Pembroke Police Chief Edward Locklear asks the Pembroke Town Council on Monday to consider changing the color scheme of the department’s vehicles from midnight blue to a more standard color.
                                 Tomeka Sinclair | The Robesonian

Pembroke Police Chief Edward Locklear asks the Pembroke Town Council on Monday to consider changing the color scheme of the department’s vehicles from midnight blue to a more standard color.

Tomeka Sinclair | The Robesonian

PEMBROKE — Council members here learned Monday that the completion of the town’s splash pad has stalled, pushing back the grand opening date.

Phil Harper, town Parks and Recreation director, told council members during their regular business meeting that the goal was for the splash pad to open at the town’s Recreation Complex by Memorial Day.

“The splash pad is moving a little slower than we would like,” Harper said. “The contractor is finishing up a job in Columbia and so they’ve been back and forth.”

After speaking with the contractor, he learned they would be back Tuesday to finish the splash pad in sections, Harper said.

“He gave me a time frame, but I just don’t see that happening,” Harper said. “I’m hopeful that we will be up and running by July 4th.”

But, a lot of work has been completed, including the shelter, he said.

“It’s going to be very, very attractive, so we’ll just keep our fingers crossed that they can get in here and get on it and stay with it,” Harper said.”

The town’s police vehicles may have a new color scheme, if council members approve the change during budget discussions.

Chief Edward Locklear asked Council on Monday to consider the change because the unique midnight blue coloring makes it difficult to obtain new vehicles in a timely fashion. When the town first obtained midnight blue cars, they were considered a standard color for Dodge, the chief said.

“At this point and time it is not a standard color for Dodge. It’s an additional cost. It’s a $500 additional cost, and it has a wait time,” Locklear said.

In July 2019, the department ordered a Dodge Charger in midnight blue, he said. It was February of 2020 before the department got the vehicle.

“I was told that it was simply because of the color,” Locklear said. “They would not produce the color unless they had at least 100 orders.”

Locklear suggested Council consider changing the color scheme to one of the standard colors, which includes black, white or gray. Because white is closer to the color used on Lumberton Police Department and Robeson County Sheriff’s Office vehicles, he suggested black vehicles with gold stripe and the town’s logo to reflect the town’s partnership with the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

“We are in a situation where we’ve lost two vehicles back-to-back, but I can’t replace those vehicles because I can’t order that color,” the chief said.

He is a fan of the blue cars, calling it the best-looking cars in the state but having the color will cause a longer wait time, Locklear said.

Councilman Larry McNeill was concerned about making changes to the vehicles.

“I’d have to think a little bit before I agree to these colors … It’s just going to cause some confusion,” McNeill said.

Council agreed to discuss the matter further.

In other business, Council unanimously voted to voluntarily annex into the town a property at 583 Brooks St. that is owned by Town Manager Tyler Thomas and his wife, Chelsea Thomas.

The manager said his property is currently the only one on the street that is not part of the town.

“It meets the requirements of Chapter 168, so I would I recommend approval,” Town Attorney Jessica Scott said.

After being tabled three times, the council denied a request to amend the zoning map to rezone a 4.5-acre tract of land at 7674 N.C. 711 from Industrial District to R-8 Multiple-Family Dwelling, following a recommendation from the town’s Planning Board. The request was made by Henry Oxendine, who wants to repurpose the property to accommodate apartment construction.

Council members made the decision because of the lack of information provided by the applicant, but invited Oxendine to apply at a later date, once the information is obtained.

In other zoning matters, Council rejected a request to rezone a vacant property on Fourth Street from an R-10 District to a C-1 Central Business District. H&M Developers, LLC was requesting the amendment.

Also Monday, Council set a public hearing date for the next scheduled meeting to consider rezoning four parcels of land on 811, 809 and 807 W. Third St. and a lot on Lowery Street from Residential R-20 to C3 Highway Business District.

Thomas said a developer is interested in developing the property for commercial use.

Councilman Channing Jones already has expressed support for the development.

“I think this is good for our community economically,” Jones said.

Council voted to reschedule July’s regular business meeting to 7 p.m. June 28, which is done each year so as not to interfere with Lumbee Homecoming. During the meeting, Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget.

In other Parks and Recreation news, Director Harper told Council that 876 participants signed up for spring sports, and summer program registration will begin soon. The lineup includes Fun Friday Day Camp for ages 6-10, a summer basketball league for 9- to 15-year-olds, summer tennis lessons for people ages 5 and up, and an adult corn hole league.

Council members were introduced to Annais Hernandez Castilla, who will be interning with the town’s police department throughout the summer. Castilla is a student at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke studying criminal justice and psychology.

Tomeka Sinclair can be reached at [email protected] or 910-416-5865.