Pembroke will begin imposing a $2 fire fee on residents beginning Jan. 30.

The city council voted unanimously in favor of the increase, which will be added to utility bills, during it’s monthly meeting Monday night at City Hall.

Councilman Tony Greeson said the funds will help with the construction of a new fire station in the city, the location of which is still being considered.

Cook said it’s unclear when construction will start, but the city needs a new station because it can’t expand the fire department’s current home.

In other business;

- The council again elected Johnnie Miller as Mayor Pro-tem, and Stacy Strickland was appointed unanimously as Interim Police Chief of Pembroke Police Department.

- A deannexation request was granted to Kenneth and June Copi after the second reading and adoption of the ordinance.

- Pembroke Police Department pay schedules were changed from once per week to every two weeks beginning with the Feb. 6 pay period.

- Ricky McCoy with Public Works reported the department is requesting several grants that will allow sidewalk to be put in around College Street to Warnell Street, and approval was given to start phase III, over the railroad track and down Lanier Street with sidewalk. McCoy said the phase III project would not be started until next year.

- Fire Chief Jimmy Cook reported the thermal imaging camera recently approved in the 2009 budget was purchased and should arrive within the next couple of weeks.

- Interim Chief Strickland reported the department is working several ongoing issues with the GBI, including multiple break-ins and the unsolved murder of James Young. Young was found dead in his home Nov. 10.

- More growth could be expected to the area according to Wynn Carney, who attended a growth management meeting recently at Fort Stewart.

According to Carney, approximately 2,800 troops are scheduled to return to the Fort Stewart area by October, 2010. The post will only be about to house about 20 percent of those in Army housing, Carney said.