HOLLY POND – Residents of the east side of Cullman County now have a closer location for much of their Probate Court business thanks to the opening of a courthouse annex in Holly Pond.

The new office is located inside Holly Pond Town Hall, and will be open on Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cullman County Probate Judge Tammy Brown said county residents can visit the Holly Pond office for many things that they would have otherwise had to go to the Cullman County Courthouse to obtain, such as boating licenses, hunting or fishing licenses, business licenses and marriage certificates.

Residents can also receive voter registration cards and sample ballots for any upcoming elections, she said.

In-person driver’s license renewals will still have to be completed at the Cullman County Courthouse, but the Holly Pond location will soon have a computer that will be available for online license renewals for people who don’t have the internet or a printer or would like some extra assistance in the process, Brown said.

“Basically, everything except for driver’s licenses can be done here,” she said.

The Holly Pond office will also not be able to do tag renewals or property taxes, as those are conducted through the Cullman County Revenue Commission, but the Baileyton courthouse annex is available for those services, she said.

While the Holly Pond office is only open one day per week for now, the probate office does hope to expand the days of service in the future, Brown said.

Holly Pond Mayor Bill Oliver said he hopes residents of the east side of the county learn about the new annex and its more convenient location, and he has told the probate court they could use the town hall up to five days a week if needed.

“I’d like to see it two or three days or whatever we need down here,” he said.

Brown said move to Holly Pond has been planned since last year, but there were delays in getting the internet and phone service, and then COVID-19 impacted everyone’s schedules, but the probate court is happy to open the new office to provide better service to the county’s residents.

“We are so excited to be out here,” she said. “As an elected official serving the people of the county, making things more convenient for them is what it’s all about.