Currently, we find ourselves facing a unique set of circumstances. Because of the threat we’re facing due to the spread of COVID-19, life looks a lot different right now than it did just a few weeks ago. Bryan County’s administrators, staff and the commission understand how hard this is on our residents, and we appreciate everyone who’s offered support and adherence to our directives to stay home and practice social distancing. If we all continue to follow the guidelines, it will have a tremendous impact when it comes to minimizing the spread of the virus in our community.

We understand how difficult it can be to hit pause on your entire life – especially when you have school-aged children at home who, perhaps, can’t comprehend the magnitude of the situation we find ourselves in. For our part, Bryan County leaders are trying to do everything we can to help residents and keep our community healthy and safe.

I want to thank everyone who has come together to and worked hard to get us this far. The City of Richmond Hill and the City of Pembroke have been crucial in helping us respond quickly to this public health emergency. Their willingness to team with us and put guidelines in place demonstrates a strong commitment to our residents and their well-being. I’m proud of leaders like Mayors Russ Carpenter and Judy Cook and their respective staffs for stepping up to the plate and taking care of priorities.

Thank you to Bryan County Emergency Services, who’ve really been keeping an eye on the plight of COVID-19 for some time now, while developing plans they thought might be needed. Their forward thinking and proactivity made things easier on us once it became clear that drastic and important actions needed to be taken. We applaud Chief Freddy Howell, Deputy Chief Mike Dick and their whole team on acting bravely and fearlessly where the health of our citizens is concerned.

Nearly every county department has been affected by the recent turn of events, and they’ve all adjusted and adopted very quickly to keep things running smoothly. From Community Development taking all payments, requests, submission and applications online to the Recreation Department jumping into action to notify local families of program changes and closures, everyone is doing their part. Our County Administrator Ben Taylor, the teams that are keeping county facilities clean and sanitized, our law enforcement workers, the Health Department, the Senior Citizens Centers, Public Works – they’re all working tirelessly to tend to any and all tasks as the needs arise.

We do understand that the declaration of a state of emergency has put a strain on our local businesses. Our business owners are certainly at the forefront of our thoughts as they try to play the hands they’ve been unfortunately dealt. Many area businesses’ websites and social media pages are still active, and we highly encourage residents to show support by purchasing gift cards to be used at a later date or goods that can be shipped now. Even those with tight budgets can be helpful by going online and giving businesses a positive review or rating.

Please continue to bear with us for now and understand that this is not permanent. If we continue to do our best, support each other, adhere to safety guidelines and remain faithful, we will all get through this together. May you and your families stay well and positive during these trying times.