Town workers and volunteers are putting the finishing touches on the Town Green in preparation for a visit from the governor next Thursday.

Gov. Deval Patrick will be stopping in Pembroke on Thursday, July 16 at 6:30 p.m. for one of 15 town meetings scheduled across the state this summer. The event is open to the public, and residents are encouraged to stop by to ask the governor questions and join in the discussion.

Town Administrator Ed Thorne said the visit is a great opportunity for the town.

“We’re really excited about it. It was a no-brainer when his office called up and asked if we were willing to host one of the governor’s town meetings,” Thorne said. “We think it’s a great idea, and we’re happy to have Pembroke on the map.”

With repairs on the Harry M. Woods Memorial Bandstand nearly completed, town workers will be cleaning up the Town Green lawn and landscaping around the bandstand, which will act as the stage for Patrick’s meeting, weather permitting, Thorne said.

The meeting will be moved indoors in case of rain. Check the Web site, mass.gov/governor/townhall, for updates.

Thorne said town workers also would be setting up chairs for the public and that police would be on site to help with traffic and security.

“The police department will be coordinating with state police regarding security,” he said.

The town hall meetings aim to “encourage civic engagement” and to make the governor available to citizens across the commonwealth, according to a press release from Patrick’s office.

“As we work to overcome the challenges of today, it is important that the citizens of the commonwealth are involved in the process,” Patrick said in the release. “I look forward to this opportunity to learn how state government can better serve its people.”

Last year, the governor made 14 stops around the state. The governor kicked off his 2009 town hall meetings with a stop in Dennis on May 26, and has plans to visit Randolph, Needham, Arlington, Lynn, Shrewsbury and Adams before stopping by Pembroke.

The meetings generally last about an hour and a half, depending on turnout, with the governor taking questions from the audience, Deputy Press Secretary Kim Haberlin said.

“The governor tries to answer as many questions as he possibly can,” Haberlin said. “If he doesn’t have the answer or if it’s going to take more time to find the answer, he has staff on site [to take down contact information and provide a response later].”

Thorne said people who attend the event could park behind the community center.

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