson said. “As the community grows and develops, the need to reinvest in an aging infrastructure and to correct drainage problems [also] increases.”

The CDBG program annually funds a wide variety of projects that aim to improve housing, community facilities, and related infrastructure for low-to moderate income populations. Georgia’s CDBG program is also available to eligible non-entitlement local governments, such as Pembroke, which specifically target rural Georgians.