Pooler Happenings

MAYOR BENTON’S WEEKLY UPDATES

Mayor Rebecca Benton has been giving weekly updates to the City of Pooler residents. You can find these updates on Pooler Magazine’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ PoolerMagazine

A POST FROM THE POOLER POLICE DEPARTMENT ON DECEMBER 15

ALERT: Special OPS program on hold. Pooler's new Special OPS (Ostrich Protection System) is not going well. We only have one Ostrich so far, and Larry is not cooperating! Larry keeps biting, tearing up vehicle seats and chasing people!

Our goal was to outfit every Pooler citizen with their own Protection Ostrich to guard their car and valuables. Until we can perfect this, and more importantly find the now loose Larry, we ask that you PLEASE continue to lock your car doors to protect your vehicle and valuables! Maybe we should try alligators... AN UPDATE FROM COUNCILWOMAN KAREN L. WILLIAMS (Adapted from Facebook post on December 8, 2020)

From the December 7 City Council meeting: The 20202021 annual budget has been approved. Highlights are: 1. Police Department: addition of 5 new police officers and 6 new police vehicles. 2. Fire Department: addition of 12 new firefighters. 3. The completion of a new fire station on Jimmy

Deloach to serve those residents of Pooler who are geographically displaced from the center of Pooler. 4. The creation of a new Canal Maintenance department adding one new hire. This department will be responsible for maintaining the major canals and those smaller canals that carry storm water runoff directly to the major canals. 5. Expansion of our storm drainage department, which will maintain and clean out ditches for proper storm water runoff. 6. Adding two new batting cages at Pooler Park. 7. Adding a new code enforcement department, which will be under the supervision of our Chief of Police effective January 1, 2021.

In a petition for a site and landscape plan for 100 Distribution Drive for a drop off facility for container trailers, the vote was not unanimous. I voted against the petition for several reasons. The 3.62 acres has an enormous amount of significant trees which will be clear cut. The petitioner will have to pay $183,600 into the tree fund to mitigate the loss of those beautiful trees as well as plant 56 trees which will take many, many years to grow. Adding traffic to Dean Forest and Hwy 80 as well as the septic system were among other issues I had with this project. Councilman Aaron Higgins also voted against this item. The item passed 3 to 2.

First Readings were approved for several new ordinances: 1. To repeal and replace our Disorderly Conduct

Ordinance which now includes a Section for Curfew regulations, and 2. Adoption of the Chatham County Animal Control

Ordinance. 3. Unanimous approval for a landscape beautification grant from GDOT for the I-95 & Hwy 80 corridor.

Work will begin after GDOT clears the remaining side of the corridor. 4. Unanimous approval for the GEFA loan in the amount of $25 million dollars for the expansion of our Waste

Water Treatment Plant.

Cooper

Mo

Diesel & Ellie, with hats! Diesel & Ellie

SANTA PAWS IS COMING TO TOWN We asked our readers to send us Christmas photos of their pets, and you didn’t disappoint! A few lucky winners enjoyed bags of treats courtesy of Woof Gang Grooming & Bakery in Pooler.

Zoe & Davin

Louie