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Drive thru traffic court, more
Guest columnist

By Alex Floyd

Just when you thought the COVID-19 pandemic had allowed one to experience all the unthinkables, think again.

This week the Pembroke Police Dept will be putting the finishing touches on our first ever, full service, drive thru traffic court at the J Dixie Harn Center. Months ago, I told Chief Collins that if you could get a married in a drive thru in Las Vegas, I saw no reason you couldn’t pay a traffic ticket in a drive thru in Pembroke. So, if you want to get married or divorced or change your name on the cheap next week just hop in line and take a number, we’ll be here all day.

Pembroke’s Public Safety departments have responded to the ever changing world we live in in ways I never dreamed possible. The front lines both blue and red have held firm and they deserve all our appreciation.

One positive change coming to Pembroke PD very soon will be the addition of four leased Chevrolet Silverado police trucks to our fleet. These will be the first time we have employed pick-ups in the fleet. This will serve many purposes mainly the ability to respond more effectively in floods, hurricanes and other inclement weather situations and when the initial lease on these trucks expires, they can be passed to the Public Works departments for use on the streets and water treatment plant. All we’ll do is change the lights from blue to amber.

I personally wanted to wait for Ford to issue a police Bronco but I was quickly (but not completely) out-voted.

Our public safety is limited to fire and police but that doesn’t mean we ignore medical emergencies. Both departments respond to every sort of emergency 24 hours per day.

It’s been a while since Chief Collins caught a new born baby but I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten how.

We are fully involved in the discussion revolving around rural healthcare in Georgia and making sure that every citizen has access to essential services. The City is very proud of its partnership with Curtis V. Cooper with the bi-weekly mobile unit and hope to expand their services to a more permanent home soon. These discussions were making real progress when COVID turned the world inside out but hopefully will continue soon. One issue we’ve discussed, and I have in turn discussed with both sheriff candidates, is a commitment to inmate health at the Bryan County Jail. It is a sad fact that there are people who go to jail just to seek medical attention.

Curtis V Cooper provides a multitude of services to the incarcerated in Chatham County and we hope to expand that work here.

It’s hard to work cemetery news into anything so I may as well put it here. I challenge anyone who frequents the small cities of this great state to find a better organized and well-kept cemetery than our little Northside.

Built in response to the closing of several local burial grounds by Fort Stewart over 75 years ago, Northside is home to over 1,000 permanent residents. It’s one of the services provided by the City of Pembroke that I personally am most proud of. Water-Sewer customers come and go but once you’re a customer at Northside, chances are you’re there for the long haul and we promise to take good care of you.

Next month begins the budget workshops and seeing what it takes to run a small utility, logistics and security company with thirty employees and over two thousand customers. Hope to talk again in September as this process gets fully underway. For more latest, greatest and all things local, follow our Downtown Development Authority of Pembroke Facebook page and keep supporting our friends at the Bryan County News.

Floyd is Pembroke city administrator.


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