The city of Pembroke has several projects on its agenda for 2013 including a new public safety complex, sewer work and a new city website.

According to Mayor Mary Warnell, the city will begin construction in March for the final phase of the sewer system in the Payne Drive area near Bryan County High School.

“The positive on this is it will result in those 44 homes in that section, the library and both middle and high schools getting water/sewer — all that set into the new system and the flow of that,” Warnell said.

The city received a grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture for more than $1.2 million for the project, which is expected to be completed by 2014. She said in addition to the homes, schools and library, the new elementary school slated for North Bryan will also be tied into the city’s system.

A change that could affect all city residents is the increase of the utility reconnection fee should they not pay their bill on time, Warnell said. The council voted in October to increase the fee from $15 to $50.

“I did a little math for them and I said they could save $600 on their water bill in 2013 by paying it on time,” Warnell said.
The city is also in preliminary stages of designing a public safety complex, Warnell said.

While a committee has toured several facilities and has reached out to several designers, she said nothing has been set in stone.

“We are looking at some property, we are talking to the owner of the property, and at the same time we are collecting our SPLOST funds to have adequate funds in our account in order to purchase the property,” Warnell said.

Read more in the Jan. 5 edition of the News.