City Council - Regular Meeting

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But time Good morning.

Welcome to Holland season. The car was yellowed this morning. Morning. Good morning.

It's March 10th. This is our regular city council meeting day. We have a workshop from 9 till 10. Thank you all for being here today. I will remind myself to turn my own phone off. How's that? Here we go. Up birched on the agenda, we are hearing from Jimmy Stton, the CEO of Santi Cooper. Mr. Stton, welcome. Thank you, Mayor Krua, and it's great to see the entire council again. Uh, thank you for having me today. I do want to talk a little bit about one of my favorite subjects, and that's the people of uh, Santi Cooper and the great stuff that they that they do every day. Um, just a little bit about Santi Cooper to start with though, we are the stateowned electric and water utility. And what that means is we are owned by the state. We do we our shareholders are the people of South Carolina. We do not pay dividends to uh to other shareholders. Our dividends are in the form of reliable and affordable service. Um we provide along with the uh with central and the cooperatives in the state. We serve about two million people across all of uh South Carolina. And again, our bills because of the the structure of Santi Cooper, our bills are generally anywhere from 7 to about 15% below the other utilities in the state. And uh and we are this says in the top 10% of reliability. Uh we're actually in the top 10 of reliability in the entire country. South South Carolina as you all know I do not have to tell Myrtle Beach about what growth means because you all are experiencing it like crazy but so are we. Uh people are coming to South Carolina and we are having to uh we're having to address all of that growth as

rapidly as we can just like you all are having to adapt to the uh to the growth that's happening uh across the state. We do that with a pretty wide swath or a big variety portfolio of generation resources around the state. We have a couple of natural gas plants, one of them up in Cherokee County, the other one up in Anderson County. Um we have we are a third owner of VC summer which is a nuclear facility um outside of Colombia and we have two very large coal plants um one right outside of Monks Corner the other one in Georgetown uh and so while we have a pretty broad portfolio we also bring in uh landfill gas and use that to generate um electricity we uh we utilize some of the forest products to generate electricity and And then very importantly, we have we have solar around the entirety of our system. So again, a fairly broad portfolio of resources, but we are still heavily reliant on coal. And there's nothing wrong with coal from my perspective. It's a it's a wonderful resource. Uh but eventually we have to continue to add to that portfolio in order to continue to serve the growth here in South Carolina. And so that is what this slide depicts. Um, Santi Cooper is very focused on bringing new resources to the table. Uh, and so at our Rainey facility, we're going to be adding about 250 megawws. And we'll talk about how we're doing that. It's a pretty cool process, though. Um, we are actually adding a a turbine between two combustion turbines that already exist there. So, we can get about another 250 megawws without having to use any more natural gas. So, it's a it's a it's a wonderful resource for us. Um, up at Wya, we're going to be putting in two combustion turbines. As I said, we have a coal plant up right outside of Georgetown. That's the Wya plant. On that site, we're going to be putting two

combustion turbines. That's going to give us another 100 megawws. Um, and then right outside of Monk's Corner, we have a hydro facility. We're going to be adding about 300 megawatts of batteries there. that is uh that's going to be an important resource for us to in order to ensure that we can continue to deliver on the peak. Uh that will be the largest battery storage uh in South Carolina when we get it built. So by the by the early part of 2028, Santi Cooper will have brought about 650 megawatts of new capacity to the table. Just to give you an idea, that's enough power to serve about 500,000 homes, nearly half a million homes. On the longer term, we've got to continue to meet uh the additional growth that we see coming to the state. So, we are partnering with Dominion at what we call Kennedy's for another natural gas plant. That's going to be 2200 megawatts. So, it's a big plant for us. Um but we will be splitting that with Santi Cooper. I I'm sorry, with Dominion. Um and then the last one for us is I indicated we're a third owner in a nuclear plant right now. Um Santi Cooper as you all know most of the state realizes we uh we shut down the development of VC summer 2 and three. Uh we maintain those facilities. We have now we are now partnering with a company called Brookfield Asset Management. We will they will they will actually construct VC summer 2 and three. Santi Cooper will not have to contribute any more dollars at all. Um and at FID when that when that when we're ready to uh FID is final investment decision, Santi Cooper will receive about $2.7 billion. We'll be able to use that money to lower rates to other customers. We will also retain 25% of that facility. And so we will be able

to uh to to actually generate electricity with the dollars that we've already spent um at VC Summer. So we're excited about that opportunity. All of the projects I've just described uh combine state-of-the-art technologies to ensure that we are uh lessening our environmental footprint, taking advantage of local resources um particularly where pre-existing facilities were in place. That gives us a great tax advantage. That tax advantage can then be passed through to customers in the form of uh of lower rates. uh and it enables us to utilize existing infrastructure so we don't have to go out that gives us speed in addition to dollars that gives us speed because we don't have to do a lot of land prep the land is already ready for what we are uh for what we're focused on the other aspect of our business is we do directly energize homes and businesses particularly in Ary Georgetown and Berkeley counties and we do that And we uh we recognize that there are challenges that a lot of folks face challenges. We've got rising costs across the country, rising costs for every product, including rising costs for uh for electricity. And so we offer um a number of items to help folks address their energy usage. Um we offer rebates to incent incentivize energy efficiency. We have home programs. We have businesses, our EV initiatives are designed to move people off of the peak and have them charge overnight. Um, we have our customer service app provides a great deal of information that 5 years ago we would not have been able to provide customers, but now we're able to provide that to them today. We have a power partners program that's for income

qualified folks that do not necessarily have the resources to uh to to to take advantage of energy efficiency opportunities. Santi Cooper pays to uh create those opportunities for those folks. And then the last program that we have is our community cares programs. We we partner with some other folks uh businesses around the state. customers also have the opportunity to increase their bills by a dollar, whatever they would like to do round up so that uh we can help those folks that are extremely challenged uh in being able to pay their electric bills. Now, there has been a uh that did not there's been a we've made some changes to the way that we charge as we go forward. This was supposed to be animated. That's why I paused for a second. Um the but I wanted to take you through we are focused on the peak. Uh we we instituted in our last rate change we instituted what we call a peak charge. Um and that was something new for everybody and and we realized that uh that not everyone necessarily understands why the importance of that. And so I would point you to if you look at the left, that green area is that's the usage on our system on what we think of as a typical winter day. The lines down at the bottom, that's the cost of that energy on that on that day. So our system average cost is less than $50 a megawatt on those days. on the right hand side. That's what happens when we experience peaks on the system, which we did uh in January of this year. And that peak was about 200 megawws than anything we had experienced before. And so, as you can see on this chart, the peak is sustained. It's much higher than it is on a typical day. And you can see there

that the price of electricity instead of being somewhere in the $50 range is something closer to $1,500 a megawatt. And so the focus that we have, the reason that we introduced a demand charge is to send a price signal to our customers that reflects the market that we are experiencing. Um, and quite frankly, it gives customers an opportunity to address their um to address their energy use on the peak. So that's what that we we instituted an $8 peak charge. Um the price of the energy. So there's a peak charge and then there's actually what you use that went down about 34%. Um we have had a number of customers that have lowered their uh their overall bill. But what's more important for us, um, the peak that we experienced in January was about 25 to 50 megawws lower than it otherwise would have been. And so that saves all of our customers money. Um, and so that was a again the purpose of it was to send that price signal and quite frankly customers have responded to that uh to that price signal. Um, as I indicated earlier, rates, we continue to uh to have to address challenges uh of inflation just like everyone else. Um, our rates are designed only on our cost to serve customers plus the coverage of our debt. Um, we don't increase rates for specific issues or for specific projects. Um, but we are in the process right now of analyzing where we stand and whether we need to do anything different as we enter into 2027. Um, and we are continuing to work with our customers to hear from our customers and to offer new programs to help those

customers utilize their uh their their services the best way that they can. Then the last area that Santi Cooper focuses very hard on is ensuring that we help South Carolina continue to thrive from an economic development perspective. We helped land about $2.7 billion in capital investment across the state and uh and nearly 2,000 jobs. That that's something that Sant Cooper is very proud of. We we helped with Ocean Craft Marine at the Bucksport Marine Park. That was locally it was $11 million capital investment and 93 jobs. And then last year we uh we transferred the Granger station to the city of Conway so that they could utilize that property and and again it's been restored back to the wetlands that you would expect for it to be. U it's it's going to be a great resource for the folks in Conway and quite frankly we think for the entire area. Uh we work with the Ory County Schools. We contribute about $120,000 um for classroom programming, teacher education. Um our community outreach, our our team, I mentioned earlier, I'm proud of our team. Our team doesn't just serve our customers, they serve our communities as well. Um 36,000 hours. That's almost three full work days for every team member at Santi Cooper for uh for community service. and uh and the kind folks at uh the Myrtle Beach Chamber gave us the community impact award for 2025. And then more locally, we continue uh with lighting upgrades, moving everything to uh to LED lighting. We are we continue to work with our cities, our communities, and undergrounding resources. One of the reasons we have some of the highest reliability in the country is because

the work that we've been able to do um collaboratively to further underground. Um and we are working with the city to redesign our oil plant substation to accommodate the uh two storm water ponds. Um and so we we're happy to be doing that. And then the the last area is we continue to work with the city and will on uh on your smart city initiatives or any other initiatives that Myrtle Beach undertakes. And that's the uh that concludes my formal presentation. I would love to take any questions that anyone might have.

Thank you in stating for coming today. I'm sure we've got some questions here. One of the projects you left off was the Grand Strand Humane Society's groundbreaking, which was yesterday. Santi Cooper helped provide the land under which the new Grand Strand Humane Society will exist. And we broke ground on that yesterday. I've worked as a volunteer with Santi Cooper employees back when we were doing the Palmetto Regional Robotics Tournament for 10 years, and Santi Cooper's folks were outstanding. Thank you. I would I can't say enough nice things about the contributions that Santi Cooper's folks have made along the way. I appreciate that. They are a wonderful team.

They truly are. We've talked your your staff and I and and our staff have talked about a couple of ideas that the city would like for you to consider at the end of the day. So, we'll see how that goes. Uh from the peak demand point of view, I will say that I was initially concerned when I read my power bill and saw that one of the charges was much higher than than the other. Uh but I've tracked it over the months since Santi Cooper implemented the peak demand and I think my bill is flat or maybe down a couple of dollars. Granted, I am conscious about not running a major appliance during the peak demand hours, which is three hours either in the morning or the evening, depending upon what season it is.

Um, but it it has not been the dramatic increase that I originally expected or that some of the folks are projecting or experiencing out there. So, I've been very pleased with that. And if it helps cut the overall peak demand, the amount of electricity that Santi Cooper has to generate, it it does mean that it will keep our rates lower at the end of the day, too. So, thank you for that. I appreciate you defeating the peak and helping us defeat. Again, I was hesitant. I saved my bills for the first several months and looked at the charges and you know the peak charge was in many cases half the total bill

and yet at the end of the day the total bill was either flat or down a couple of bucks. So it it wasn't as alarming as I thought originally and and I think just to you know I think a lot of folks not everyone but a lot of folks are seeing that as well and we encouraged our team and again we have a wonderful customer service team that we did give forgiveness uh for for those folks particularly early on in the program that said hey look I just I wasn't I didn't understand it. I wasn't paying attention to it. I just did and uh and so I I think we were hopefully able to smooth some of that transition for folks. Council,

mayor, I've got one or two comments if I could. Um I think what we're most concerned and thank you for coming, Mr. Dayton.

What we as a body are most concerned with uh of course are the rate that our customers, our constituents pay, uh along with your ability to generate. And there's a lot of let's say there there's a lot of ground that's been covered since the base load react uh base load review act of 089 and some of us were here then um and you appear to be I I take it with private input u moving past this into retooling uh VC summer. Um again that is a long-term plan I would think. Uh midterm I would be guessing it would be the gas generation plants that really are actively being discussed. But near-term I think we're concerned too with the the hyperscalers the the data center type scenarios. Are those folks are they going to be self-contained with power and water? Are they going to input energy from outside? just kind of just very broadly because I know you're a busy man, but we'd like to know uh where we're going with regard to

Well, it's a great qu it's a great comment and question. Um let me start with with V with VC summer 2 and three. Um we're in the feasibility study time frame right now. Um that will end in about 18 months. That's when FID should happen. So I'm hopeful in the next two years we'll we'll be able to reduce rates. um because of the cash inflow that we will get at that point. You're absolutely right though the generation from that won't hit us until the probably the mid 2030s. Um and so there there's a lot of consternation around the state and around the country about hyperscalers and their impact on um on rates for Santi Cooper to date. Um there has been actually a calming effect uh on our rates. They were they're they're actually a little bit lower than they otherwise would have been, but we're that's at the early stages of this. And so the Santi Cooper board approved last year a uh a a rate a tariff if you will that um that requires hyperscalers to pay for all of their all of the costs associated with redoing the grid to accommodate them. and they also have to pay all of the costs associated that at the at the top end if you will of the energy stack. So if they are if we're having to build something or or bring in capacity they have to pay for that incremental cost so that our customers the the remaining customers on our system the residential commercial customers are not impacted um by the hyperscalers. I will tell you though I I think there's a there we are seeing hyperscalers have identified this their customers are our customers and uh and they're recognizing that it doesn't do them any good to drive up cost to everyone else and so they're generally we have found them to date at least we

have found them willing to pay more than their fair share in order to not negatively impact rates for customers and again so I think there's a I think there's a balance we can craft there. Um, and so we're working on that.

You seem to be ahead of it. And and one last question, excuse me, Dr. uh who who is our representative? Uh, it used to be at one time, uh, Mr. Springs and Merl Zinlet and Dr. Molnar, uh, David Singleton. I I can't do we have presently have one. I I thought Dave Singleton was the perpetual because No, he's the only one I've Dave's the only one I've had um since I've been at Sant Dave Singleton is but we do we um there has been a um a transition going on at S on Santi Cooper's board and so um I'm I would expect that David like all the other board members about twothirds of the board have has turned over

in the last three years and so I would expect to see that happen. But currently, um, Dave Singleton is is our representative, and I would encourage you if you've got a a concern, you know, talk to him. No, I'm just kidding. If you if you want to praise us, I'll be happy to. Is Mr. Pat How coming on? I I've heard he is he has been nominated.

What an excellent choice. to do that you have to it, you know, as you know, the the governor nominates the Senate has to uh has to approve them and the Senate has not yet done that, but but we would uh we would welcome Mr. How to board. So, I wanted to follow up on the data center um piece because I've noticed the legislation and what are your thoughts on the legislation currently at the state house regarding that and um are you supporting that or do you feel like it's needed? I I think we need a a I don't think it's a terrible thing that we are kind of tempering and ensuring that where where we place these folks. Um and what type of equipment they're utilizing. Um I think I think there needs to I think some rules need to be established around that. Um there is there are water concerns in communities about the massive amount of water that a hyperscaler can use, but there are closed loop systems for cooling that you could utilize. And so if you're bringing that kind of technology, it's probably a little bit easier to to land wherever you would like. Um but if you are using water cooled technology, then you probably should be placed someplace that uh that makes more sense. Um quite frankly. And then obviously from my perspective the grid um there are locations where we probably have a little bit more capability than others. Um so until we get the grid redefined I think having some structure around it is not a bad it's not a bad idea.

That's great. Well, I'll just say I was able to participate in the envoy program last year and getting to go and see all of the power plants and how it it's impressive to me how your folks take care of the plants and how they're reimagining how to use them. And so basically recycling more power that's coming out of the stacks and and things like that. So and and you don't say anything about the great work that your folks do in regards to the environment and the ecosystem,

etc. And that's a lot of work that takes place as well that you don't ever really get a lot of credit for. So right, the the team does a wonderful job. I would mention I mentioned earlier the um the CTS combustion turbines that we're putting at Wya.

We're actually placing those at the site of a of an ash pond that we have completely taken all of the ash out of that area completely cleaned it back up to to the kind of standard you would expect. And that's where we're putting these. So again, the opportunity to uh to clean up um and to maintain the um the environmental stewardship that's that Santi Cooper holds dearly. Uh I'm proud I'm really proud of the team for everything they do. And I think it's important for folks to know that if a business or even a resident has issues still with their, you know, electric bill being too high that you've got folks that can come in and talk to them and help them mitigate how they might can um change that.

Without a doubt. Without a doubt. We have we have payment programs. Again, we fi we help folks find if they need help, we help them find that help. We have payment programs in place. Uh again, if you if you ever had the opportunity to to talk to one of our customer service representatives, you would you would fully appreciate they they get the highest scores in uh in customer satisfaction because of that work. Council, I didn't have any questions. They were already answered, but thank you for coming up coming today and and briefing us.

Thank you. I don't know that you said it directly, Jimmy, but the peak rate demand was designed to be revenue neutral. You lowered the regular rates and increase the peak rate so that it didn't generate any extra money for Santi Cooper, but that it reduced the overall electricity demand. It it has it has reduced um we're we're trying to put a a dollar figure to that right now. what how how we would value that 25 to 50 megawatts, but it's there's real it's it's in the million it's in the millions of dollars um of savings that again everyone is going to get the value from.

Super. Thank you again very much. Jimmy Stton from Santi Cooper and Tracy Veland from Santi Cooper too. It's good to see you Tracy. Thank you all. Appreciate what you all do. Thank you. Up next, we have Meredith Daenery and Brian Garrett for a website update, please. While they're coming forward, I will say that Mike Lauder had an issue at work today and probably won't make the meeting. He may may be able to come in later, but he's got a a minor crisis that he's dealing with at work at the moment. All right. Good morning. Good morning. Morning. Morning.

Um, this is a rather brief update. We have narrowed it down to two vendors, but we understand that council wanted the opportunity to talk about the city's future website and also voice some, um, suggestions and opinions of things that you would like to see. So, um, here we go. The biggest thing about the city's new website is that we're going to be consolidating all of the city's current websites that we have so that we are quite literally a one-stop shop. It's all going to be the same or similar design. This is everything from the city's main site to the police department, the fire department, convention center, Myrtle Beach boardwalk, downtown Myrtle Beach. It's all going to be in one place. Um, you'll be able to use the current URLs for the police department, for example. it will still take you you will use that URL and then it will redirect you to the new site. Um the design will all be similar. There might be some color variations. The police department you might see black and blues. The fire department you'll still maintain the reds that you typically see with the fire department. It will look like you might be going to a different site, but it will all be housed on the same place.

You're good. Okay. Okay. We all know I can talk. So, um, and and our parks department, that might be one of our, um, the the behemoths of this project, so to speak, because there's a third party, they use Rec Plus, that there's so much sign up going on with the parks department. Ryan Caputo, who's currently over the website for PRST, played a a big part in choosing our vendor and going through that process. So, it was really important along the way that everyone had a say as we went. Um before we began this process, we sent a survey out to all the department heads who could also send it to their necessary supervisors and things so that staff had some input to make sure that they we included what they needed in our RFP that went out in December. So we did do that ahead of time and right now we are at the stage we're choosing between two vendors. So within the next week or so we should be able to talk about who we chose. As I already said, we're going to be bringing all of the city websites together. Our biggest thing that Brian will talk about in a second is we are going to change the URL. So, in the future, once our URL is changed to myrtle beach.gov, which Brian did a lot of work to go ahead and get secured. Um, it is ready to go. It is ours. Our future website will be myrtle Beach.gov. It was also a big deal that we were able to not use Myrtle Beachc.gov. We actually had to prove that we are the one and only Myrtle Beach in the United States. People don't think of another Myrtle Beach. So, um, Brian was able to jump some hurdles there and get that done. So, that was a really exciting part. Making it easier for our customers to get to our website, making it more accessible to just type in Myrtle Beach and it takes you right where you need to go. That.gov ending is also a big deal. Overcome.org, whatever. And Brian will talk about that in a second. When we do design the new website, the biggest takeaways are things are going to be easier to find. One of the things that we really want to

um have a home run on is being able to get somewhere with just a few clicks. It doesn't take you eight clicks to go somewhere. Things aren't buried on 10 different pages. It really is a one-stop shop and to be able to in a well organized website find where you want to go. So, you'll see on there, you know, we want it to be easier to read, understand, and write. Um, as I already touched on, same website, just different pages. We're also going to enhance the search performance. And the biggest thing about bringing all of our websites and all of our teams together is we are one organization and we really need to speak with one voice.

So, I think she pretty much covered everything with the.gov. Um, obviously the most important things with.gov is it is secured. Um,.govs are issued by CISA, which is controlled by Homeland Security. Um, so you obviously have to talk to Homeland Security to get a.gov. They're tightly controlled. They're only given out to government agencies or municipalities. Um, with that comes enhanced security. They can't be spoofed. Um, I think all of you guys have seen it. You get a URL that maybe like city of myrtle beach.com, but somebody misspelled Myrtle, so it looks legitimate to you. You click on it, all of a sudden you're in a world of hurt and you have to call it. Um, you see the.gov at the end, you know it's correct. It can't be spoofed. they're not giving out those addresses to anybody else without being verified. Um, so obviously you've got the impersonation protection. Um, and it's a cohesive branding as myrtle beach.gov. So you covered everything else.

What?

Oh yes. Also, the email addresses will switch. Um, all the email addresses current will still work. It's not like we're flipping over. You got to call everybody and say, "Hey, this is my new email address." when they email email the old email address, it will automatically flip over. You'll respond as a myrtle beach.gov email address. Um, so it should be fairly painless to everybody. Um, like I said, it'll automatically update in Outlook for most people uh when they receive the new thing. There'll be a header on the emails that say, "Hey, by the way, we've moved to a new domain." Um, to help get that message out to everybody that you're communicating with. That's great because I know sometimes people are afraid to answer my emails because they see.com they think it's a spoof. So yeah.

Wow. Any questions? Sounds good. We're not we're not done yet, but any questions as we go along? I'll wait.

You'll wait. All right, that sounds good. Um, so when we have the the the new website, this is just kind of a high level brief example of some of the new offerings that you can look forward to. I think one of the biggest things that our team of what do we have seven people that went through the procurement process is we wanted it to be totally custom. You know, one thing we hear a lot from council, we've heard from the mayor is making things fun, bringing back the fun. We want it to stand out. So, I think that the vendor that we're going to end up going with is really going to be able to deliver on that. We're talking custom graphics, specialty graphics that you don't necessarily see with your typical municipal website that's really going to be able to make the Myrtle Beach website experience unique and special and something that will draw people to come back in addition to just being able to use it like a normal person. Like this shouldn't be rocket science to find what you're looking for. So, totally custom layout, a staff directory. One of the biggest complaints we get, understandably so, is not a great calendar. So instead of having to go to a PDF that's on the visitors page, we're talking about just a usable calendar on the homepage where the user will be able to see what's coming up for that month. They'll be able to go to the next month and see what's coming up. And we can also work with our friends over at the chamber to include even more events than we already have by some sort of process where people can submit an event and we can approve it to make sure it's legit so that we're really making sure that we're covering all things that are going on in Myrtle Beach. modernized layout. I know one thing that my team is super excited about um are the abilities to do banners and things. We have invested in some really great equipment in the communications department and one of those biggest assets that we have is our drone. We've been able to capture beautiful imagery of the city of Myrtle Beach, our neighborhoods, our projects and this is the perfect place to be able to showcase that and things that the city is spending money on that's making life better for our residents and improving that quality of life in general. and we're actually getting to

that time as we get in spring and summer. That's our top time to gather that content to be able to showcase on the website. Another big thing, of course, ADA compliance for, as Brian, we talked about yesterday, a town under 50,000. Um, our deadline is April 2027 to make sure that everything is ADA compliant. So, we still have some time, I think, will be definitely completed ahead of schedule to make sure that we met meet those WCAG requirements. So that's a big checkbox that we just have to do. We have to spend the money and get it done. Interactive maps, automated forms to make things easier. One of the biggest things that I get calls on um in the communications department are bike maps and pedestrian friendly maps. There's a lot of ability to provide great maps, interactive maps in the year 2026. And that's something that we're really going to capitalize with this website. And Brian's team is very wellversed in Ezri. I think we'll talk more about that down the road as we keep going through this project. But there's some really great maps that you're able to create through that. And again, this is just improving the user experience. AI help tools and and search. We're talking AI chat bots on this one. Um, some of you may remember when I first gave the website presentation, I think it was the end of April 2024, we talked about Myrtle the Turtle. So, I've already been working with Ory County Schools and we're planning to do a competition within the Myrtle Beach school system to create a Myrtle the Turtle chatbot. Um, we're looking at the beginning of next school year. They're, you know, a little busy. They're looking forward to summer about right now. So, that will be coming up next year. The timing will fit well and then whichever vendor we choose will tell us, you know, the exact needs and things um for that creation. But we're really excited to partner with Ory County Schools and also we'll help raise awareness um with with turtles, what to do with our sea turtles and things, alert messaging and announcements. We'll be able to have

banners and um it'll tag into our regroup system. Again, social media sharing, just overall better organization. This includes agendas and minutes to make things easier to find and linked. Um content scheduling so that things actually disappear. One of the issues we have with our current site is our pages that we need to go away don't go away. So if they weren't dated x amount of years ago, some of those pages are still floating out there. So people think this this was created in the year 2026 when it was actually 2018. And we've actually in the past um even when Mark was in my position too, we've worked to try to get those pages deleted and it is a hard thing to do. Right Mark?

Yes. So, um, the biggest thing with this is Brian's team's going to be able to go in and when we get rid of this site, that will all go away. So, we won't have to deal with a big part of misinformation that's been floating around for 10 years because that's how old our current site is. Multilingual support. Um, that's a biggie. And also integration capabilities. And that's Brian's cup of tea if he wants to talk more about that one. I'll hold off on that for Okay. Any questions? got a comment for you.

The the feedback I get and I'm enthused about this first of all uh from residents specifically and it has to do with uh usability and you've talked about so we don't have to take clicks to get to where you should get to in one in one or two. A suggestion for you though and you probably already thought about this uh is that at some point let's get resident feedback because they are our one of our major users. So let's get resident feedback. U I hear from the north end the middle of the city all the way down to the market comment about well this website is easier for me to use than your site. you you're already focusing on that. Uh and I think I guess you mentioned you don't want it to be rocket science to to you know it's got to be simple to use. Uh, and while we just heard from Santi Cooper, how much we're growing in the state is growing, uh, how much we are growing, uh, has a lot to do with retirees. And many times, uh, for them to be able to use it effectively, it does need to be, we need to hear from them as to what they would like to see. So, a suggestion is at some point in time, let's see if we can involve the community with a little bit of input. And also when you do that, it helps them buy in. It makes them feel like they've had their say and and they're also helping us to develop the site. So that would be my comment for you.

Yes. Well, I do invite you to this next slide where we do talk about input sessions which means imper in person and survey style and discovery meetings and um so you were just one slide ahead of me and they will include resident feedback. So, we'll work with our vendor. Those, I think, would be more resident uh or excuse me, the surveys would be more resident driven in order to get more feedback versus in-person sessions. And when it comes to city staff, we'd be leaning towards those in-person sessions. So, each department, no matter its size, really feels heard and that this website will meet their needs. Perfect.

Awesome. So, we hope to award it this week. We are working through a few things. Um the timeline, we are looking at up to nine months. this is not a overnight process. So you know we will ask for patience during this and we have to get it right and um I think that's it. So, a big I'm thinking with the integration piece and you said online forms. I know from we've talked a lot about process. Um, so I'm suspecting that with this integration that some forms that people have to download, complete and either send in that that those processes can be automated using this website.

Yeah, correct. I mean that's that's pretty much our ultimate goal that all services are online and available online either online or offline. Um we've been slowly working towards that goal with our through our infor project. We've moved um uh hospitality and business licensing business license payments online. Um we're working on utility billing and then we will keep compounding from there to move everything to online services. So Okay. Um, also will there be a capability of if there somebody wants to um report a pothole or report a line break, water break, whatever, will there be any type of place on there that you can do that maybe?

I mean, I don't think we have anything in the works currently, but are ready to present? I'll have detail.

Yeah, we we actually do have a place um on our current website, the public works department, to report an issue or a service request. And I think again that just kind of falls into things of it takes four plus clicks to get there. So, it's harder to find. Um so, yes, and I've seen we did a lot of exploration of other municipalities to see what their websites offer and there are options. You can't overwhelm it because then it's too overwhelming. But you could put like six to eight icons and one of them could be like service request and then you once you click that there'd be a list of potholes and the forms would be automated. Um, that was one of the things when we went through the interview process, one of the vendors spoke about were to create forms and then I'm thinking kind of simpler things other than utility billing like special events for example versus having to print the form off and fill it out and scan it back in and email it where it's an automated form that we can create and with the click of a button it goes directly to the person. So special events would go to Troy, potholes would go to our public works supervisors, things like that. um where these processes are just much easier and especially because we have an updated what's the word I'm what's like the gov stack CMS system content management system to work with

okay thank you question let me ask you this one you're talking about online forms and I um I deal with a lot of family reunions people plan their family reunions a lot of time people plan them for two years out and more or you know soon as they go to one And okay, we're going to Myrtle Beach. Um, and does our system allow you to to come in and and and fill out an application even though the sign up time might not be until say 14 months out. Are you talking about fill out an application for like a gazebo or something that you would reserve it

to rent a facility to rent a facility or Robert Reed or one of those facilities? A train depot. Um, yes, there there's currently it's on the PRST website because it falls under them to rent a recreation facility. But that certainly I mean I think that our opportunities are kind of limitless so to speak and this is the opportunity where we can change things. Um so I'm writing notes and I will write that down. Okay. Okay. A form to to rent the an automated form to rent the recreation facility. I think there's an automated form now to do it

but sometime our window don't open until say 14 months out from your date. Oh okay. So I guess what I'm saying if somebody come in 16 months out and hey but is there a way to let me know that hey your date is open or or now is the time to click and pay your deposit or whatever. You know what I'm saying? Yes. I don't you know and one of the most popular facilities to rent would be Robert Reid and David Gleton's over that. So I wouldn't want to speak for him because I'm not over the facility rental but I can check with him and shoot you an email. I mean, I'm sure that's something that we could work out. Okay. Okay.

Train depot is hard to get into and train depot. Yeah. Meredith, curiously, for those of us that rever Alexander Graanbell still, is there a phone number we can call for a pothole? I'm Philip Ren 9182000. And And where does that go though? How long does it take to get a does a real person That's a switchboard, is it not? The 2000 number. Yeah, I don't think so. It goes telephone. I've never called it, so telephone. Oh, okay. Yes, it is automated, but it will get to somebody because they have a 24 people checking, especially on the weekends and things. It turns into a 247 line. All right.

Anybody else? you'll keep a constant email address that uh the info address is helpful in terms of reporting potholes, reporting issues. Um I I have to say that I wasn't a big fan originally of eliminating the dot, but if you've got myrtle beach.gov, I I don't think I can argue with that. I think that's a pretty good solution at the end of the day. And then congratulations on being able to bring all of the different city departments under one email address under one URL. Tried to do that for decades and could not do that. So we appreciate that. Yeah. A lot of a lot of working together.

So are are we still going to keep the city of Myrtle Beach.com tied up? Yes, we'll keep it basically forever and at some point I'm sure 1015 years down the line we'll look at it. when we be like, "Hey, nobody has gone to this address in a year. Probably time to get rid of it at that point." But yeah. Yeah. We don't want somebody to hijack the u we've already got rid of it. We'll basically keep every URL that we currently have. We'll just redirect them all to my beach.gov. Anybody else? Thank you. Thanks. Thank you.

We've got about 12 minutes here before the start of the meeting. Um council, are there any issues that y'all want to talk about here in the last 12 minutes before the regular meeting starts? None heard. So we'll take a 12minut break. Thank you. Hey baby. Heat. Heat.

Hey, hey, hey.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

Wow. Wow. Hey, hey, hey. I want to dance. Anybody

know anything? Alternate. So, I'm going to read Well, to me that

Yeah, I sent it back to you. That was the first I heard it. That's why Rand's here.

Good morning. Hey,

it is 10:01. We're a minute late to stand up. Nice to see a big crowd here today. Welcome everybody to our March 10th, 2026 Myrtle Beach City Council meeting. Councilman Louderder is dealing with an issue at work and will not be here now. He may be able to come in later in the meeting, but he's um not here at the moment and sends his regrets for not being here today. Again, thank you all for arriving. We would ask that you silence your cell phones. And I believe here to start things off, we need to have our invocation and our pledge of allegiance. Councilman Chestnut, if you'll please rise.

If you wish, you may join city council and standing for a moment of silent invocation. Almighty God, creator and sustainer of all that is or will ever be, accept our profound gratitude for this day and its blessings of life and freedom. And Father, we thank you and pray that you bless continue to bless our first responders who make it possible that we might continue to enjoy the life and freedom of our blessed city. Father, we also pray a special blessing upon um our chief as she retired from many years of dedicated service and continue to bless her and her family as she goes on to retirement. And Father, we pray that you rend our service of an enduring valued and very expressions of faith and civic duty and respect for all. We gather today to ren our public service in a proper manner and perform our civic duty in good order. Therefore, we solemnly invoke divine wisdom and guidance in this day's meeting. Amen.

Amen. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the for it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Again, good morning. Welcome. We have a motion for the approval of the agenda. Any changes?

Yes, sir. Mayor, I'd like to move resolution R2026-5 out of the consent agenda. Move it to the regular agenda with an amendment. that it will be the appointing of a committee member to the Grand Strand Area Transportation Study Policy Committee and an alternate. Thank you. Any other amendments to the agenda? Do we need a motion to amend the agenda? Is there a motion to make the amendment? That That's the motion. Do we have a second? Second. Councilman Chestnut second. Any comments from council? Any comments from the public? All those in favor, please say I. I I

Any opposed? Thank you. Now, is there a motion to approve the amend the amended agenda? So moved. Second. Dr. Render and Debbie Connor. Any comments from councel? Any comments from the public? All those in favor of the agenda as amended, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. All right. Approval of minutes. We have two sets of minutes before us. the February 24th regular city council meeting minutes. Is there a motion to approve? So move. Second.

Jackie and Mike. Any comments? Any comments from the public? All those in favor of the agenda minutes as presented, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. And then we have the minutes from the March 3rd city council workshop which are before us. We have a motion to approve those. So move Jackie. Okay. Any comments from council? Any comments from the public? All those in favor of the March 3rd workshop agenda minutes as presented, please say I. I. I.

Any opposed? Thank you. We have a significant number of proclamations this morning. The first one is to recognize March 15 through 21st as National Safe Place Week. Meredith

Susan Whitaker should be here today and I would invite her down to please accept the proclamation. All right, National Safe Place Week, March 15 through 21st, 2026. Whereas every young person deserves a safe and supportive environment in which to thrive and our community dedication to ensuring the well-being of our youth. Whereas Sea Haven for Youth has been a beacon of hope for young people in crisis, serving as the designated safe place agency for Ory County and providing immediate help and supportive services to youth in need. And whereas National Safe Place Week is a time to raise awareness about the importance of safe and accessible resources for youth facing homelessness, abuse, neglect, or other crises. And whereas safe place locations in Myrtle Beach include the Myrtle Beach Fire Department, Helping Hand, and Pepper Gettings Recreation Center. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that Myrtle Beach City Council hereby proclaims the week of March 15 through 21st, 2026 as National Safe Place Week and extends gratitude to Sea Haven for Youth for making our city safer for young people and for protecting and empowering the youth in our community. Signed and sealed this 10th day of March, 2026.

Good morning. Um, I'm Susan with Seah Haven for Youth. Uh, thank you for having us here today and giving us this proclamation. Um, Se Haven has been a safe place agency, the only one in Ory County since 2009. We have some of our safe place partners here in the room today. Uh, the fire department, police department, um, United Way. Um, and we are excited that you have given us this today for making the 15th through the 21st National Safe Place Week here in Myrtle Beach. Uh, we'd like to invite all of you to come out and join us on the 21st at Broadway at the beach. Uh, for our second annual walk. Um, that ends our safe place week. Uh, registration for the walk starts at 8:00 a.m. and the walk goes until 10:00. It is free of charge to come out and show your support for the youth and young adults that we serve here in the community and we'd love to have you guys come and join us. Thank you.

Thank you, Susan. You're welcome, Susan. Last night, um Dr. Connor and I actually went to the fundraiser at Beastro 90. Yes. And the the energy that was in that room last night and all the hearts just opening up and and y'all do a phenomenal job. You really do. Thank you. and most people don't hear about you enough. U but thank you for everything you're doing for our youth and our community. Thank you. Thank you for coming out that night last night and joining us. Thank you very much, Susan. You're welcome. Thank you. We'll see see you on the 21st. Thank you for joining us for that. We look forward to it.

Our next proclamation. Merida

American Red Cross. So if Cara Bird could come down all right, Myrtle Beach proclaims American Red Cross Month, March 2026. Whereas in times of crisis, people in the city of Myrtle Beach come together to care for one another, a spirit exemplified by the volunteers and donors of the American Red Cross. And whereas the American Red Cross was founded in 1888 by Clara Barton with a mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering. And whereas more than 140 years later, Red Cross volunteers in the city of Myrtle Beach continue that legacy, joining millions across the United States who volunteer, give blood, donate, or learn life saving skills through the organization. And whereas Red Cross volunteers provide shelter, food, and comfort after disasters such as home fires, donate blood for patients in need, assist service members and veterans, and teach lifesaving skills such as first aid and CPR. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council hereby proclaims the month of March 2026 as American Red Cross Month and encourages all citizens to support its mission in all ways possible. signed and sealed this 10th day of March, 2026.

Great. Thank you. Thank you all. Um I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you for proclaiming this month as March is Red Cross Month. Um, this provides awareness to our community, the resources that we have, whether it's, um, providing safety after a home fire, um, making sure that the hospitals are stocked in need of blood um, blood units that we may need, um, or just servicing our military members or providing life-saving training. Um, you guys make that possible with us having this platform to, um, educate our communities and let them know these resources are available. So, thank you again

and thank you for all the Red Cross does here in Myrtle Beach. Thank you very much, Carol.

Meredith, the proclamation, March is Women's History Month. Yes. So, I invite all any everyone, especially the women in the room, if you'd like to please come on down and stand with me as I read the Women's History Month proclamation. Don't be shy. Got a few people,

a few women in the crowd. Come on down. do a big picture. Yeah, that's the that's the gentleman. I think I sent you that. You going downstairs?

I know. I'm not going to move this. You going downstairs? All right, I'm going to get started on this one, but this is pretty exciting. I think this is our biggest showing so far. If you all could get really tight together so that we can get some really great pictures. You can get close to Meredith. You really can. Yes. Yeah. I don't bite. Keep coming. Okay. All right. Here we go.

Women's History Month, March 2026. Whereas American women have long stood resolute in the face of adversity, breaking barriers in government, business, the military, science, athletics, and every field of endeavor. And whereas after decades of advocacy and perseverance, women secured the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920, marking a historic milestone in the pursuit of equality and civic participation. And whereas throughout our nation's history, women have reached significant milestones that have shaped the United States, including the election of the first woman to Congress in 1916, the appointment of the first woman to the United States Supreme Court in 1981, and the election of the nation's first female vice president in 2020. And whereas women continue to shape communities across the nation and here in the city of Myrtle Beach, where women today have broken barriers in local government as the city's first female chief financial officer, police chief, public works director, neighborhood services director, communications director, and ocean rescue lieutenant, as well as in traditionally maledominated fields such as information technology and public works. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council hereby designates March 2026 as Women's History Month in the city of Myrtle Beach and encourages all residents to celebrate the achievements of women and their lasting impact on our community. Sign and seal this 10th day of March, 2026. And I have someone special to accept this proclamation today and say a few words, Jacqueline Bringle with the fire department, the city's first female ocean rescue lieutenant. She was recently promoted. Jacqueline. Hey,

good morning. Good morning. Thanks.

Thank you for recognizing Women's History Month and for the opportunity to speak today. As a newly promoted lieutenant, this moment means a great deal to me, not just personally, but for all the strong women who've helped pave the way. Standing here today represents more than just one person. It represents progress and leadership for the next generation of women in public safety. This month reminds us of the generations of women who broke barriers, challenged expectations, and services to now know no gender. I am grateful to follow in their footsteps and proud to serve our community alongside an incredible team built of both men and women. I hope that moments like this continue to inspire young women to step forward and lead boldly and pursue careers where they can truly make a difference. A wise woman once told me that when one woman breaks through a barrier, she makes a path a little wider for the next to follow. Thank you again for this recognition and for your continued support for those who serve your community.

Thank you. Feel the love, y'all. Come on in.

Wave. Wave in the back. All right. Thank you, ladies.

That was good. All right. Now, our procurement team.

Thank you. All right, national procurement month is March for those who don't know. So we have our stellar procurement team behind me. All right, national procurement month March 2026. Whereas the p the public procurement profession plays a significant role in the efficiency and effectiveness of both government and business. And whereas the city of Myrtle Beach procurement division's mission is to bridge city goals with vendor resources to achieve the best value for our community and ensure that the spending of taxpayer dollars meets all legal and ethical requirements. And whereas the city of Myrtle Beach's procurement division issued 374 purchase orders totaling more than $15.3 million, issued 236 service agreements with a value of more than 74.3 million, and issued more than 51,000 items to staff, accounting for a daily average of 203 items during the 2025 fiscal year. And whereas the procurement division continues to advance our procurement practices to the highest level through collaborative relationships, efficient processes, and outstanding service. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the city of Myrtle Beach hereby recognizes March as National Procurement Month and honors the hard work and dedication of our staff. And be it further proclaimed that the city of Myrtle Beach designates Wednesday, March 11th, as procurement professionals day in the city of Myrtle Beach, signed and sealed this 10th day of March, 2026. And our procurement manager, an Sour, it's here to accept it.

There she is.

Mr. Mayor, esteemed council and city leadership. Thank you for this recognition and honor. The mission of the procurement division is to bridge city goals with vendor resources to achieve the best value for our entire community. We live this mission every day through our procurement values of accountability, leadership, integrity, service, and transparency. Our vision is to continually advance the value of our public procurement practice to the highest level. through collaborative relationships with our city staff and local vendors, through efficient processes to secure the needed goods and services, and through outstanding service to benefit our community. Procurement touches every facet of city life. We are the contracting force behind all that helps our city to grow and thrive. We do shelving upgrades for Chapen Memorial Library, renovations to our convention center, medical supplies for our fire department, new flooring and sighting for the historic Myrtle Beach Colored School Museum and Education Center, the outfall project on 24th Avenue in conjunction with our public works team, take-home vehicles for our police officers, and this is just a few with many more projects that are implemented behind behind the scenes, but translate to better services for our staff, our residents, and our visitors. Let me take a moment to introduce our team. We have Britney Osmond, Kirsten Miller, then the gentleman in the back, Chris Dirhammer, Brandon Hancock, Chris Hall, and Jeremy Roof. And I want to acknowledge Gina Hansel who we had to kind of leave back at the ranch to keep things going. To celebrate procurement month, we will

be visiting many city locations to share the word about how procurement can be of value to each location. And then on March 25th, we would like to invite everyone to our open house. It will be an opportunity to meet your buyers and warehouse staff, to come see what we do every day, and to have a time of fellowship with our city teammates. Again, we thank you for this proclamation, and we hope to see you on March 25th, and we look forward to serving our city in 2026.

Thank you, Ann. Thank you, Ann, and your team. And now we have a significant moment in the life of the city of Myrtle Beach. We're recognizing police chief Amy Pck for nearly 30 years of service to the city as she begins her retirement in a little more than a month, a little less than a month, I think. So,

can I please invite Amy's team to come down and support her? A proclamation for police chief Amy Pck. Whereas after nearly 30 years of service to the city of Myrtle Beach, Chief Amy Pck will retire from the Myrtle Beach Police Department April 2nd, 2026. And whereas Chief Pck joined the department in 1996 and in 2017 became the first woman to serve as chief of police in the department's history. And whereas throughout her career, Chief Pck served in numerous assignments across the department, including the waterfront, narcotics, and special operations, earned a degree in psychology from Francis Maran University, and graduated from the prestigious FBI National Academy. And whereas during her nine years as chief, she led significant advancements in public safety, including the creation of the real-time crime unit and the integration of technologies such as Shot Spotter and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. And whereas Chief Pck also strengthened partnerships between law enforcement and community organizations to address challenges such as opioid addiction, mental health, and homelessness. and her leadership was recognized statewide with the 2023 Stro Thurman Excellence in Law Enforcement Award for city departments. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council expresses its sincere appreciation to Chief Amy Pck for her nearly three decades of outstanding service and congratulates her on her retirement, wishing her continued success and happiness in the years ahead. Signed and sealed this 10th day of March, 2026.

I know you're surprised I'm going to say something. Serving the city of Myrtle Beach for nearly three decades has been the greatest honor of my professional life. This career has shaped me in ways few will fully understand. people behind me absolutely do. The most defining moments of my life, both personal and professional, have unfolded within these very walls and on these streets. This was never just a job for me and never will be. MBPD was a calling. It challenged me. It strengthened me. And it made me a better person. This city made me a better person. I believe wholeheartedly that God placed me on this path. He blessed me with the people who walked it with me. with each and every one of you. Those that are here who have gone before us. To my family that couldn't be here today, my blue family who also not is all here today. To the city, to our entire community who've helped raise me. Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to lead and to serve. I am deeply proud of what we have

accomplished together. I wish you and our exceptional team, this exceptional team, continued success and safety in the years ahead. I want you to know each and every one of you that I have complete faith in this city and I always have. I have complete faith in the men and women of the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Challenges remain and they always will, but lessons have been learned and we have learned from them. And there is a strength in this community, in the Myrtle Beach community unlike any other. I know that. I've experienced that. Five loaves, two fish, anything is possible. your police department. These men and women, they have a drive that will not quit. And even though you didn't ask, you knew you were going to hear this anyway.

I will say this without hesitation. Chris Smith is the person to lead it forward. While outside perspectives have value, there is something powerful about loyalty. growth from within and the grit that comes from shared history. He brings all of that along with camaraderie and focus that will not waver. I wish you each and every one of you. each and every one of you and all of those that are not here today and our beautiful community and all of our partners and our team the very best always. May God's blessings continue to shine on you. Thank you again for this wonderful life and this wonderful opportunity. Thank you so much. Yes, thank you. Chief Brock, on behalf of the Myrtle Beach City Council, our entire staff, the residents, the businesses, we thank you sincerely for your many years of service, nearly three decades, which is an unfathomable number. I believe you

know the city very well. We wish you best luck and enjoyment in retirement. We would ask that you keep us in your prayers and we'll keep you in ours. How's that? So, thank you again very much, Chief Pack. That really is a significant moment in the life of the city of Myrtle Beach. So, thank you again, Chief Proc, and your staff for being here today. Up next, we have the communications and creative services update. Hey, city council. Aaron Bowling here with your communications update.

3 2 1 Savannah's playground reopened on March 4th. I hope the inner child in each of you comes out to play today and every day.

After closing for a major renovation, kids can now enjoy all the new additions. It's safe to say that there were many smiling faces at the grand reopening. The Myrtle Beach Marathon and Half Marathon took place over the weekend. Thousands of runners competed in the event. Thanks to all of our city employees who helped make the race a success. The beach reourishment project continues to move along. Crews are working on the north end of Myrtle Beach heading towards Arcadian Shores. The annual Black History Month celebration took place at the Mary Seant Recreation Center. The event highlighted the original nine, a group of former historic Myrtle Beach Color School Museum and Education Center committee students who played a key role in preserving the building's history. The fire department's new Rescue 1 is now in use. This specialized vehicle replaces the former Rescue 1, which had been in service for 14 years. Looking ahead, Nights at Nance returns March 19th with Chocolate Chip and Company. The downtown spring concert series is back at Piler Park every Friday from 6:00 to 8:00. The OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic is looking for volunteers to work the PGA Golf Tournament May 4th through 10th. Sign up now for the America 250 Red, White, and Remember Parade. Applications are open for the Grand Strand's Most Patriotic Parade on May 23rd. And the Run to the Sun Car and Truck Show will take place at the old Myrtle Square Mall site March 19th through 21st. That's all for now. Have a great rest of your week.

Thank you very much. Non-aggenda items from the public. Madame Clerk, Don Emery.

Good morning. Good morning. Morning.

My name is Don Emory. I'm a resident of the city. Uh I am a retired former business owner and currently acting as a marketing marketing manager in the city. Uh, I am here today to proposed propose that we put together an imagination team and I've distributed those to you. I think everybody has one correct. Um, I'm a shoot from the hip guy, but I am going to read the first two paragraphs for clarity for the members in the audience that don't have these. Myrtle Beach is one of America's most recognized destinations. Yet, for too long, our narrative has been shaped by outside voices and seasonal limitations. The Imagination Team is a cross se sector task force designed to reclaim that narrative. activate our shoulder months and install iconic infrastructure that gives the world a reason to talk about our city and on our terms. This committee will unite marketing professionals, city staff, Myrtle Beach area chamber representatives, and the marketing department at Coastal Carolina University into a single purpose-driven body. Results will begin materializing in 2027 with full operational maturity within three years. And if any of you have ever had a business, it doesn't happen in year one. It takes time. Without setting lofty goals, you do not achieve great things. Pillar number one is owning the social narrative. Myrtle Beach is beat up by a lot of negative press. The solution isn't defense and explanation. It's volume and volume in positive marketing, positive attitude, and getting out there and drowning out the negative with that message. The best way to do that is to enlist CCU marketing department and the students at the college. They are the best at Snapchat, Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube, far more so than than myself or anybody in this room, I would believe, as well as Facebook. Flooding the feeds with positive authentic Myrtle Beach content. Students will gain portfolio grade experience

that the city gains year-round content engine um that will provide that positive image that we want to put forward and it'll be virtually no cost and part of their curriculum. Pillar number two is activate every month. Um this is more me shooting from the hip here, so I'm going to I'm going to have the conversation. Um Myrtle Beach's key focus and it's fantastic is on family tourism and sports tourism. that family tourism is a 10 to 12 week window of the year. We need to put a key focus on our shoulder months. We need to identify each month and what's special about each month. We need to extend our summer. We did a 60 60 more days of summer campaign that kind of fell by the wayside, but our September October are fantastic months to be here. In my opinion, they're the best months to be here. Let's put some focus back on those months and get that fall golf season back in. That's that's lagging. Let's identify months like May and redeveloped that as military appreciation month. Let's identify other opportunities like Conway has capitalized on Halloween. I think even even people in Myrtle Beach have traveled out to Conway to see the fantastic job they've done. And that didn't just happen year one. That happened in three years. That was a three-year build. And that's exactly what I'm talking about. Um one of my key events that I want to do is the thanksgiving week. We all remember bonfires back when we were in high school. Um big thing. Fantastic. Let's pick that one day a year, Thanksgiving Eve on a Wednesday, and we have an elite fire department. I think there's Well, there's a few of the guys back there, but we have an elite fire department. Let's build some nice big bonfires on the beach one day of the year. Kick off a Thanksgiving Day weekend celebration. Bring the people into town. Flood our restaurants on Thanksgiving Day. flood our stores for Black Friday, Black Saturday shopping and flood our theaters on Friday, Saturday night, Pirates Voyage, Medieval Times, etc. Carolina Opry. Um, let's work on the winter golf packages. Let's rejuvenate the fall, the

winter. Let's focus on our snowbirds. Let's focus on the Canadian markets. Um, our Canadian market has definitely dropped off quite a bit. Pillar number three, let's set forth and develop an iconic symbol that will represent Myrtle Beach and people will look forward to coming to see. In Shbboan, Wisconsin of all places, there stands a 400t flag pole, 70 by 140 ft. It's at Acuity Insurance up there. I'm not traveling to Shbboan to go see that poll, but man, I sure would like to see that flag. I think that's an iconic symbol. I propose we take that title. Let's go get it. Let's set out. Let's raise money privately. Let's identify a location. Let's build a flag pole 450 ft in the air that will be seen from Little River to Merles Inlet and will be seen from all over the place. That is something that will take pictures. That is something that will draw people to the beach. That is something that people will put on Facebook and social media, Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube, and it'll be fantastic.

Um, pillar number four, de develop an ambassador outreach program. Uh let's I I went to a couple golf expos uh this this past this past spring. We have presence there from Sands Ocean Club. We have presence there from Carolina uh golf. They represent their own individual organizations, but Myrtle Beach does not have a presence there at all. You have a beautiful website coming. I I mean that's just fantastic that the work that they're doing. Less sand ambassadors up there, people from the community uh that are that are good with people. They're they're charismatic leaders. um you know people like you know Beth Friedus from the Pelicans maybe or Mary Carmen Eisenberg from the chamber. Let's get our people out there and let's have conversations with people and talk to them about how fantastic Myrtle Beach is and let's do it with the video displays like you're seeing here today. Let's let's go out and get them especially up into Canada. Uh part two of that too is let's develop you know I I don't know where this starts but it starts by asking the question. If you never asked the question the answer is always no. Let's develop more direct flights to Myrtle Beach. Let's get direct flights from Canada. Let's get direct flights to Germany, England, Italy, so that European vacationers can come here. So the Canadian vacationers come here. And for residents of Myrtle Beach, I think a direct flight to those places would be fantastic for me as well. So anyhow, three-year build. I'm looking for two members of the city, members of the chamber, somebody from the marketing department, Coastal, and our our marketing professionals in Myrtle Beach to sit together one time, one time a month, possibly two times a month to get started, and let's identify what we can do to make things better. Any questions?

Thank you, Donnie. This is something we've talked about for the last couple of months. I know that you've been talking with Stuart Butler at the Riddle Beach Area Chamber.

Yeah, the Chamber of Commerce is very on board. And you know, then of course, uh, candidate Mark Krua and congratulations down Mayor Mark Kua and Councilman Hatley and I and I believe Councilman Chestnut, we we've talked about this as well, but um, you know, and you focused on a little bit too. Myrtle Beach is not fun anymore. You know, we are the Sun Fun city. Let's bring the fund back to Myrtle Beach and and by doing that, you know, let's stop relying on the third vendor, third party vendors to to promote, you know, they do CCMF, uh, you know, Mustang Week, which is gone now, you know, Shriners Week. We need to do our own independent stuff, too. We need to not be relying on people that can just pull the plug and take it somewhere else. Let's develop our own entity in our own projects. Thank you, Don. I would agree. We need to be intentional

to create the atmosphere that we want, that our visitors will enjoy, that our residents will enjoy, then that will support our business community. And those intentions need to exist. This is a good a good start for that. Thank you very much, Dr. I I wish you success on getting everybody together. Seriously. And it needs to happen. It really does need to happen. We used to have um travel shows through the chamber and the hospitality association like when I was back in my 20s. Yes. And we would go to different places 10 years ago, right?

Yeah. Exactly. And um I mean you got out there and you talked Myrtle Beach up and people got excited. They took your literature, which nobody prints much anymore, but you still have QR codes. you still have all this other stuff that we could utilize to get people in here. Again, having those one-on-one conversations in outbound markets and answering questions that people Yeah.

they can only get on social media and and half of that is wrong is is a key to success. And you're you're a former businesswoman, too. And you you know how important it is to go out and engage with people and get them here. Getting them in the door the first time, that's the key to everything. Getting them to Myrtle Beach for the first time, that's the key to everything, too. They're going to come back because Myrtle Beach is fun. and and you you have to get out there and you have to if they have questions, well, I heard this is what goes on down there. Well, let me correct you. That's not really what happened or that's we've corrected or or whatever we have to do to to play us up because we are still a great place to come visit.

Yeah. The truth of the matter is bad things happen everywhere, but when you are iconic, when you are Myrtle Beach and bad things happen, it is capitulated and much bigger than it is. I've lived here for 38 years and I have never in my life felt felt in danger in this town. You know, this is this is a fun place to live. This is where my my children, you know, are are being raised and and growing up and uh there's nowhere else I would rather live. But yes, we need to go out and and answer those questions and and diffuse those bombs as well. Thank you. Thank you for what you're doing. Thanks, D. We have an opportunity to reimagine Myrtle Beach to make the Myrtle Beach of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow as well.

Donnie, before I let you go, Dr. kind of where in the college fabric the social media component is what's exciting about this where would that reside in a in a college curriculum just off the top of your head I would say our marketing department the Wall College of Business um but I say business majors that are marketing

yeah I think that's a key element too and and again that's no cost I mean these kids will be excited to get real world experience in a town that they live in and a town that they they can go out and have fun in But imagine that and I don't know how many students are in that in in the wall department there but I mean it's pretty extensive and it also regenerates every year. So you get new youth and enthusiasm and then with new youth and enthusiasm comes new ideas. Thank you Donnie. Let's make it happen. All right. Thank you

Vicky Levy. Good morning. Good morning. Morning.

Thank you for having me. Uh my name is Vicky Levy and while I'm not a citizen of the city of Myrtle Beach, I'm proudly a Saka itite. Um I grew up in Myrtle Beach. This has been my home my whole life. And I have worked for the last 23 years on Broadway Street in downtown Myrtle Beach at State Farm. So, I have a Broadway view and a bird's eyee view of what I'm going to talk about. I want to talk a little bit today about the gold caps and the services and the benefits that those gold caps bring to the downtown area. I had someone not too long ago ask me where I thought Myrtle Beach's downtown was. And I think growing up downtown was kind of the boulevard. and we didn't spend a whole lot of time on Broadway Street as teenagers because nothing was happening there. Um, but as I grew to be an adult and work in the business world, I realized that downtown encompasses a whole lot more in Myrtle Beach than just the boulevard. And what I've come to see is the growth that's happened intentionally and organically off of the boulevard and how we're working very hard as business people in a community to bring locals back to downtown to patronize the new restaurants to go to the businesses to enjoy the entertainment and services that are growing down there. And one of the key elements I think that's happened is the implementation a few years ago of the gold cap service that's down there. For those of you behind me that might not know, those are the folks that wear gold shirts and gold hats and they patrol the areas and they clean up the trash. They pick up the streets. They tidy the landscape. They fill in a lot of the things where the city services can't get to or don't get to frequently enough based on need. Like they're there

to take every day, a couple times a day, they're emptying the trash. And on Broadway Street, that's a situation because we have a lot of folks that are down there, some folks live there, some there come and live on the benches and things like that. And so the other thing that I see the Gold Caps do is that they're ambassadors for the downtown area. They're friendly. They give directions. They have I have even seen so my office sits on the corner of Broadway and Fourth Avenue. I have a window that looks sideways to Broadway and looks all the way down Broadway to Highway 501. So I see a lot of what's going on every day on Broadway Street. I see them help folks with directions. I see them help folks with information. I've seen accidents happen on Broadway Street and the Gold Caps responded first and then helped until emergency services got there. Fire department, police department, things like that. So, I just wanted to kind of tout or brag on what they do for us. A byproduct of the work is that they fostered a renewed sense of pride in the areas downtown, including the boulevard. We can see over the last couple of years the business growth on Broadway Street alone, the freshening up of the facades of the building along with new businesses coming in and thriving in the downtown area. When some place feels safer because there are other folks out there and specifically these folks are wearing uniforms. So they appear to be a group. You know, when something feels safer, you feel more comfortable being there and being down there. And the whole goal of, I think, what we're doing with our downtown redevelopment from a business person standpoint. And speaking for State Farm, State Farm's been down there for 71 years. We've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of Broadway Street and

the downtown in Myrtle Beach. And we have always purported that there's a lot of goodwill on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Broadway Street. You don't have to look far to find us because we're proud to be part of what has happened in the past and what is currently happening. And I would dare say those gold caps are a very good ambassadorship for what is going on and the growth that's happening both on the boulevard and here. And it also gives a sense of continuity for the travelers that come here because when they see them on the regular, they know that those are folks that help represent Myrtle Beach and that they can go to them for help, for assistance, for directions, you know, anything like that in addition to the fact that, wow, it looks a whole lot better downtown in Myrtle Beach because of them. So, thanks so much. Any questions?

Thank you, Vicki. I will say that I've always considered Broadway Street the de facto Main Street for the city. Main Street is two blocks long. Broadway is more than two blocks long, but Broadway is where the the longtime businesses continue to exist. So, thank you very much. Good deal. Thank you for your time. Like a good neighbor.

Dana West. Dana West.

Good morning. Good morning.

So, I'm just coming up after someone that is on my same topic. Um, my name is Dana West and I'm the owner of Milano Kitchen and Bath and I am also going to be speaking about the Gold Caps. um something super important and I know we're trying to to build uh downtown and just the most beautiful place it can possibly be and that is why we actually relocated. So, we were at one point we were on Third Avenue South. And once we had the gist and the knowledge that um the Arts and Innovation District was was coming and getting built and things were changing, um it really was an opportunity to have a lot of foresight um and and investment um and move into downtown Myrtle Beach onto Broadway. So these gold caps are really, really, really important to me and to all state and to all of the other businesses that are currently there.

State Farm

or State Oh, sorry. Sorry. Um, State Farm is there. That's right. Okay. Um, anyway. Um, and potentially for all of the other amazing businesses that will potentially be moving there. Um, I'm I try and say that I'm a kind of a visionary and I envision that this is really going to be the best move that we could possibly have made, but the gold caps are going are an imperative imperative part. On a personal note, when I see them walking around town and they are uniformed, they're extremely helpful. And I'm not from Myrtle Beach. Uh, we relocated from Southern California. We were in Miami for many years with Milano and we brought Milano here to Myrtle Beach. So, I am continually, and I'm chatty Kathy, I'm continually asking questions and this and that, and they've been very very helpful in in giving me a lot of information, a lot of information on the Downtown Alliance, a lot of information on the art walk. Um, and they're they're really really good people that are there. Um, which make myself, my staff, and my clientele also feel much safer. Um there are a lot of unfortunately um people that do not have homes and that are around in the area and there's a lot of trash. A lot a lot. A lot. I can't tell you how much trash there is. And so not that my staff and I don't participate and help and try to keep things as as clean as possible because I do have my clientele coming into our showroom which is absolutely beautiful and all of you need to pop in and check it out if you ever need any remodeling. Anyway, but um you know, they're there to help and and keep us not just clean and trash and this and that, but also feel safe. Uh so, and I know there's a conversation potentially that maybe they won't be in existence too much longer. However, I'm certainly I'm hoping so so

much that we can keep them around for a while. I believe, you know, eventually eventually maybe, you know, we won't need to have them. we won't we may not need to have as many of them but at this point in time I think it's really imperative um that we need their help we need their their you know outfits around town to to help people to show people that we're really building this community into something really incredible and strong and we're working together to do so and unfortunately when you're you're a company and there's just a bunch of balagon that's a Hebrew word for you know a big mess around. It's hard to to entice clientele to come and walk into your showroom, you know. So, we try and keep everything beautiful around our surrounding area. Um, but it's all in that that whole community. It just it's just hard because it it just it deters many people. Um, we have hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people that are moving here. Our our biggest clientele are people that are moving from New York and New Jersey. They have extremely high expectations of of what they want and you know what's happening so far with um BCO amazing I mean next door is the wine tasting room amazing then there's the ice cream store amazing the uh wienas that relocated to that's amazing so there's all these great businesses that are there but in order for us to flourish and I obviously want to flourish and I want everyone else to flourish as well it's it's going to be a community effort where we really need to try and keep everything clean with all of the construction and everything that's going on. It's hard. It's very hard for us. It's hard for I don't have my loading dock. I You know what? It's okay. I'm working with it. I'm willing to do whatever I can to make it all work for all of us. But this I just want to implore. It's an imperative part of the growth of of, you know,

downtown Myrtle Beach. and to please please please try to keep to keep them uh on staff or on board to be helping us all and and to continue to flourish and grow. Thank you, Dana. Thank you very much. I believe the current cost for the Gold Cap ambassadors is $830,000 a year. So, thank you. Next. Thank you,

George Reynolds. Yes. Thank you, U mayor and council for letting me just share some of my concerns. Um uh seven years ago um my house burned down in New Hampshire and when your house burns down you become homeless. So somehow it was it wasn't our plan to come to Myrtle Beach from Derry, New Hampshire. But um that's where we ended up. The Lord has different plans sometimes. And um I had been involved in the bicycle community building frames, just doing repairs and stuff. I have a I'm a business owner and a resident in in Myrtle, you know, Myrtle Beach. I do bic bicycle repair. So, um, when I first got here, I met some people in my church and they were they had a ministry in J Rubin. So, you know, that was, uh, something I had done in in up in New Hampshire for for over 30 years. So, you know, I've been probably in prison more times than pretty much anybody, but it was as a volunteer. And it was very fruitful. I found that the the men there had a hunger for the word. It was just refreshing. So, um there was a wise men that said, "The more words, the less meaning." So, I'm going to try to get right to the point. Um riding my bicycle around Myrtle Beach over the last seven years, I probably go out there almost every day. I see a lot of things that you don't see when you're

driving your car. Some good, some bad, but I I do I have noticed it's better than it was like 5 years ago. Five years ago, I'd see more needles. I saw people in the fentinel fold, you know, more often than now. But, you know, I think the the the police and uh the fire department, they're doing an excellent job. But what I wanted to share was about homeless, ending homelessness in Myrtle Beach because this is our town and uh some of the things that other towns are doing seem to be very effective. But I I will point out, you know, new directions, our community kitchen, um Kate at the uh Fresh Brew, um you know, coffee house, um you know, some of the homeless services, the medical, the the mental health treatment, all that stuff. It's it it needs to be done. And um but um I had a chance in right before Thanksgiving to visit my son who lives in Austin, Texas. And I and I found this place called Community First Village. And what this what they've done, they've been operating for over 20 years. They're currently housing over 500 formerly chronically homeless people. And they have a small, it's a small shelter community. A lot of the homes, they don't have plumbing. They do have a a bathroom, shower facility, and k community kitchens. It's all based around community for for every five um residents. There's like a uh a volunteer who who's who just kind of brings brings things together. And um it's it's quite a um you know quite a uh a community and

uh I guess this year there expecting to have over a thousand people. So um that's one thing one community is doing just in um Wilmington u North Carolina. I I don't know is anybody familiar with Eden Village? U I I had a chance to visit there also. And uh there's 30 plus uh residents there. They're living in manufactured housing. They're small and um and that's all focused on community. And their big thing is, you know, imagine a city where nobody sleeps outside. When I ride my bike around and I see a um a piece of cardboard on the ground, I know somebody slept there last night. And um you know I I've had friends that that uh they went to the hospital right this this one case he went to Mloud and he came out they came they sent him away the next day in a wheelchair. They had a security guard take him to the uh Circle K gas station and said okay I need to take the the wheelchair back. the man couldn't walk. And um you know, we we can do better. And I'm sure you know um you know, there's other communities, too. Dignity Village up in Oregon, they they started a small community. They fenced it in and they it's it's self-governed and I think there's like 50 people there. So, you know, sometimes it requires a change in zoning. Maybe you make an an exception. Um, other cities will do uh safe parking areas. I I believe something was done years ago near the um community, what is it, the convention center across the street with I think it's the bounce

park. I think there was uh some space open for people to to park the vehicles for a short while. But I I I don't know. But um I'm sure we can do better. I'm going to come out. I'm going to provide some more information maybe in the in the future just what other cities are doing that God is blessed and that he's going to um you know, you know, that's what we could we we could we could do as a city if we if nothing's done. The same people that I saw seven years ago that are still on the street now, they need help. Some of them aren't aren't going to be able to get lift themselves off the street. Um, and I I just make another request that that maybe the council would consider supporting um the coffee house because they do a lot. She Miss Kate, she she has over a hundred people coming there, especially on the weekend when there's no uh there's no food being served in the community kitchen. But that's all I had. Thank you.

Thank you, George. You're right. There's a larger conversation underway and that will continue about how to provide services. the the groups that provide those assistance. Um, we're talking about that. We're thinking about that. It is definitely a conversation that the community is having. So, thank you for your input. And and if I could just add in July of 2025, so um there was an executive order our president and it was called what was what was the name of the um it said I'm just trying to see here. Yeah. Yeah. It was the an executive order. It says in the the title of it was ending crime and disorder on American streets. So Myrtle Beach is a lot better off than some of these bigger cities obviously, but we can do better. Thank

Thank you very much. Madam clerk, one more. Okay. Bo Brian.

Mr. Brian. Myrtle Beach is more famous than Dirty Myrtle. She, the Myrtle, who needs cleaning, keeps trying to break out. Determined not to be buried. To get more famous, she acts out, gets caught, but can no longer avoid consequences. Henceforth, prosperity is practically guaranteed. The big blue ocean will not dry up. The white sand beach will not disappear this year. The Sunf fun capital keeps the neon glowing. The colored lights make promises that the big blue ocean and white sand beach deliver on. Fun in the sun is easy to come by. No wonder the whole world is on its way to play at the beach. It's the most fun place to be yourself.

Thank you. Uh both just just a moment to thank you for being our first poet laurate. We really appreciate your effort and you're welcome. And your pontification is is welcome anytime. I pontificate readily. Thank you.

Thank you, Bo. And it is all opportunity. We have tremendous things ahead of us, but again, we need to be intentional about making them come into existence. So, thank you again. It's time for the consent agenda. That's it. That That's That's it.

All right. Okay, it is still morning. So, good morning. Um, for this morning's consent agenda, you have five items on your uh list to be considered. The first item is second reading of ordinance 202619 granting a franchise agreement for operations of rental business of conveyance to Ben Robinson doing business as Rentme Superstore located at 106 North Kings Highway for a period of one year. The agreement includes 30 golf cart decals and 10 moped decals. The second item for your consideration is second reading of ordinance number 2026-20 granting a franchise agreement for operation of rental businesses of conveyance to Ben Robinson doing business as rent superstore 300 LLC located at 300 South Ocean Boulevard for a period of one year. The agreement includes 114 golf cart decals and 83 moped decals. The next is second reading of ordinance 202621 grant a franchise agreement of operation of rental business of conveyance to Ben Robinson doing business as rent superstore 1205 LLC located at 1205 North Ocean Boulevard for a period of one year. The agreement includes 46 golf cart decals and 37 moped decals. Next item is motion 202637 to approve a memorandum of agreement between the city of Myrtle Beach Police Department and the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice to continue inter agency coordination and support related to secure detention facilities. This is uh compliance with state law for juveniles um who end up in the police department custody. And the next and the last one for your consideration is motion 202638 to approve in memorandum of agreement between the city of Myrtle Beach Police Department and South Carolina Highway Patrol for certain weekends beginning March 13th through August 31st, 2026 for weekend support of troopers.

Motion to approve. Is there a second? Debbie second. All well are there any comments from city council on the consent agenda as presented? Any comments from the public? All those in favor of the consent agenda as presented, please say I. I. I.

Any opposed? And the consent agenda is approved. Moving on to the regular agenda. We've got a couple of boardwalk vendor franchise agreements. Madame clerk. First reading of ordinance 2026-22 granting a boardwalk vendor franchise agreement for Charmati Abdel Kadar doing business as Myrtle Breeze for the 4th Avenue North portion of public boardwalk of the city of Myrtle Beach for a period up to one year beginning March 24th, 2026.

Thank you, Jen, mayor, members of council. Good morning. Um, ordinance 22 and 23 are related. These are both existing vendors that are operating boardwalk franchises. Uh, we are we are simply asking we have we have four boardwalk franchises um that have historically been allowed approved uh at 3rd, fourth, fifth, and 6th Avenue. The Fifth Avenue uh boardwalk franchise has been vacated for a period of time. Um we we continue to struggle to find vendors that that can can operate consistently under the constraints of the of the franchise. Uh we're recommending that we not fill the Fifth Avenue street end at this time and that we shift both Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue up to fill that Fifth Avenue gap. So we if both of these are passed, we would have the vendors that we have today would just shift around and we would have them at fourth, fifth, and sixth versus third, fourth, nobody at Fifth, and a a final one at Sixth Avenue. So again, both of both of these operators are in good standing, but they both uh are compliant and adherent to the to the to to the agreement and simply just shifting around some puzzle pieces.

May we take both of these together? Yes, you can. Would you read the second one, please? Yes. First reading of ordinance 2026-23 granting a boardwalk vendor franchise agreement to Haley Ricardi doing business as Ricard's Italian Ice for the Fifth Avenue North portion of the public boardwalk of the city of Myrtle Beach for a period up to one year beginning March 24th, 2026. Do we have a motion from councel to approve these two items? So moved. Second. Councilman Chestnut's second. Any discussion from councel? So are both of these franchises okay with the shift?

Yeah, they would actually prefer it. They they further up the closer they can get the better off. Good. Any discussion from the public? Are the franchises here? Do they wish to say anything? Not necessary. Say no. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Those two ordinances pass on first reading.

Jennifer. Motion 26-39. Motion 2026-39 to authorize the city manager to enter into a $162,200 contract with Stantech Consulting Services Incorporated to perform a market common area traffic and speed study. Is there a motion to approve? We talk about it. Let's get a motion on it. Okay. Is there a motion to approve so we can talk about it? So here Mike Chestnut, Dr. Render. Okay. Um Mr. City Manager.

Yeah, we've talked about this before. Uh we've had several workshops on this and this is um to just memorialize the the uh plan study u that we've talked about for $162,200. Um you've heard from staff several times um that this the data we don't believe supports this um but this is obviously a city council call and if you choose then we'll be happy to execute this contract and move forward with the study. This would study the entire market comment community including um possible um Sabbrook um development coming out. I will also share with the members of the public and council that the as we talked about the rumble strips or the bumpy strips as we've called are being put out today. We've actually have the first set down now um in in that and we um continue to use police uh the police are out there continuing to monitor traffic safety

and the bumpy strips into test areas and attention getting but not complaint generating. I'm not going to say complaint generating but that's the goal anyway. I understand the goal but I'm not sure there going to be complaint I do believe we'll have some complaints. Can you describe the scope of the traffic study? We have actually Stuart Day here from Stantech. If he wants to come up and explain to it, he's the one that would be if we execute this, he'd be the project manager and the project lead.

Good morning.

Good morning. Thank you for uh having me here. Glad always glad to be in Myrtle Beach. Um so I guess just to to walk through the the scope of the work that as we had talked about it, we were going to collect um turning movement counts at a number of intersections throughout the Market Commons area. Uh that's traffic data. So all the cars as they turn through the intersections as well as pedestrian bike counts. Uh those would be collected at 14 locations for the 4hour counts. Then we would also collect 24-hour data um at an additional 10 locations and that would also include what um is being called near miss data. So it would use AI to track paths as they interact within a certain time. So it kind of helps give an um additional level of safety concern that maybe is not reported in crash data. We would collect 7-day tube counts which would be volume classification of vehicles as well as speed data at 32 locations on 13 streets. Um we would apply any seasonal adjustment factors to compare off you know off peak season versus uh traditional beach season. Um we would factor in the trip generation from the nearby Sabbrook development to understand what what additional traffic may be coming. We would do signal warrant analyses at all of the 24-hour locations. Uh that would be those 10 locations we talked about. We would do crash data analysis um along the corridors to understand any crash history and any recommendations. We would do a field review and observations along the corridors. And then we generate a report uh summarizing our findings um any any opportunities for for changes and that type of thing. Uh working with public works. Then we have a second task uh if desired that we would come back and do similar a smaller data collection effort in the summer months to determine if summer counts are in fact different than you know the

school year counts as we would call it. Um and then in a memo comparing those two.

Stuart, what sort of recommendations would you be likely to make as a result of this study data? I understand that you can't project what those recommendations might be, but just to give us a a framework. Sure. So we would look at a holistic, you know, are speed limits in the area set appropriately? Would there be any other opportunities to to modify them based on MUTCD guidance, the manual and uniform traffic control devices? Um, we would look at potential um if if a traffic signal would be recommended at any location, if it'd be recommended to remove any crosswalks or to enhance any crosswalks with additional signage and and other safety counter measures. Um, so it would kind of be a holistic look to determine what what may be appropriate to change or modify

and that could include street modifications, bumpouts, whatever the case may be. It could be. Yes, council. Thank you. The concerns that I had, sorry about that. Um what you just mentioned it would be coming back in the summer

to take a really close look at uh does that set of data match or reflect what you've previously seen. Uh because that's been uh one of the complaints that we hear from residents and some businesses. uh a perception of speeding safety uh and then collecting the data when you need to collect it. Uh so I'm glad to hear that we'd be coming back in the summer months to do that. Um let me ask you this question though. This may get into your pocketbook or your company's pocketbook. Based on what you know right now, would you recommend that we do this study? I that's that's up to the council. I you know I would say that um I think the speed limits are probably appropriate based on the the road characteristics as I've driven them. Um I do think there may be opportunities to make other safety enhancements based on the locations of crosswalks and and the numbers of potential crossings. Without the data, it's hard for me to say with certainty, but uh you know, the data is the primary purpose of this uh study is is to have that full data set to understand it.

Thank you, Mayor. If I may, uh with regard though to my short stint on council this go round

this year. this year. I I would uh just say that uh from what I've seen though this body is data driven and to that end should we vote to engage your services um my future decisions will be heavily weighed on on that data. So you know your your group your group's reputation's on the line. So we we'll see how the vote goes. But again again I think during these times this expense is is we are all cautionary about moving in that direction but again uh nothing trumps public safety in this body's eye though we appreciate senior staff's recommendations also it's our job to weigh and move forward. Thank you. Last question. This is from Kings Highway to the Bellamy interchange. It's the entire length of Pharaoh plus all of Coventry. Um and then anticipating the increased traffic that may come from US7 into Coventry from the Sbrook development.

That's correct. There there it is a number of streets um not just Pharaoh Parkway and and Coventry. We're also considering Meyers, Howard, Johnson, Shine, Yorkshire, Birkshshire, Culverson, Pompus, Swallow, Malard Lakes and Spruce as well. Okay. So in the whole market commons area really

I think that based on staff recommendation my understanding staff recommendation is that we leave the speed limits the way they are and that we do some enhancements and I think from my perspective the only reason that we would engage in this type of study if there is a big push to start making changes to speed limit limits there against staff recommendations of which then we need to be informed with this data to make changes. So that's kind of my thought.

Anybody else? I mean, right,

mayor. I just like that. Um I I just still feel like um based on the last meetings presentation from staff as far as their recommendations, I think we ought to give them a chance to to um be tested, I guess you would say, for several months for before we go spend $162,000 to um maybe tell us what staff is telling us. That's my take. I think we're putting the cart before the horse even though I think there there are concern concerns and people want us to to do the uh traffic study. I'm just saying do we really need to do it right now until we give the um the changes or the the recommendations a chance to see if they would make improvements on how people drive out there. and and um whether it would slow down people or cause people to pay more attention and not have accidents. And so I I just think that we we need to look at that before we go to a fullblown traffic study. And not only that, I think there's been other traffic studies out there who um probably um we can look at those and glean some more information from those.

We have not had a traffic study to this depth. Not no not to my knowledge.

And I and I would have to um also agree with Mr. Chestnut on that. I think we're kind of putting the cart before the horse um to see the changes that we are making currently to see if they you know cure some of the ailments before we spend 162,000. My uh not reservation but uh my thought is this uh and I hear what we're talking about staff uh and they staff has done a lot of good work. What I don't want to have happen is for as an example for staff to tell us, okay, we we're going to do this and we'll have it done in 90 days and six months later it's not done. uh if we're going to start it, let's do it. Let's have a start date and you know let's have an end date and unless there is some major reason why it can't be completed in that uh period of time it needs to be completed so that we can then take that information and come back and evaluate that against what his company uh would be doing.

So what are you saying Bill? I'm not very simply um if we're going if we're going to go the way of the staff uh following their direction right now. Let's have a start date and an end date. Gotcha. So that we're not prolonged doing I don't want to be sitting here a year from now talking about another traffic study. When when could you start? And here comes Brian. When could you start? Questions. We could start um and get counts scheduled, but typically we would not want to count during spring break. So, we'd want to consider HDTC's spring break as well as Ory County Schools. So, we would look for a date in between to to do that data collection

because school traffic is heavy at various times during the day. Correct. And I guess Councilman Mccclure, um I I popped up. I did I think the question is is just some clarification. Um at at present we are already engaged with traffic enforcement. So we already have the enhanced enforcement. We will continue uh we will continue to staff that. Uh again I they keep trying to tag me with with the bumpy strips. I'm I'm going to give that to Oh, that's me. That's that's all me, but it came from the residents. The residents requested it. Well, I I just meant the moniker of Oh, the bumpy strips. Okay. Okay.

We'll let you own that one. Um but uh th those are going down today and those will be finished today. So I think from that standpoint we have started and finished that we will continue with the traffic enforcement until to your point uh we have more compliance and we will we will continue to address the the traffic enforcement numbers. Uh and I think those are the two those are the two recommendations that we're moving ahead with now. So those are already underway. Uh and and again the strips will be finished today and then the enforcement will will continue until we we struggle to to provide the the manh hours to do that.

And to your point uh more compliance uh we need to set a a time where where we say we either achieved it or we didn't do it. And so what you know that's what I'm looking for. How much how much time is it going are we going to use to evaluate whether we have more compliance or not? We will continue to provide you regular updates on the on the citation numbers uh and then you all can direct us to either either add additional um efforts or move forward with traffic study.

Mr. Turk, let me ask you if if if we I hear you, Mr. McLaren, and I I agree. Um, so can we say or or is it fair to say let's say in 6 months we get data back and and it says hey it hadn't got any better or it's gotten better. So if we see it's working I'm Bill is that what you're saying? Absolutely. We can give you six months we can give you four months. I guess my question is what's the criteria you're judging by? Why do you judge it by Yeah. I mean, the 85th percentile. Do we judge it by something else? What's What's the measurement?

That's what a traffic study would tell. Well, again, they're going to use 85th percentile as well, which is what we use. And there's always going to be, you know, cars that go faster and cars that go lower. And I just don't know if 10% over, 20% over, 15%, 17.5%. What's the 17 and a half? Yes. Yeah. I mean, what's the what's what's the what's that magic number? says, "Yes, that's it." One of the reasons I think staff recommended a comprehensive traffic study for all of the market common areas because there have been issues beyond this little stretch of Farah Parkway that we've talked about. I'll be honest with council. We recommended that we've had this conversation for a long time. Yes. And that's, you know, it's time or not time. I mean, that's that's kind of

I'm I'm all about not not spending money at the end of the day. Not spending money is a good thing. We've done a lot of we got all the data in the world. I think Stuart's going to use a lot of the data that frankly we've collected uh in his analysis. Um so,

but I again I think staff's recommendation for the comprehensive traffic study included Coventry where residents have complained about the speed limit on a four-lane divided highway. Um the traffic signal timing at the former back gate, the Bellamy interchange there um near Fred Nash Boulevard where the stacking lane coming off US17 is inadequate to handle the number of cars that want to turn onto Fred Nash and back into that shopping center. the timing of that light when HGTC lets out in the early afternoon and cars back up past Anderson Brothers Bank, past Agnes Lane to get through that back gate. So, it's more comprehensive than just

it is the speeding on Pharaoh Parkway. Yes. But if staff is willing to be receptive to our continued suggestions, we we may be able to delay this for the moment. We will be as receptive as we can. It's just a very eb and flow type of thing. I mean, push here, it goes up over here. One of those make one constituency happy, one constituency gets angry. May Mayor, my concern in closing, and this is all I'll say, and if if the body would like to wait, I'd be happy to withdraw my motion, but um I can see the enhanced uh enforcement

when I'm down there four or five times a week. My concern is the larger problem is u do we back off and as you say, push in here, let off here in another neighborhood. Um, we need to address the manpower issue with regard to enforcement throughout the city. And again, that is up to us to provide those instruments to senior staff to do. And that's a a conversation we need to have at some point. Next week we'll begin. Yes. Well, I'm I'm going withdraw my first because I really just put it on just for discussion. So,

well, my my second was in earnest. I believe we need a study, but in order to uh advance the ball for the greater good, I'll step back and listen to the other five members present. All right. So, we don't have a motion at the moment. Will we entertain a motion to continue this to a later time? Yes. Motion to continue. Motion to continue. Is there a second to continue? I'll second it. And Dr. Render, any other discussion from council? No.

Any discussion from the public? Good morning, Alex Fogle. I um have a property that abuts Coventry right near the um where the Sabbrook would be coming in and so I'm obviously I'd be concerned about the traffic and everything that would increase. But unlike many others in the city, I also own a property on 4th Avenue North, a property on 65th Avenue North, a property on 66th Avenue North, a property on Wildwood, a property on Blenn, and a property on Wedgewood. And so I I I see traffic all over the city. I see children standing on the shoulder of streets with no sidewalk, just inches from the roadway, waiting for the bus, school bus. I see people trying to cross King's Highway to get to the post office and they don't have the benefit of nice bright yellow signs and flashing lights to help them cross a four-lane highway. Same as on Coventry. I think most of you would recognize that the majority of the pedestrian traffic in the Market Common is either leisurely or recreational. These aren't people walking to work. There aren't people trying to get to the post office or to the pharmacy or to grocery shopping where in major parts of our city that is the only transportation people have is to walk and it's not being addressed anywhere else. Some of the best engineered and best maintained roads in this city are in the market common. So I would applaud your delaying this motion. um this is not the right time or the right place in the city to spend that kind of money. Thank you.

Thank you, Alex. And that speaks to my point that we need to have a consistent look and function throughout the city. The if the market comment is desirable, that look and that function should exist throughout the city as well. So, Mr. Day, thank you for your time today. Any other comments from the public? All those in favor of the motion to continue this item, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Thank you,

Madame Clerk. Motion 26-40.

Motion 2026-40 to name the stage in Nance Plaza the Philip James Fox stage. This is a motion that came forward from the community. I did not personally know, Mr. Fox. I don't know whether any of you did or or not, but there is a process by which residents and businesses can request things to be named. They completed that process. They filled out that application. The police department and the city staff have done their due diligence and um found glowing things about Mr. Fox. Um, is there a motion to approve this naming of the Nance Plaza stage, the Philip James Fox stage for discussion?

Motion to approve. Second. We have folks in the community who have brought this forward. Would you like to come say a few words? Who's the first and who's the second?

All right, Jackie. Second. Bill first. Thank you so much for for putting this on the agenda. Obviously, it's very emotional. Um, my name is Heather Lee Begley and I'm here uh on behalf of uh so many people who loved uh and were inspired and encouraged by Phil. uh we started an organization actually called Foxfest for the arts uh to carry on his legacy of the encouragement and inspiration and amplification of the arts and artists. And we actually will be having our inaugural music and arts festival in Nance Plaza on March 21st of this month. Um, the stage in Nance Plaza is the last place that Phil Fox played with his band. Uh, at last May at the First Friday Art Walk, he was on the ArtWalk Committee. Um, he was a prolific creator, staging seven plays in the city of Myrtle Beach. He released an EP, five albums, was working on a six album, did a short film, uh, a book. Uh, but none of those things really, uh, represent why Mr. Fox was so significant in the lives of so many people. It is that he was the embodiment of the spiritual gift of encouragement. He lived his life as an invitation to embrace your own uniqueness and bring it forth into the world, which is really what art is. And so, I know there's a couple other people. We're not all going to try and speak, but a couple other people have some words to say and and and thank you uh so much. He he was a fixture in downtown for more than 30 years. I met him 33 years ago at a little place

called Iby's uh where Sun City is today. But thank you so much. Thank you. Somebody else

like to thank council for considering this. Um the last time I saw Phil Fox was actually on the stage at Nance Plaza. He was sincerely a fixture downtown for the last 30 years. He was a poet and a painter and he was a musician and most importantly a mentor. I think if you look behind me, you can see the amount of people that showed up today. And that age range speaks to what he did as a mentor. There's not hardly a musician or a band or artist in town that he did not affect in some way. He never sought the limelight. Um, and I think that's that speaks to his character as well. So, I would like to thank you guys for considering this. Thank you.

Thank you, Keith. Councilman Wallace, you're here. Go ahead.

Yeah, I would definitely have to agree. Phil Fox was definitely certainly a light to this community. I didn't get to meet him, you know, as much as I would have liked, but he was definitely one that encouraged me to keep on with my gift. He was definitely an encourager, you know. So when I um the last time I spoke to him was actually at one of the art galleries downtown um Kaleidoscope and I remember I shook his hand and you know I I told him I said I hope to see you sometime soon you know didn't even realize that that was going to be the last time I spoke to him. So, but um I definitely thank you guys for definitely considering going through with this cuz I definitely feel somebody,

you know, that had a positive impact, you know, on the Myrtle Beach community definitely deserves the love and the light and I think Phil Fox did that for as long as he lives. So, thank you guys for Thank you.

You know, uh I know Fox pretty well and uh you know, he wore a lot of different hats. He was an author, a poet, a playwright, a director, a singer, a songwriter, a musician, entertainer, an artist. And if anybody that ever watched him walk into a venue, he had a real flare about him or wore that minstrel outfit that he was always wearing, that green thing. Um, and but his most important role, they've already talked about, he was a mentor to a lot of young people. Uh, and he brought out the uniqueness that they had. You heard that over and over again. And that was never more on display than probably today, but at his funeral because there were a age range of people there. Uh Bo Bryan, the poet laurette spoke, you know, I was there. So you had people in our age range, but you had people all the way down to 15, 16 year old kids who he had mentored. And you could see the clear impact that he had had on their life. And so I can't think of anybody who had an impact on our arts and uh entertainment community downtown uh that was as large as Phil Fox, nor for as long as Phil Fox. And so I really do appreciate that y'all are considering doing this because he really does deserve this honor more so than I can think of anyone else that that that would qualify. So thank you.

Thank you all. Council, any other comments from the public? I just want to say thank you for considering this and that I too grew up with Phil Fox. Um he is the epitome of an arts and entertainment district and he's inspired me and just about everybody I know. He's an icon. Martina. All those in favor of motion to name the stage in Nance Plaza the Philip James Fox stage, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? Thank you very much.

I see that you all brought Kelly with you. I thought maybe she was going to have to have some kind of zoning thing happen. Good to see you, Kelly. Thank you so very much. Thank you. We hope to see you in Nance Plaza on March 21st. Thank you, Heather. Thanks, everyone. Thank you very much. You know, the more things change, the more things stay the same. I look over here and I can't help but think that Randall and Susan look a lot like Mike and Phil. That's a compliment. When When's your eye doctor's appointment? Yeah, we do have a resolution that we haven't tackled. Do resolutions come after motions or vice versa?

Actually, resolutions come before motions. Yeah, before. So, I I I will catch it. I I I knew that it was there, but I couldn't remember. All right. Motion, Jennifer. No. 26-41.

Motion 2026-41. authorizing the city manager or his designate to apply for and accept if awarded SC American Revolution monthly grant for $15,000 from the SC American Revolution Cester Centennial Commission for the purpose of purchasing 250 SC 250 flag kits and historical field signage for Warbird Memorial Parks field of honor and to record the appropriation ation of such grant funds in the amount that may be approved and to execute and deliver the grant agreement and such related documents as may be required to put that grant into effect. The cost share of this project is $40,000.

Thank you. Is there a motion to approve? Move. Second. Mike and Debbie. Is this 250 more flags? Correct. Okay. So 500 correct total if if we're successful. Okay. Any discussion from council? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of motion 26-41, please say I. I. I. Any opposed?

Thank you. That motion is approved. Motion 26-42. Motion 2026-42 to declare certain vehicles abandoned or derelictked pursuant to the authority of article 41 of title 56 South County code of laws 2001. Are there any members of the public representing these vehicles in the audience today? Is there a motion to approve? Motion and Debbie. Any comments from councel? Any comments from the public? All those in favor of this motion to declare vehicles abandoned or derelictked, please say I. I.

Any opposed? Thank you. Now picking up resolution 26-5, which was moved from the consent agenda. Jennifer, resolution 2026-5 appointing an alternate committee member to the Grand Strand Area Transportation Study Policy Committee for the City of Myrtle Beach. Mayor, I would like to amend this resolution to appointing a committee member and an alternative alternate committee member. What's the need for an alternate? Just in your mind

in the event that one of the two appointees cannot attend, the alternate attends in in place. Maybe I misunderstood. We're voting to appoint an alternate and a committee member and a Mr. Chestnut has served for eight years. Yeah. And Miss Hatley has expressed a desire to serve. And so we're going to recommend I will recommend that Miss Hatley be the other member to the mayor Chestnut. Now I understand. And that Mr. Chestnut be and I second a motion. So now we can talk about it. Okay. Thank you.

Any other comments? Um, mayor, I'd just like to say um to Miss Hatley um and and to you also I've had the pleasure of serving for the past several years. So, learned a lot of information um from GSATS and it it is a good body to be a part of and there's a lot of things that they do in our city that a lot of people don't realize and um it's just a great committee to be a part of. Thank you. Gats is the Grandstand Area Transportation Study. Correct. And it's a DOT le group, I think.

Yeah. Any comments from the public? All those in favor of that motion to appoint Councilwoman Hatley as the second member of the Gats Policy Committee and Councilman Chestnut as the alternate for either the mayor or Councilwoman Hatley. Please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. That motion carries. I think that's the agenda. Are there any communications from boards, commissions, members? Any communications from council and the manager?

Just a reminder, we're still looking for a coast RTA appointment. That's a hard board for us to fill for some reason. So, just trying to keep it out there. No resumes? No. Okay. And then towards the end of next week, the 19th and the 20th, we'll be back in this room for budget retreat beginning at 9:00 a.m. Correct. And mayor, when will we get our next update on the South Carolina legislaturator's budget progress this year? 2.0 of the House budget should come out the end of the month. We'll touch base with Scott Tally and and see um

we'll get an update. They are working in Colombia. Great. I did have one quick question. Um I know in the past it probably it's been several years ago with our boards and commissions. Don't we have an attendance policy or did we ever put anything in place? We have an attendance policy. There is an attendance policy. Yeah. Okay. So if we have an issue on one of our boards, we need to be bringing it up, right? Okay. Uh we do happen to have a little bit of a problem on the beach advisory board with that with attendance.

Yeah, it was brought to my attention yesterday talking to someone. So and mayor, to that end, do we have any I think we in the past have actually retired a border committee before. I don't know due to inactivity or lack of efficacy of performance. Do we have policy and procedure to do that should that rear its head? I think council can do that with two readings. The boards and committees that aren't the state approved boards and committees exist in our city code and council can choose to deactivate a board or committee. Not one of the state ones, but one of the local ones. Yeah.

Yeah. We did we we cleaned it we did a code cleanup about a year ago and it was about three years ago. We disbanded about five that were inactive. So based on Miss Hatley's comment, it sounds as if we need to encourage the chairs of our boards and commissions to submit any um concerns they have of absentee members for us to make changes. I I think they're having a problem getting a quorum at times. to the point that u I'd like to have a conversation with you outside of this because I sit on that I serve as the staff leazison for that committee and there is one member who's had some medical issues recently.

Okay. Um well something else was brought up also to expand the board. I had heard that by two people. So I don't know we needs to be a discussion I guess with that's that one's new. Okay. But happy to talk to you outside. Okay. Would staff like to bring back a recommendation to look at the boards and committees and see if there are any that can be possibly amended? Yeah, we would. We would. Let's let's take a look at and I think there might be some opportunity. Okay. Thank you.

Anybody else? Mayor, the only other thing I wanted to add before we leave um um I just got to say um again to the chief, thank you for your many years of service to the city and um also I want to say on behalf of I think I can say this on behalf of the BDW community because I know that there's been a lot of meetings over the past several years when there were challenging times in the community and I could look up and always see the chief there even before she was chief. Uh which speaks to her her dedication and um just concerned for the community. So I just want to say to her, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. God bless you. Great. Thank you, Mike. Anybody else? All right. All right, we do have a motion for three executive session items.

Bear with me while I read through this. Motion to go into executive session to discuss proposed contractual arrangements with Capefir Development and Griffin Swinton concerning development of city-owned property in the Arts and Innovation District and to discuss the location and provision of services encouraging expansion of industry or business in the arts and innovation district. and to invite for that discussion Mike Brown, Aubrey Parsley, Corin Crawford, Jim Huard, Matt Britain, Devin Parks, Anne Sour, and Patrick Lloyd. Second motion to go into executive session to discuss proposed contractual arrangements with IRum Consulting Group concerning development of city.

I hate to interrupt you. Probably should have invited Meredith as well. Is that right? I I I will get to the the other invitees here in a moment. Okay. So, I'm not done.

Motion to go into executive session to discuss proposed contractual arrangements with interim consulting group concerning development of city-owned property in the arts and innovation district and to discuss the location and provision of services encouraging expansion of industry or business in the arts and innovation district. And for that executive session topic, we would invite Steve Smith, Lan Fields, David Wingerson, Brandon Boen, Eric Lucas, Devin Parks, Anne Sour, and Patrick Lloyd. And then a third motion to go into executive session for legal advice relating to Rain Maker Holdings. And in addition to those for the specific sessions, we would also invite Fox Simons, Will Brian, Brian Tucker, Josh Buger, Michelle Shumpert, Mara Bell, Meredith Daener, and Amy New Schaffer for those. Is there a motion to go into executive session for those three items?

So moved. Second. Have a motion. We will hold that in this room. Yes. Due to the volume of people. Motion and a second. Any comments from councel? Can we take two minutes? Any comments from the public? All those in favor of the motions as presented, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. We'll go into executive session. We'll give ourselves about a fivem minute break while you clear the room. How's that?