City Council - Regular Meeting

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down. Good morning. Welcome to our May 12th city council workshop and meeting. Glad you're here today. I believe we're going to start things off with an executive session this morning. We have a couple of workshop items. We will come back and do those in in good order. So stay with us for that. We'll excuse ourselves to the room back here. We do have one item for executive session. a motion to go into executive session to discuss to discuss an employment matter involving the police chief. Does anyone wish to add something to that motion? Not at this point. Um, so we would invite Fox Simons, Will Brian, Brian Tucker, Josh Buger, Michelle Shumpert, Mara Bell, Meredith Daener, Amy New

Schaffefer, and Ron Walsh into that executive session. And so I'll make the motion to go into executive session to discuss employment. Mike Lauder seconded it. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. We'll be right back. Thanks for doing it.

Thank you for your patience. City council met in executive session, took no action. Is there a motion to come out of executive session? Debbie and Mike. All those in favor of exiting executive session, please say I.

I. Any opposed? Thank you. And we return to the workshop agenda at this point. First up, Ory County Council on Aging, Dela Gore and Amy Flores. Are we here today? Come, come forward, please. Mayor, I asked the council leadership to come at the request of several constituents who were most interested in what services are available, how they are provided, and how to access them. That's where this request generated. Morning. Good morning. Morning.

Um Amy, first I'd like for her to distribute our little sheet, little cheat sheet we made for you to tell us about our services. But my name is Elaine Gore. I'm executive director for Ory County Council on Agent. Um we've been in existence for 51 years. We had our 50th anniversary last year. Um our primary goal is to fulfill our mission statement to provide services, goods, and programs for seniors to be able to stay at home as long as possible. So we don't want them to have to go into institutions. Um, living at home is much better for all of us. Um, we have 10 senior centers throughout Ory County. We also do approximately between four and 600 home delivered meal clients a week. We have homemaker services and we also do medical transportation. Um, we have no charge for our services with the exception of medical transportation. If you're lucky enough to get approved through the COG or walk area agency on agent, um there's no charge, but we do offer a service $15 one-way um transportation to the doctor, so it's very reasonable. Um we are a private nonprofit 501c3 charitable organization. We are not a part of the county. We're not a county department. We are private nonprofit. We do receive point4 mills of county millage money with three appointees on our board of director. So, um we are a charity and we're very proud of our agency. We do good things for seniors. We have a beautiful senior center here in Myrtle Beach on 21st Avenue. Um I think we built it in 1990

if I'm not mistaken. of the 51 years that our agency has been in business, I've been with the agency 40 of those 51 years. So, congratulations. I have all the history. Um, any questions?

It's a lot. Our agency does a lot of good for a lot of seniors. And to access our services is a matter of a phone call. You can stop by any of our senior centers. We have a website. We also have brochures. were easy accessed. Um if you want meals, you would call um a hotline and be deemed eligible, but if you're not eligible, you can still come. We have activities. We have all kind of things for seniors. Um Mr. Maurice Jones and Desiree McCrae, they're here in our Myrtle Beach Center. Um they're busy all day, five days a week, 8 to 3. The other centers are full-time also throughout Ory County.

Thank you, Elaine. Thank you, Amy. I've been in the Grand Strand Senior Center on 21st Avenue 70 North several times, many times. Haven't stopped to play cards, but now that I'm approaching that age, maybe I will. Well, I I've stayed with our agency because I love the fact that um our agency is based on need, not finances. um you can be the richest person in the world and have Alzheimer's and there's a lot of need. Um so anyway, I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. You said 8 to 3 or 8 to 2?

Well, we kind of start closing down at 2 o'clock because our staff works until 3, but um we've had overhour activities, too. We've had volunteers to come in and have activities after hours at all of our centers. We have a beautiful center at Carolina Forest. Busy. All of our centers are busy. Thank you for this as you call it the cheat sheet. Thank you. The information.

Let me ask you this one question. Um, if we as a body uh could do something to help promote all of this, what would you ask us to do? Or would you like to consider it and come back to us? Either way.

No, I I could answer that question off the top. Um, we love our Myrtle Beach Senior Center. It's 25,000 square feet. It's a large building and um it is very expensive to operate for a charitable organization, but we've maintained it for many, many years. So, um if you would like to co-sponsor a program there or do something that everybody could, you know, utilize together, I mean, things like that in Myrtle Beach would just be wonderful. or you could sponsor some of your home delivered meal clients here in Myrtle Beach. We have a route. Those meals come from Conway. They're not distributed from our senior center. We have a central location that we deliver meals from. But we have so many things in our agency that you could do. But speaking of Myrtle Beach, that center is one of our biggest expenses. But we we're gonna keep it and we're gonna keep it going one way or the other. We do a lot of fundraising.

Okay. Thank you. Amy Amy's our community liaison and if you need anything from our agency, if you contact her, she'll be glad to help you or me. And I thank you for having us. We I was here 27 years ago, I think, when we first. And um I'm a Myrtle Beach person. My husband was optometrist here from 63 to 2013. Yeah. Until he died. Yeah. He used to He went to high school with my mother. He was larger than life. Yeah. What can I say? Thank y'all so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.

So, it sounds as though we could program some activities that would occur at the senior center or share some events with them at the end of the day. That's great. Great. Thank you. Up next, the Ocean Forest Hotel and Ruben Ruben Heyman part of the family here. Which part? Closer than the first cousin. How's that? Okay. Good morning.

Good morning. I watched a workshop a couple workshops ago where the comments were made about the ocean forest and there were some things said that were not totally true. But I'm not going to be uh too too uh hard on that. But for for starters, June 10th will be three years that I started this presentation. I have not been able to to get out of the workshop. I thought everything was going very well after the very first presentation. This is what we're talking about. This is the ocean forest. I've heard all kinds of comments from different people about the ocean forest and most of them have been positive, but there have been some some negative thoughts about it. And two that stand out to me are it's just a hotel. I didn't particular uh appreciate that, but that came from a person who wasn't raised here. The other comment was that the city took a lot of heat for a number of years as being responsible for the ocean forest being destroyed. And the reason why was it was under private ownership and they couldn't do anything about it. Well, in the course of the time that me being involved with this project, I ran across Ben Burrus and I don't know if any of you know him, but he's connected with coast of Coastal Carolina and he's also the chairman of the Ory County uh historic uh committee. He had a he had an invitation to visit with John Generette. I know some of you

probably don't know John Genner. Some of you do. John Genner was our house representative for a number of years during the late part of the 60s and early part of the 70s. Anyway, he went to visit him and he saw a picture of the ocean forest on the wall. They got into a conversation about about that. And I had for a long time along with many of my friends have defended the city not being responsible for the ocean forest being torn down. In that conversation, John Jenner said that was not true. He said that when he heard about it, he went to Tip O'Neal, who was in the house also at the time, and said, "Is there a federal grant of any kind that we can save this hotel because of its historic importance to the city of Myrtle Beach?" Chip said, "Let me look into it." He came back to him and told me, "Yes, there is." Says, "There's only one thing you have to do. You have to have a government office in that building. So John went to the mayor at the time. I'm not going to name any names. Anybody can look it up when they want to do it. But this was before it was torn down in 74. Went to him and told him that we could save this building with a federal grant. They would buy it, but you have to have a government building in there. And he and and the mayor asked him, he said, "Well, is it need to be federal?" And he said, "No, don't have to be federal. It can be it can be state or it can be either uh local Myrtle Beach uh government office. And so the mayor's response to that was, I don't see how anybody's going to drive uh that far to go to to the to the to the department of licensing DUI

at that time. And so that was kind of frustrating to John. So John dropped it. So in actuality the city had a chance to save it. So some of the criticism it took for for it being was not was well it was feedback from from that time. So I came up with the idea after coming back and and riding my bicycle in my in that area for a long period of time going by the roundabout and kind of visualizing seeing the ocean forest sitting there and I thought about why not in the roundabout. You can see the excuse me back to the roundabout please. But you can see in front of the Ocean Forest Hotel, you can see the roundabout that sits right in front of it. It was the main entrance that went into that. The reason why I'm bringing that up is because that became an issue at one time that was brought up by the uh culture committee when I was told to go before them. And so Derek Wining and I got together and we looked at many avenues as far as what the materials to be used and the cost of it. And what came out of this after looking at the cost of granite and wood and block and other types of uh marble other kind of costs the cost that came out the lowest and the lowest maintenance was illuminated glass. This is a double-sided. Please forward to the uh presentation of the there.

which were a little closer, but you can see that was the image and and we tried to make it look so as much as possible to look like the Ocean Forest Hotel, which I think think we did a good job in doing that. And so I presented that initially, like I said, three years ago, and it was unanimous, and I'm sure some of you were on the council at the time, it was unanimous that we go forward with this. And so it was sent over to the to the city staff. And I thought things were going well. I happened to be out of town when when I when Derek emailed and said that he was they had called him and wanted him to do some uh some more detail work so they could get a uh and I think Brian can can back this up that uh of uh what the cost factor would be as far as the uh the monument and memorial. The only problem with that was till I got back, I didn't know how it broke down as far as the estimates. And Derek basically did the landscaping on his design of what he thought the landscaping should be, which he did not consult with me about it, but I I found that the found that that that was unnecessary and it was almost overund almost $100,000 just landscaping part. And so my initial thing was that the landscaping really doesn't have to be changed that much because the two palm trees where the building was going to be located or the monument was going to be located where in the back part of the roundabout as you go down Calhoun it would be on the back part and the rest of it was on the sidelines and then there would be a little bit of uh some sidewalk type going to the monument and

of course and Again, going back with different conversations with different people, there was a fact that was brought up about safety and uh and this basically came out of the uh city staff. Well, I went and and uh called the SE DOT and then also I called the police department and I said I like the Freedom of Information Act. I'd like to get a report on accidents or any personal injuries at this roundabout area. Both of them came out with the same report which went they went back to 200 2015 to to current date and they showed two fender benders basically on the back part of the Porsche Avenue. That's it. two fender vendors, but no personal injuries at all in that period of time. And there's a lot of people, and I know one of the council people happens to be uh go goes by that area also. And there's a lot of people that walk, run, walk their dogs and bicycle, people going to the beach. And it's amazing to me there's never been a personal injury because why does it amaze me? Because all there is there at that roundabout are yield signs. Nothing else. What we could do is put stop signs there and then a little smaller sign saying pedestrian crossing. What other things can we do there? Well, we we have parking already allowing on Calhouns. It is of course with a decal, but we could easily curb with a sidewalk from Springs Avenue if you know the location up to the roundabout and then have parallel parking there which is the widest road on the east side of Highway 17.

Hornet already has a sidewalk. So they already had something to go there. Other things that were brought up was a crosswalk. I even met with an engineer from the city about crosswalks and the only two places it could be done and I'm not opposed to it if that's if the city uh and the council seems to think that's necessary. I think with the signage and and and sidewalks and stuff I think that reduces uh any safety which I think basically has been brought up more as subjective than than objective. And so I uh I met with him and he the two places were to come off part of Pornet and Calhoun to to the roundabout and then the back part of the of the roundabout off of Porsche because they have a sidewalk that ends there and and you could easily put across there. There was also something was brought up to me that I'm considering or like for the city to consider and if they think that it's necessary and that was brought up by someone I again I won't name the name but they thought maybe we need to put a fence around the roundabout for safety reasons for the kids who come with the families that could possibly run out into the streets. It's not a not something that's that's impossible that couldn't happen, but it could happen. But we're going to look at different kind of I like to look at different kind of considerations as to why. Now, before we went into this and after all the what I've just said, I found out that the roundabout was not in the city that that it needed to be brought into the city.

It's in the city, but we don't own the roundabout. Is that what you're saying? This it's inside the city limits, but it's not city property. always in the city limits property but we don't have that particular section that belongs to SE dot and let me interrupt you for a second Ruben I'm getting looks about the five minute limit you're on the agenda I don't believe the five minute limit applies because he's on the agenda 20 minutes we've got we got we've got a little time so but pick up the pace a little bit well I'm trying I'm trying to I'm trying to gentlemen that's reason why I wanted to be on the agenda because I knew about your five minute rule

and I'm not trying to bore anyone but I'm having to go over what has transpired over three years. And I do appreciate your patience if anybody is getting bored about this. I'm trying not to make it boring. I'm trying to make it informative so that you can get a better idea of what has happened over the last few years. I'm not the one who extended this. After I made that presentation, I wanted the next that that same year for it to be to be built. That's what I was basing this all on. I didn't I didn't slow this process down. So when I found out about that, I took it on my own initiative to contact the lawyer from from the SCOT to get me in contact with someone and I told her about what was happening and and she got her engineer out of Florence, get in touch with our engineer and they said, "Yes, we'll we'll turn the uh the property over to uh to the city." They just take up the maintenance of the Calhoun Porsche portion of Calhoun there and the Porsche of Poinset and that little small section of of uh point set Porsche and um and of course that's a very limited amount. It shouldn't be and I don't remember seeing too much maintenance being going on there. In fact, that CO road is the original road that went into the ocean forest. So I um Brian Tucker got got the information and was getting ready to make not the reason for this extended conversation. You fellas I mean guys fellas and girls is that's what has happened. So please bear with bear bear with me. So Brian was getting ready to make the presentation about to to the city council about bringing it it into the city and he had gotten all the

information about it and he was just getting for for the approval of the city council at that time. But before he could even do that, the last mayor made a statement said, "Well, I think we should let Ruben go before the cultural committee before we go any further." So I went before the culture committee know and when Nick was a chairman there everything seems to be real good. I informed them about everything. There seemed to be no problems. They love the design blah blah blah. Then all of a sudden a gentleman named John is it crutch or kravit I can't I don't know which one it is became the chairman. And then all of a sudden the safety issue was brought up once I just went over with you. And from that point on, Ruben Hman wasn't allowed to be on the agenda for the cultural committee. Ruben Hamman had to go go there under the pretense of three minutes and and and be cut off from any things that I did. and I responded to the crosswalk which was coming out of the CO committee with a design showing it and I wasn't allowed to to be on the agenda and then finally the vote came down about the location. I tried to get on the agenda for that. I wasn't allowed on the agenda for that. I had to be under the three minute discipline that they have there. And I saw how it worked. He controlled what the constial committee did. He basically bullied these people into believing that the true location for for the ra for the uh for the monument at least out of all of this by the way we have come to cons come to the conclusion that yes a monument should be done.

What happened then? They wanted to put it on the cabana side of the of the boulevard where the open space is where the five condos run it. Well, of course, I didn't I didn't appro approve that or felt that was the right place and I still don't. So, I waited a week or two and I said, "Well, I'm going to go I'm going to get in touch with the with the people at HOA for the condo there. Her name is Glenda Thompson. You can verify everything I've been saying. By the way, she was the she's the president of the HOA there. I told her what was going on and she told me, "You can tell the city." I said, "Well, I imagine they going to get in touch with you." But she said, "You can tell the city they ain't going. It's not going to be at that clear space on the Cabana section because we will not approve that." In fact, we think I think she said, "I think like you, I the only real place for the location wise is at the roundabout." And she brought up to me when I did not know at the time that she had or I say she, the HOA and the condo, they have been doing the maintenance and keeping up the landscaping at the round all these years. and she told me he said if you get the ocean forest there as a thing we will continue to do that. So that's something maintenance wise that the city don't wouldn't have to do as far as the landscaping because the HOA said they will continue to do so. Now let's talk about cost. We can't really I can't really give you a a cost like I couldn't in the very first presentation. We gave a we thought a a price that we thought might be in the range and

somewhere around $250,000. It could be less. It could be could be could be more. Um I've heard comments, well let's lower the size of the the uh of the of the monument. Well, the monument presently is as presented is only 15 and a half ft high on a two-foot foundation. I think you will lose some of the significance about that uh monument by lowering it. And I don't think that's going to affect the price that much by doing so. Um, I know I was called at the at the uh workshop that I talked about it a few workshops ago that I was the tip of the spear and uh and and presently I'm trying to sharpen my my tip. I'm trying to sharpen my tip because apparently it has been kind of blunt lately. But um as far as cost, the reason why I still want the city to do it, and I've been told by many people, Ruben, why aren't you moving to the state? Because you you've already gotten verbal from Ben Ben Burrus that the two house the House and the Senate representative of our area are all for it and they would push it as much as they could to the state if they have to. I said, "No, because I want to do it because it's I think Myrtle Beach because of the incident with John Jenner U and the fact that it was here in Myrtle Beach. There was not even a Myrtle Beach when it was built. It was called New Town. It also in the first few years with many New York articles on paper has been called been

called the the the the best resort hotel on the Atlantic coast. I I think we all know that it was the million million-dollar hotel. It was basically halfway between New York and Miami. It was the the landmark for a hundred years. We're coming up on a hundred years anniversary for that as well. I appreciate that. We we have a few minutes here left. You're if I may summarize. I didn't I didn't I didn't want to have to go through all this again. I understand. If I may summarize,

but I want I want to make sure that we all get an understanding or update understanding especially for the the uh the two um council members that were not here in the initial presentation and a lot has transpired Mark from from that particular date to this date and it cannot be done in just a couple minutes because it took three years for it to get this to this position. I understand

and I want I want to get it off of the workshop and get it a consensus from the city council to vote on going forward with this so we can go for the regular meeting and and we can get going. But let me cover the cost part. I personally think Myrtle Beach should because of its history there would not even be tourism as we know it if it wasn't for the ocean forest. It was it was one of the main reasons for people coming here in Myrtle Beach because at that time Myrtle Beach was basically an agricultural pine tarpentine area. There was only a few little houses there and and then later on it became Myrtle Beach and it brought tourism here.

Sure.

Because it drew people from politicians to to uh musicians to bands to significant people in the United States. What we need to do is this council needs to revisit the approval for it. This is a different council. I don't know that it ever ever was included in a budget. So, we need to approve the concept. We need to get a cost estimate. We need to put it in a budget at some point which is um somewhat protracted. It could happen tomorrow which is not likely. It could happen in a year from now, which is a more reasonable time frame in terms of actually getting to a construction point. But there are several steps before we can get to a construction point. We need a cost estimate. We need, you know, the I know Derek has been working on this. Is Derek here today? I don't see Derek. I know Derrick's been working on this. We can we can take it to a cost estimate point. That's information that we don't have, that you don't have, and then we'll see if we can get it into a budget at some point and actually pay for it. So, we got to pay for it. At the end of the day, I don't think anybody I don't want to speak for you guys, but I don't think anybody is opposed to the concept, but we need to know the cost and a timeline and then actually fund it.

Well, I think you have a I think you have a cough a cost parameter already, Mark. And another thing too I want to bring up. I think because of the fact that it could it could be considered a part of the tourism uh budget which is the hospitality budget that part of that money that that the chamber has can also be contributed to this project. Unfortunately um the chamber's piece of the tourism development fee cannot be used for this. If the city had some tourism related capital project dollars available, it could use that. the city spending all of that money on the property tax credit at this point.

Well, then if we if we can't do it all by the city, then we'll try to find a way to to uh raise money for it. And that's a great idea as well, but I think we all agree that it's a piece of the history of the city that needs to be preserved. I don't think anybody dislikes the design of the monument. We need to and that's what that's where it fell down. I think we didn't catch the ball and run with it either to first base or across the goal line. Pick your sport, but we we dropped the ball at some point. So, we need to pick the ball back up and and carry it forward.

Well, I'm going to look at you individually. Do I have anyone to knock for it? Ruben, the way to do this is to get four votes in a form of a motion once we get a hard number as to cost. I mean, that's that's we all know how this works. So, Bill, I I not only have I heard that just this morning from someone I'm looking at right now that we needed four votes. I think we've had the four votes and and a number a price of an expenditure

and and you had a good estimate of price because you had you had gotten uh Brian to get an estimate of from Derek Misinger at one time and I told you the the thing that was wrong about that estimate was the fact that he included landscaping. Okay, good job. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks for your time and patience. It has been an ordeal for three years. I hope it won't be another ordeal for another year.

Thank you, Ruben. And we we I think all agree, you all shake your heads know if you don't, that it is a piece of the history of the city that needs to be recognized. We've done a good job with preserving the history of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. The Ocean Forest is farther back, although there are folks in the community who still remember it when it was an active living, breathing part of our city. This is a a a a a very attractive design, something we need to consider seriously. I think the former council said yes to it, but we then again didn't do anything. So, it's up to us to do something now. So, we've heard you and you you've placed the

I hate to use sports metaphors when we're talking about history. It's a weird thing to do. You've placed the the onus back on us to actually make this happen. And I think Ruben, I think when you came, it might have been a year ago or more that you said you were bringing matching dollars as well. Or maybe I remembered this incorrectly, but that's how I remember it. Um that you were bringing matching dollars. So I think that's also um going to be important. I think what I said was basically that if I had to go and and get money to match, I would. Okay.

You know, if I if I had to do it that way. I just threw out the thing about what they do. I mean, of course, I would love to for the for the Myrtle Beach City to support the whole thing, but if we have to do other avenues, we'll do it. And as I you use the football analogies here, the ball is in your Yes. court. So, let's hit the ball out of the court.

Mr. Mayor, if I can't um I mean just so we don't leave here thinking that something I don't want to prolong the discussion but um just so we don't leave here thinking or Ruben leave here thinking that everything is fine. I the biggest thing I remember from this discussion was it was a safety issue more than anything. That was that was really what caused the train to go off the track. really talking about the safety of having people go across the roundabout to see the monument. That was my understanding. Well, that anyway, Mike, that was brought up by subjective thinking on the part of the city staff. Wow.

I then followed up with what I said when I called the SDC, the DOT, and the city of Mr. Beach. Ruben, I I I I hear you, but it was it was enough to where at least four of us on council had a little bit concern about the safety side. So anyway, I'll just leave it there. I think we can have more discussion about this at a later time, but uh that's not taking the ball and running with it, Mike. I understand you, sir, but we can't tell you that we going to take the ball and run with it when there's still some safety concerns. That's my my safety concerns on your part or the whole council. I'm just one councilman. Reuben,

let's look at it. We'll take a look at it. Thank you. Listen, Ruben, we've all heard you dearly, okay? And I don't think there's anybody here trying to be argumentative. All right? So, please take with what you've heard and what you said today. There's not a soul on here didn't hear it. Okay? And so, there's some of us that do support it and then just keep that in mind and let's just, as Mark said, let's just get the get the hard cost and let's try to go to work on it. Okay? We'll we'll look at options. We'll we'll see what we can do to make this happen. Okay?

We got any kind of time frame on this, Mark? Um, if I had to give you a time frame, it's going to be a year honestly to get it into a budget. It's going to take that long. But that means we can work on it starting now and get get to that stage. It takes from your four votes in a motion. Uhhuh. So from your mouth to you know who's ears. Huh? Let us work on it. Thank you, Ruben. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, sir. Thank you. We've got a couple of minutes. We'll stand down for about two minutes and then we'll start the regular meeting. Thank you. Woody blue. Hey, hey, hey.

Hey. Hey. Hey. Heat. Hey, Heat.

All right. Good morning again. Thank you for being here today. Let's call this council meeting to order, please. Let us begin with our invocation from Councilwoman Connor followed by the pledge of allegiance.

Please rise if you're able. Join us. Almighty God, creator and sustainer of all that is or will ever be, accept our profound gratitude for this day and all of its blessings of life and freedom. We remember those who make our freedom possible and recognize it is because of their sacrifice that our community can practice our shared and enduring values of varied expressions of faith, civic duty, and respect for all. We gather today to render our public service in a proper manner and perform our civic duties in good order. Therefore, we solemnly invoke divine wisdom and guidance in this today's meeting. Amen.

To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you very much. We have an agenda before us. Council, is there a motion to approve the agenda? So moved. Second. We have one change that I believe we need to make. On the consent agenda, motion 2026-61, which authorizes the city manager to apply for a grant from the HTC, the I'm sorry, the CTC, the Ory County um transportation committee. Um the dollar amount has changed of the grant application, which means that needs to come off the consent agenda. So, we'll move that to the motions section of the regular agenda. The dollar amount went from 1.3 million to 1.5 million in round numbers. So, we'll move that off the consent agenda. I'll make the motion to move that off the consent agenda.

Second and approve. Debbie will second that. So, we now have a motion and a second to approve the agenda with that adjustment. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. the approval of the minutes from the April 28th meeting. Motion to approve. Second. Um I think there was one on page four. Rescended is misspelled. If you'll fix that on page four, a motion and a second to approve the minutes. All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you.

Public requests, presentations, awards, and memorials. We have a number of recognitions today. Let us begin with the recognition of our fire citizens academy graduates. Jonathan,

here comes your girlfriend, Mike. Here comes your girlfriend. Well, good morning, uh, Mayor Kura, council members, and city managers, and of course, our honored guests. Today is my privilege to recognize and celebrate the graduates of the Myrtle Beach Fire Academy, uh, Citizens Fire Academy, class 8. Over the past 10 weeks, these dedicated citizens committed their time and energy to learning firsthand about the operations, responsibilities, and challenges of the Myrtle Beach Fire Department. Through classroom instruction, hands-on demonstration, and real world experiences, they gained a deeper understanding of the service, professionalism, and teamwork that our firefighters provide to this community every day. For many of them, they stepped out of their comfort zones to try new skills that were physically and mentally challenging. And in some cases, they overcame fears as they bravely stepped into the shoes of our men and women. This year, 14 members completed the program. And each graduate should be proud of this accomplishment as they became a part of the history of the Myrtle Beach Fire Department. Their willingness to learn, engage, and serve as ambassadors for public safety reflects the strong partnership we continue to build between the fire department and the citizens of Myrtle Beach. This year, we also got to unveil the program's a new logo and crafted a challenge coin that all past and future graduates will receive to commemorate their achievements. You can also see the patch on there on the picture as well. I would also like to recognize two outstanding participants who were selected by their classmates and instructors as this year's MVP recipients, which are Miss Betty Livieri and Denis Smalls.

Hello. Their enthusiasm, leadership, participation, and support of their fellow classmates truly stood out throughout the program. So congratulations to both of them as they are welldeserved recognitions. With the completion of class 8, we are proud to announce that the Myrtle Beach Citizens Fire Academy now has more than 100 alumni. That milestone speaks volumes about the success of this program and the strong community interest in public safety, education, and engagement. Moving forward, some of these individuals will help on our volunteer communities reduction team, continue to work as advocates in our community for the department, or for some, possibly join the other CFA members who have transitioned from program graduates to full-fledged firefighters within the department. The Citizens Fire Academy continues to strengthen relationships between our department and the people we serve, and we are excited to continue growing this program in the years ahead. We are already looking forward to welcoming the next group of participants when class 9 begins in February of 27 and we look forward to hearing from class 8 on how we can continue to improve the program for future classes. On behalf of the Myrtle Beach Fire Department, thank you to the graduates, their families, our instructors, city leadership for your continued support of this program and of and of public safety to our community. Uh congratulations again to Citizens Fire Academy class 8. Great. I have always respected our fire department, police department, fire department, but until you take this class, you have no idea how amazing they are. Everyone in this city should take this class.

And all my new friends, I love them. Thank you. I'd just like to say really fast, this was an eyeopening experience. It was a lot of fun. I miss it already and we've just ended. And let me just say because you can make it happen. 2472 for our firemen. They really need it. Thank you. Thank you. I didn't pay to say that. She that was on her fire truck again. I do. That was a plant. Great. That was a plant. Thank you very much.

Did you have fun?

Good to see you. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you so much. Yes, ma'am. I got you. I appreciate your words.

Hey, good to see you. Thank you, baby. Thank you. Thank you, my dear. Yes, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Such a good job. Thank you for being here today. Thanks for coming. Who? Betty. She was in my police academy class. She was

Meredith. I believe we have a proclamation declaring the week of May 3 through 9 as National Correctional Officers Week. Somebody has to come down. Yes. We'll have all detention staff please come on down. And I'll have Lieutenant Cbrook Phillips accepting this proclamation on behalf of detention staff today. And this is one of them that we do every year. National Correctional Officers Week. Whereas Myrtle Beach Police Department detention staff serve in challenging and demanding roles that require professionalism, vigilance, and compassion while helping maintain the safety and security of the community. And whereas the Myrtle Beach jail is unique in South Carolina as a short-term detention facility, providing aroundthe-clock services and support for law enforcement operations within the city. And whereas in 2025, more than 8,000 individuals were booked into the city's jail with a dedicated team of approximately 40 detention center staff members, including 30 correctional officers, booking clerks, and office assistants, all working together to ensure the safe and effective operation of the facility. And whereas the city of Myrtle Beach recognizes the hard work, sacrifices, and commitment demonstrated daily by the men and women who serve under the detention division of the Myrtle Beach Police Department. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council hereby declares the first full week of May as National Correctional Officers Week in the city of Myrtle Beach and extends sincere appreciation to the detention staff members who faithfully serve the community each day. Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, 2026.

Super.

Thank you very much for all that you do. Good morning and thank you. Thank you, Mayor, City Council, my leadership team, and those that are present today for taking this moment to recognize all corrections officers and especially the ones behind me that work for the city. I truly believe we have the best of the best standing behind me. Um this is a unique profession that the duties have become demanding and they are requires them to wear many many hats. Um the detention section has grown to include not only officers but also office assistants and booking clerks. So I appreciate the entire team. Um they play a vital role in the day-to-day operations and everybody here deserves recognition. So I appreciate the time today. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate for all. Thank you guys. Two days in a row. Thank you. It's good to see you. How are you? We appreciate you. Good to see you again. Hey, how are you? appreciate you. How are you doing, sir? Morning. Good morning.

Doing well. Good to see you. How are you, sir? Hey there. How are you doing? Good to see you. Hey, Kevin. Thanks for being here. How are you? Thank you. Thank you, man. Thanks for being here this morning. How are you? Good to see you. Thank you. Yes, sir. Have a good day, Captain R. Thank you.

We're celebrating lots of police officers and their works this meeting. So, proclamation declaring the week of May 17-1. Meredith.

Yes. This is another one that we do annually, of course. National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day. Whereas in 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as National Police Week. And whereas the men and women of the Myrtle Beach Police Department serve with courage, professionalism, and dedication while working each day to protect the lives, rights, and property of residents and visitors alike. And whereas law enforcement officers routinely face difficult and dangerous situations in the performance of their duties while remaining committed to preserving public safety, maintaining order, and strengthening the community they serve. And whereas the city of Myrtle Beach honors the memory and sacrifice of Myrtle Beach Police Department officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Officer Henry Scarboro, end of watch March 7th, 1949. Officer Joseph McGary, end of watch December 29th, 2002. And Officer Jacob Hampshire, end of watch October 3rd, 2020. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council calls upon the citizens of Myrtle Beach to observe National Police Week, May 11th through 17th, in commemoration of all law enforcement officers, both past and present, who have rendered faithful, loyal, and dedicated service to their communities. And be it further proclaimed that we call upon Myrtle Beach citizens to observe Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15th in memory of those law enforcement officers who through their courageous deeds made the ultimate sacrifice to their community and to recognize and pay respect to the survivors of our fallen heroes. Signed and sealed this 12th day of May 2026.

Thank you very much. The memorial ceremony will be Friday. Are you about to say that? Probably. That's correct, Mayor. Guess I'll be quiet.

Uh, good morning, mayor. Good morning, council. Uh, thank you, city staff, for this opportunity. Um, I just want to relay this. We will always carry with us in our hearts and minds the memories of those who have dedicated and gave their life to serving this community. Uh, this week we honor the legacy of all who gave that ultimate sacrifice for the safety of others in a selfless act. Uh this week we do have four team members that will be attending the Washington DC memorial service this this week. Uh and we will also be hosting the wreath laying and memorial service at the Myrtle Beach Memorial Fountain right at our police department on Oak Street uh at 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 15th. And again, I thank you all for your continued support in the public safety profession. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Hey, man. Good to see you. Yes, sir. All right. All right. Yes, sir. Good to see you. Hey, man. Thanks, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir.

Hey, man. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. We've talked a little bit about history already today, but we're about to talk a lot more about the history of Myrtle Beach. Meredith,

specifically the history of the Beach Advisory Committee. So, I'm honored. I have one of two of the original members here today. First up, we have Mr. Sker Nash and his wife is here. I already told him I love his jacket. It's wonderful. Very fashionable. All right. in honor of Skeer Nash of the Beach Advisory Committee. Whereas Myrtle Beach native, a Myrtle Beach High School graduate, Skeer Nash has dedicated decades of service to preserving and improving the city's greatest asset, its beach. And whereas following Hurricane Hugo, Myrtle Beach City Council recognized the need for greater attention and care for the beach and established the beach advisory committee to help ensure the shoreline remained a top priority for the city. And whereas Nash served as an original member of the beach advisory committee from 1994 to 2020, including 24 years as chairman, helping lead efforts to improve beach cleanliness, remove unsightly pipes from the beach, oversee lifeguard services, and restore and maintain the coastline following years of storm impacts. And whereas Nash has long recognized the importance of the beach as the heart of Myrtle Beach and has remained committed to ensuring it was properly cared for, protected, and never overlooked. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council hereby honors and recognizes Skeer Nash for his outstanding service, leadership, and dedication to the city of Myrtle Beach and for helping ensure the beach remained the city's number one priority for generations to come. Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, 2026. Thank the mayor and council for this award. I I uh my heart's in the on the beach all the time and you know we the beach is our heart of Myrtle Beach and and we always want to keep it clean and safe and I think our committee has done that and uh Steve Taylor has continued

the the trend of keeping it that way and I want to thank you all for the the recognition. Skeer, before you go, would you say which 15year-old bellhop showed the most promise many years ago that worked for you? That's many moons ago, Phil. You were a good boss. You were a good boss. You were a good bail hop, though. I will say that. My number one. Thank you very much, Ger. Good to see you. Yes, sir.

That's funny. It's time for another piece of Myrtle Beach's history, especially on the boardwalk. Yep. All right, Red, it's your turn.

Did we miss one? Take your time. Take your time. All right. I believe I have Mr. Red and family. I think Jimmy is here as well. In honor of Edward Red Waldorf, the beach advisory committee. Whereas Edward T. Waldorf Jr., known to many as Red came to Myrtle Beach in 1958 while serving in the United States Air Force at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base and quickly became a dedicated member of the community. And whereas after four years of military service, Waldorf chose to make Myrtle Beach home where he built a life centered around family, the fun plaza, community service, and helping Myrtle Beach grow into a better place for residents and visitors alike. And whereas Waldorf contributed to Myrtle Beach in many ways, from coaching youth football and serving as an auxiliary police officer to helping shape downtown redevelopment as an original member of the downtown planning committee and through his service as an original member of the beach advisory committee. And whereas for 26 years, Waldorf s served on the beach advisory committee overseeing lifeguarding services, beach operations, and activities along the Myrtle Beach coastline. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council hereby honors and recognizes Edward Red Waldorf for his outstanding service and lasting contributions to the city of Myrtle Beach, especially his commitment to making the beach better for all of us. Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, 2026.

I'd like to say that of all the places I've been, Myrtle Beach is the best. And as far as the things I did, I did it because I loved the city and the city loved me. And we thank you all. Thank you.

Thank you, Randy, very much. Up next, continuing the beach theme here, we have beach safety week. Kevin Lark here from Beach Patrol. I think Vince is coming down on behalf of Ocean Rescue of the Fire Department. And also, I know Steve Taylor's here. If you'd like to come on down as the chairman of the beach advisory committee, you're welcome to join us as well. All right, National Beach Safety Week, May 18th through 25th, 2026. Whereas Myrtle Beach is home to a beautiful coastline that welcomes millions of residents and visitors each year. And whereas the beach and ocean are central to the Myrtle Beach experience, making beach safety, education, and awareness essential as residents and visitors enjoy the water throughout the busy summer season. And whereas the aquatic environment has dangers, especially rip currents, which can be effectively managed through public awareness and professional lifeguards vigilance. And whereas the city of Myrtle Beach provides dedicated beach lifeguard services, a specialized beach patrol unit within the Myrtle Beach Police Department and ocean rescue personnel within the Myrtle Beach Fire Department to help protect beachgoers through education enforcement and emergency response. And whereas residents and visitors are encouraged to practice important beach safety measures, including swimming near a lifeguard, learning rip current safety, never swimming alone, designating a water watcher, observing beach warning flags and signs, and staying hydrated and protected from the sun. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that the Myrtle Beach City Council hereby designates May 18th through 25th, 2026

as National Beach Safety Week and encourages beachgoers to enjoy the beach while taking appropriate measures to protect themselves and their children. Sign and seal this 12th day of May, 2026. Thank you.

Good morning, mayor, council. um taking us on behalf of Chief Mitchell and is because they're actually out in the ocean training today. So on boarding six new members for USLA and then obviously we can't do the beach safety without our partners at the police department and then uh our obviously our lifeguard services and then Mr. Taylor and his team. So thank you all very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you Steve. Good morning, council, mayor. Uh, just wanted to recognize again Skeer and Red for their guidance on the beach committee. I joined that 20some year ago and uh some of the things that they had established and worked on or carried forward, but they have done a great job and I'm I appreciate you guys recognizing them. It means a lot. Um, also just briefly, I think our beach and our safety and and the condition of the beach right now is in tip-top shape. Uh, the beach reourishment has our our shore in good shape. But, you know, we have a great setup in Myrtle Beach these days with the police department, the ocean safety team, and now the lifeguard services with lifeguard only and uh the beach attendants. And in any on any given day in the summer, there's 80 to 100 people on the beach that are are down there to protect lives. And I think we have a really safe beach and and it's in really good shape. And I appreciate y'all's support for our committee and all the things that you do for the staff. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Steve.

Can Can I add something? Um, so I was in um, and I won't say the beach, the south of Charleston about three weeks ago, and my husband and I walked out there and we're like, "This looks nothing like what we have. We have the most beautiful, clean beaches I I've I've seen, to tell you the truth, in travels. So, thank y'all so much for everything you do to keep it that way and keeping us safe also." Thank you.

Yeah. May I add one more thing? Not anything about wind driven shading devices. By the way, I I know that I've watched over the last couple weeks the discussion about handicap access to our beaches. And to kind of further that and and clear up maybe a narrative that seems to be out there is Myrtle Beach has about 140 public beach accesses, which compared to a lot of our neighbors and a lot of other beaches across the coast is far more accessible than any other beach. In in Myrtle Beach, you can be anywhere in the city limits and be at the beach within 5 minutes. But important to that discussion is we have 35 handicap accessible beach accesses that have a ramp, not a mat but a ramp which serves the same purpose. So the narrative that we don't have handicap access is not necessarily true. We have an issue with wheelchairs which I think you guys have been discussing and we discussed numerous times about the beach mats but we have 30 plus handicap accesses and at everyone there's free handicap parking. So I just wanted to point that out that we do have a lot of access for disability and ADA people. So, just to point it out,

and you're correct, Steve, over the last 10 or 15 years, we've rebuilt five, six, seven beach accesses every year. And where there is enough real estate to build an ADA compliant 12 and one, one and 12 ramp, we have added one of those. So, those ramps do get you to the sand. The question then is how do you get through the sand if you are um unable to motivate on your own, right? And again, we've discussed that at beach committee numerous times, but to your point, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent to build ramps and to improve crosswalks. And just as you pointed out, if it's possible, it's done so so that it's handicap accessible.

Yeah. So, thank you. Thank you. Well, it's hard to believe it's been 15 years. I I remember those days. I remember the big crane, the big white spider looking things that went up in the sky. We had

We have the Sky Wheel people are here. We have Mandy Sabbrandy and her team. Angie's here because we are celebrating 15 years of Skywheel Myrtle Beach May 20th. Yep. May 20th. Whereas Skywall Myrtle Beach opened in 2011 and has since become one of South Carolina's most iconic oceanfront attractions, drawing thousands of guests each year. And whereas Skywall Myrtle Beach provides a memorable year-round entertainment experience while helping illuminate the Myrtle Beach skyline through special lighting displays that recognize and support numerous charitable causes, advocacy campaigns, and community events throughout the year. And whereas through the Sky Wheel Cares program, the attraction has supported many local charities and nonprofit organizations, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to giving back to the Myrtle Beach community. And whereas Skywil Myrtle Beach has made a lasting impact on the local economy and tourism industry by helping attract visitors, supporting hospitality and entertainment businesses, and serving as an iconic symbol of Myrtle Beach in marketing and promotional campaigns seen throughout South Carolina and beyond. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that Myrtle Beach City Council hereby celebrates 15 years of Skywall Myrtle Beach and extends sincere appreciation to its owners, management team, employees, and patrons for creating unforgettable family experiences in shining as a landmark of the Myrtle Beach coastline. Sign and sealed this 12th day of May, 2026. Mandy.

Thank you, Mandy. Thank you, Mayor, Council, and City of Myrtle Beach for this honor and recognition. 15 years ago, the Skywill began as a bold idea to create something that would not only transform the skyline, but would become part of the Myrtle Beach experience itself. Today, it stands as one of the most recognized symbols of this community, and we're incredibly proud to celebrate this milestone alongside the city and community that helped make it happen. As we mark this anniversary, we're celebrating more than a ferris wheel. We're celebrating the millions of guests who have experienced something special. It's the family vacations, the proposals, the traditions, the wow moments, the sunrise flights, the gender reveals, and the memories people carry with them long after the ride is over. We're also celebrating the incredible people behind the scenes who make these experiences possible every single day. our amazing crew members, supervisors, leadership team, maintenance staff, shareholders, community partners, and supporters who have poured their heart into this. I also want to take a moment to honor my late husband, Eward, who built this wheel and dedicated so much of themselves to this place over the years. Anytime he was in Myrtle Beach, you'd hear him say, "This is paradise. It's paradise."

There's an orange gondola on the wheel in remembrance of him. And my hope is that when you notice it moving through the skyline, you're reminded of something simple but important. To recognize that we only get one life. And the purpose is to enjoy it. To be inspired by E-word, who live life with joy and wonder, and experience more fun than most people would who would live to be 100. So come take a ride, soak in the view, and find a little joy in your 200 foot view of paradise. Myrtle Beach is truly a special community and we never take for granted the role Skywell plays along the oceanfront. We look ahead with tremendous gratitude and excitement for the future. Thank you for allowing Skywall to become part of the story of Myrtle Beach and thank you for supporting us for the last 15 years. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Hey Candace. Congratulations. You're welcome. Thank you. Nice to see you. Good morning. Good morning.

Thank you for coming. Thank you for what you do.

Thank you for Outstanding. That was a fun walk back through the history of the city over the last few years. Let us now do our communications and creative services update, please. Hey, city council. Aaron Bowling here with your communications update. The One Flight Myrtle Beach Classic returned to the Grand Dunes Golf and Beach Club last weekend. A large crowd came out to see some of the best professional golfers from around the world compete on our hometown Greens. May 1st means the start of some seasonal beach laws. Dogs and bicycles can only be on the beach and boardwalk before 10:00 in the morning and after 5:00 at night. May 1st also marks the start of turtle nesting season. If you see a turtle nest or false crawl, don't touch it. Instead, call 843-9181382 to report it. Cops had a real good time at the annual Cops and Bobbers community fishing event. Dozens of middle school students had the chance to fish with a cop at Grand Park Lake and enjoy lunch. After the neighborhood services department hosted the annual National Day of Prayer, the community came out to enjoy live music and entertainment at Myrtle Beach's annual Sun Fun Festival in Plyer Park. The Supernova Steel Orchestra put on a spectacular performance in Ants Plaza and preparations for the new beach sign installation began yesterday. And it's May, which means military appreciation days have begun in Myrtle Beach. 130 military banners are flying along Robert Gryom Parkway and Harelson Boulevard. The celebrations continue this week at

the Military Appreciation Pelicans baseball game. Veterans have been chosen to be honored on the infield during the Pelicans home game against the Augusta Green Jackets on May 16th at 7:05. Other events include Festive Brass live performance on May 22nd, the America 250 Red, White, and Remember Parade and Family Picnic on May 23rd. Don't forget to purchase your t-shirts. The JackPlat Veterans March on Memorial Day morning, May 25th, and the Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Grand Opening on Memorial Day, May 25th at 11:00 a.m. Looking ahead, Myrtle Beach Recreation will host a free youth football clinic at the end of the month on May 30th. And the annual Myrtle Beach Arts for Life Showcase is Friday, May 15th at Chaen Memorial Library. That's all for now. Have a great rest of your week.

Thank you very much. At the end of the agenda today, we have an update on the 250th celebration, so stick around for that as well. Any non-aggenda items from the public today? Yes, sir. One person signed in. Um, it could be Greg, it could be Gary, it could be Jerry. Um, the topic is beach wheelchairs.

Morning council, morning mayor, and morning uh, city leadership. And it is Grady Gamrell. G R A D Y Gamrell. Okay. Thank you. and I am uh with on behalf of the Archavorei, a nonprofit 501c3 or um organization helping individuals with disabilities.

Um today I'm here because you know our public beaches is under a pay is behind a payw wall. As everyone may have known, the private campgrounds such as Ocean Lakes and other cities recently such as Poly's Island and even more um back then in North Myrtle are leading the way with beach mats, beach wheelchairs, etc. Uh the public access point remains a barrier for our own residents, visitors, and guests. Uh we heard the concerns about liability specifically uh comparing wheelchairs to bicycles but respectfully we must clarify the law and that it and that is a wheelchair is not an a recreational vehicle. It is under ADA and it is a um excuse me mobility necessary for people to move around in case they're unable to move. to suggest that mobility Matt is a liability is ignores the fact that the unstable sand is the liability. Uh neighboring towns like I mentioned Poly's Island Ocean um lakes already got that set up and ready to go. this past re um recently, you know, we seen over the news about uh Poly's Island um setting up uh beach wheelchairs, part of a adaptive surf project and um Ocean Lakes pretty much has the mass ready to go. It is not a liability because you know people will be able to go into the beach and you know be able to enjoy the ocean whereas the other able body members can do so as well. Uh but we understand the concerns about insurance. It's a very important topic we needed to discuss about but uh providing a safe mat is not putting someone in a vehicle or a bicycle. It's providing a safe accessessible u pedestrian walkway. Um the archavore is willingly to you know help out for any facilitating for any discussions or anything like that. And

we're willingly to um help out with any needs necessary as long as uh along with our uh state chapter the arc of South Carolina. Um, and before I go, um, I know I only got two minutes. Uh, I just want to personally thank, uh, Council Member Mccclure as well as the mayor. They both reach out regarding the open letter. I personally want to thank both of them for their kind words and encouragement. And I also wanted to thank the councilman and women here as well as the mayor um, himself regarding their discussion to be able to work backwards to get things done as well as to be able to move forward with it as well. Uh, that is all I had to say. I yield the rest of my time. Thank you, Greg. Thank you.

I I would note that since we've had this discussion, Luke has informed me on a couple of occasions that he's received significant donations to purchase additional beach wheelchairs. I don't know where he is at the moment, but it's north of $10,000. That's a significant contribution. So, there being no other signed guests, we still have time. Can anyone not contain themselves? Would you like to come speak to us? Hearing none, we will move on to the consent agenda. There are a couple of items on the consent agenda.

There are um but I may take a moment of personal ask just this gentleman and what Mr. um Taylor said, we have been work staff has been working since the last meeting on the beach wheelchairs and we do believe we have a solution that we are going to bring to council at the next meeting um for a small investment. Hope to bring it to the beach advisory committee on Wednesday and bring that to them. We have not just ignored it. Okay. No, I didn't say that. So, thank you.

Mhm. Um, all right. For this morning's consent agenda item, you have two items due to the one motion being removed during the um preamble, I guess, of the the meeting. The first item for your consideration is second reading of ordinance 202633 granting a franchise agreement of or operation of rental B business of conveyance regulated by chapter 12 article 5 of the code of ordinances of Myrtle Beach to Rafi Mashulame doing business as USA Coastalware LLC located at 1301 South Kings Highway Myrtle Beach South Carolina 29577 for a period of one year. The agreement includes 20 golf carts. This is just a sale from one owner to the other. there's no increase in the number of conveyances. Uh the second is resolution second item is resolution 20267 to adopt the flood plane management and hazard mitigation plan. We've done this routinely. This is helps our residents with flood who need flood insurance um receive a discount and for those who don't need flood insurance but decide to get it anyways, they also receive a discount.

All right, we have two items on the consent agenda. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? Second. the mics. Um, any council discussion? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of the consent agenda as presented, please say I. I.

Any opposed? Thank you. We'll move to the regular agenda at this point. Um, several second readings to start things off. Madame clerk 26-28. Second reading of ordinance 2026-28 to annex 1.37 acres pin number 4240200031 and to reszone from Ory County HC Highway commercial to HC-1 Highway commercial zoning district.

Uh good morning. No changes for this since first reading. Just a quick refresher. This is a parcel on Highway 17 bypass North. uh will have access from Church Street as part of an access easement that the uh property owner has secured and will come into the city filling a donut hole there uh as HC1. Happy to answer any questions. You have a motion. Motion to approve. Second. Um any council discussion? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of the motion as presented, please say I. I.

Any opposed? Thank you. That second reading is approved. We have another similar second reading 26-29. Second reading of ordinance 2026-29 to annex four parcels pin numbers 42512020059 006 and 0061 and 0062 and to reszone from Ory County GR General Residential to MU-m mixed use medium density. Uh again, no uh changes from this one from first reading. Just a refresher, these are the four parcels here. Uh they're adjacent to the parking lot for the Pelicans Ball Stadium. Uh the applicant has indicated that they'll combine all of these lots and they're looking to build town homes on them. Uh there's currently one building on the property for Sunb Belt Landscape Services, which will come down in favor of the town home development. Happy to answer any questions.

We have a motion to approve. Motion to approve. Bill and Debbie. Uh any council discussion? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of eliminating these donut holes, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. So, we've eliminated a couple of donut holes already today. That's good.

Up next, second reading of ordinance 26-30. Second reading of ordinance 2026-30 to amend article 14 of the city of Myrtle Beach code of ordinances adding the use of storage tanks to the WM wholesale manufacturing zoning district.

Good morning. Uh no changes for this one as well. Um, this is to allow storage tanks which are currently allowed in the AP and the LM district to be added to the W uh, excuse me, yes, the WM. Um, it's currently a conditional use in the HC district. The conditions are listed there in front of you. At our last meeting, you requested a more filledin map um, as opposed to this one. So, that's what I handed out in front of you all today. Happy to answer any other questions. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second,

Debbie and Mike. Um, any council discussion? Cameron, I'm still a little surprised that there's no definition of the dimension, the size, the volume, the quantity of a storage tank. I guess it's would the small little propane tanks be qualified as storage tanks. Um, so everything in this would be governed by building and fire code at that point. This is just to permit that as an opportunity for the land use. So in the building and fire code, there is a definition of storage tank. Yes. Okay. Any other discussion from council? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor, please say I. I. I.

Any opposed? Second reading passes. Thank you'all. Jennifer. Second reading of 26-31. Second reading of ordinance 2026-31 to amend section 23-132 of article 6 division 1 of chapter 23 and section 23-142 of article 6 division 2 of chapter 23 of the city of Myrtle Beach code of ordinances relating to record services and nonconsentual towing.

Good morning mayor and council. This is going to be second reading of the actual towing fees. There's going to be a first reading that's coming up later that's the ancillary fees that we talked about uh last week at the council workshop and then there's an ordinance right behind this that's going to relate to the franchise fees that we'll talk about. So they're all kind of related um to one another. There's been no changes from first reading and second reading on on this particular ordinance. The only thing I want to point out, there was a question um last meeting when this was approved on first reading about the the fees on um heavy duty toes and by the hour and not and some of the fees that were listed up there by the hour, but staff's recommendation is to leave it at the the 500 that was passed on first reading.

Is there a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second. Mike and Denny. Any council discussion? I just appreciate all the work on this and I missed the workshop. So when we talk about the first reading, I'm going to have some questions that at that stage the additional signage which is part of the police requirement, correct? Is due to be in place by June 1st. We'll probably go July 1st to give them six weeks since we're at the second reading right now. Um cuz the letter we need second reading passed before the letter will go out with the changes but to give everybody ample time to

I think June 1st is a little June 1st maybe a little soon. So we could either 30 days 15th June you know something like that. Y okay thank you. Um I would note that this ordinance does not change the ancillary fees and yet the next ordinance will change the ancillary fees. sort of amending the same ordinance twice as we go along. Correct. Since we started on the other one. Yes. Any comments from the public? All those in favor of second reading of ordinance 26-31, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you,

Jennifer. Second reading of ordinance 2026-32 authorizing the city manager to enter into an amended franchise agreements for towing and storage services within the city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

So there's been this will take the the fees that were changed in the last ordinance and incorporate them into the franchise agreements. Um the only change from first to second reading is um in the text of the ordinance um 202631 was the fees that you just approved and then we added 202638 which is the ancillary fees that'll come up later that once that's passed on second reading it will incorporate those fees into the franchise agreement as well. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second and second. Any discussion from council? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of this second reading, please say I. I.

Any opposed? Thank you. Thank you, Jennifer. First reading of 26-34, please. Reading of ordinance 2026-34 to close and abandon a portion of alley between 27th Avenue North and 26th Avenue North abudding the rear of lots three and four. Portion of pin number 42411 040000002 through lot 5 and6. Portion of pin number 42411040000001. Washington Park section of city of Myrtle Beach. Try to write these really long so Jen has to read just a lot. I appreciate that.

Um actually these next three items uh 34, 35, and 36 are all conjoined uh as uh as a part of the facilitation of the development of the 27th Avenue PUD uh the Drury development uh which will be an oceanfront redevelopment of the old Cadet property. uh the applicant and the applicant's representative is here today. I just wanted to talk through some of the mechanics. Uh if you all recall, we have talked about this a couple of times now. Um there's there's two and a half pieces to this puzzle. Uh there's the oceanfront alley swap uh that would swap two oceanfront alleys for uh the property at 8th Avenue, Broadway, Oak Street. Uh and then there's the sale of a third row parcel that the city has owned um we believe since the very beginning. Um the the half piece of this is actually this first ordinance which is the abandonment of a portion of the alley that allows the property to be contiguous with the property that we'll sell. So that's very convoluted, but if you'll see on the map that red section there is the portion of the alley that we would propose to abandon. Uh and that is you see the Drury owned section that Drury already owns today. Uh the city-owned parcel to be sold is there. So you'll see uh the connection point is really the portion of the alley that we're proposing to abandon. Uh we had this property appraised. And when I say this property, I mean the third row parcel plus the the portion of the alley. We we had it appraised as a single single property. to appraise that alleyway by itself uh wouldn't really reflect the true value of the property. So, we had to combine that um which we did. The alleyway itself breaks out to about $71,168. Um the the balance there of the appraised value is $670 almost $674,000. And so, this is just one step of three

that that you all will consider today. Happy to answer any questions. Wood jewelry. Thank you, Brian. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Debbie and Mike. This Mike. Um council discussion you mentioned in the ordinance reflects the abandonment of a portion of the alley. And that's due to the fact that when the public governmental entity in South Carolina abandons an alleyway, half of it goes to the adjacent property owner. And that's why rather than charging them for that half by law, it has to go to the adjacent property owner. Correct.

Yeah. And and we wanted to retain ownership of the remaining portions of these alleys for for future use. Um the portion of the alley on the north end is actually used by those properties. The the portion of the alley on the south end isn't currently used for anything, but that doesn't mean in the future that it won't be needed for something. So we opted to just retain that portion of the alley. and and those alleys do get some use in that section of town. The one at from 25th south needs some work at this point. But yes,

our our public works folks are still inventorying a lot of the alleys that we own that have been improved at some point, some by us and some by the neighboring property owners. Uh so that that's a that is a a process now that we've gotten through the inventory of our our primary road. Council discussion. Any discussion from the public? All those in favor, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you.

All right, Jennifer. First reading of 26-35. First reading of ordinance 2026-35 authorizing the sale of pin number 4241104 0000003 for fair market value to facilitate future development.

Thank you. Number two. So you will see here the third row parcel outlined. The dark blue that you see are the parcels that Drury already owns. Um the the two red alleys you see at the bottom we will talk about here in a second. But the third row piece is the property that has been appraised. Again, that balance, that portion of this property appraised for $673,831. And that is what we would propose to sell it to the applicant for motion to approve. There second. Second.

Any council discussion? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of this first reading, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you, Jennifer. First reading of 26-36. First reading of ordinance 2026-36, authorizing the closure and abandonment of two certain alleys in exchange for two parcels at 8th Avenue North and Oak Street. 4441- 0100027 and 44342086 to facilitate future development.

Again, we have talked about this a couple of times now. Um, Drury has requested uh to swap uh the the two red alleys that you see there. We have had those two alleys appraised. They appraised for just over a million dollars. 1 million1,85,000 was the appraised value of just those two 20 foot parcels which was which was higher than I anticipated but um um but but the appraisal is the appraisal so that is that is great um they struggled we've talked about this before they struggled for a while to find property that would be available for a swap um could not find any along the ocean front which is you know mayor at your request we amended the oceanfront alley swap ordinance to um to to take into consideration that going forward finding oceanfront property to swap is going to continue to be increasingly difficult. Um I am thrilled that the applicant uh and the applicant's representative were able to find some property that would um would be interesting enough for us to swap outside of the oceanfront area. Um the gas station, the old property at again 8th Avenue, Broadway and Oak Street. um is is currently under contract and we were talking beforehand. So just point of mechanics, what you all are doing is authorizing the transaction. The transaction will still have to finalize. We will still have to close and execute all the appropriate documents, but obviously we can't go to that point until you all authorize the the transaction. So the property that that we will be uh will be owning once this transaction is finalized is they are shown as two separate parcels. same ownership under contract for the same amount. Um, it appraised for70 or 1,70,000. Uh, there there have been a couple of questions, so I'll address that and and

the applicant can comment further if they'd like, but um the comment has been made if if we could use that property, why wouldn't we go out and buy that property? We we attempted to to buy this property a couple of times over the last four or five years. uh we could never get them to agree to that appraised value. Uh I would tell you the applicant is paying more than the appraised value to to get this property and they are just chalking that up to the cost of doing business and facilitating the oceanfront development. So um this is this is a good step forward for us in uh in getting the downtown um cleaned up and ready for its next its next life. And I'm happy to pause there and answer any question.

Is there a motion to approve this first reading? Motion to approve. Second, Bill and Debbie, any council discussion. Brian, as I've expressed before, need to put a lot of thought in exchanging ocean front for non Oceanront. Even though this this seems like a really good situation here, I would only comment that the difficulty we have in acquiring and changing oceanfront property may be nature's economic way of saying slow down a little bit. So,

completely fair point. I think uh when our attorney went through and reddrafted uh the amendment to that, there is still a significant priority placed on oceanfront property for oceanfront property. Number one. Number two, council always has ultimate discretion on on what what deal arrangement do you feel meets the criteria that that that raises the priority to to we and you heard all of the conversations this morning on the value of beach access in Myrtle Beach. Uh and that staff takes that very seriously and I think the ordinance reflects that and and you all have been um consistent in that. I'm I'm comfortable with this. Thank you for digging a little bit further for me.

Any other council discussion? I I'll try to summarize that in addition to us acquiring this property, transferring some properties to the developer, we also get public benefit money to the tune of a million dollars in round numbers. It's probably it's probably going to end up being a little more than that. I don't remember the math, but yes, sir. Yeah, there will be public improvements and there will be a PUD fee attached as as we continue which was part of the approvals previously. So, right, as part of the PUD approval. Any other discussion from council? Any discussion from the public? Hearing none. All those in favor of this first reading, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you.

And I will say applicants here. So, I just thank you all very much. Appreciate it. Jennifer, first reading of 26-37. First reading of ordinance 2026-37 to amend section 203 definitions and section 1314 food vending in the city of the city of Myrtle Beach code of ordinances to allow ice cream trailers and similar dessert focused units to operate as PFUs, permanent food units on private property without the requirement of affiliation with a brickandmortar restaurant and to allow the PFUs in the A amusement zoning district.

Hello again. So, we had a request from an applicant come in to allow ice cream trailers which are mobile in nature to be governed like permanent food units which are stationary in nature um but still maintaining their mobility. Um so that was the challenge for before planning commission with this one at a high level. Just going to go through the food truck program history briefly go into the text the changes requested and then also the staff and planning commission recommended. Uh so first 2017 the city created the food truck pilot program. It allowed food trucks to operate in highway commercial one and two and capped permits per year at six. In 2019 the city determined to continue the pilot program for a second year and expanded to allow food trucks in the Empre amount from 6 to 20. We are now seven years on from a second year of the pilot program with the language still rem. Uh the applicant request came in to allow ice cream trailers and similar dessert focused units to operate as permanent food units on private property without the requirement of affiliation with brick and mortar but still allowing the those permanent food unit government uh governed items to be mobile in nature. Uh, the addition of language would be only permanent food units limited to ice cream trucks or similar dessert focused operations may operate on private property without requiring affiliation with a brick-and-mortar establishment. These units shall comply with all applicable uh Department of Agriculture food safety regulations and city health safety and operation standards as related to food trucks. Some additional language that would be included in 1314 reflecting roughly the same thing. And then finally there they requested to add the ability to do these permanent food units, mobile food units in the A um the amusement district. The A governs Myrtle Waves, the Family Kingdom Amusement Park, and then roughly the area comprising between 7th Avenue South to 15th Avenue North along the oceanfront.

Staff's recommendation uh was to remove pilot program language from the text. Again, we're 7 years on from the pilot program, so it feels like it's just a program at this point. to raise the food truck cap up to 50 rather than 20 as we're getting more applications in um than we're able to permit at this time and then to deny the changes as requested by the applicant for this text amendment. Uh going through the zoning rewrite right now looking at the appropriate use of food trucks and food truck parks throughout the city, it felt like an inappropriate time to make these changes to the actual program. uh planning commission voted unanimously to recommend denial of the text amendment change for the applicant's request, but then PC did uh recommend removing the pilot program language as well as increasing the cap amount. Um planning commission did not determine what the number should be. So staff's recommendation was 50. Planning commission left that open-ended. Um just some considerations, building code views permanent food units as structures. They're not mobile food units, so that would be a conflict with our current building code. We do have the protected zone down on the oceanfront which defines uh the oceanfront area restricting, soliciting and deeming improper use of private property as a public nuisance. And then again, we're currently going through the zoning rewrites. We felt it more applicable to work with our consultants to find the best use for this uh this potential use down in that area.

Happy to answer any other questions before we get to a motion because I've got a question about what we are motioning at the end of the day. We are likely to make a motion here to deny this request as suggested by the planning commission, but we ultimately will still need to amend at a future date the number of food truck permits. Correct. That's not on the table today. So, that would be on the table today. My recommendation would be a motion to amend the request before you to strike through all of the language involving the uh permanent food units, but then to allow the change to move forward with the cap as well as the language on the pilot program.

How critical is it that we amend the food truck numbers today? Uh we currently, I believe the last I checked with Ron, we had six uh additional permits in above the cap limit that we have. I don't know if that what was it 16 above the cap limit right now. Okay. It's just a it's a more complicated way of of doing this than Sure. necessary. Motion to deny. Do you need to make also make a motion to amend the food truck cap to 50 as part of that? I'll make a motion at this time to deny. Period. We have a motion to deny. Is there a second? Second.

And a second. Any council discussion? Yes.

Let me let me say this here. There are a lot of businesses in this community that have built mortar and brick buildings to conduct business. This ordinance would allow someone to put in a mobile unit. Now, a truck is a little bit different because they can come and go, but when you allow something to be placed on the property, that is the same, if I'm correct me if I'm wrong, but these same requirements are what required for a manufactured mobile home to be put in place somewhere. Granted, it has wheels. I understand, heard that. But I can take you to a number of places anywhere in this county where those same manufactured homes have wheels and axles underneath them. So what this does is we've had it goes back to we have had many many many folks in this community construct and and continue to build buildings to operate a business out of. And to me, this just takes away the value of what they have. And it also is nowhere close to the investment these folks have made in these bricks and mortar buildings. That's my reason for request for denial.

Do do these businesses pay the accompanying fees and license fees that generate revenue for the city for the city presently? Are you asking for the like the mobile food trucks? Yeah. What we're debating presently? Yeah. So the the mobile food trucks, there's a permit application fee. It's $250. They also have a business license. They do have a business license. Business license and they pay the hospitality taxes that required.

But additional separately, the the mobile food unit permit sticker is a $250 fee above and beyond the business license and hospitality tax. I I don't have a problem with denying the what the planning commission is saying, but I do think that there's there's room for more food trucks to be um a part of what's going on in the city. Um that's the part I support. So, I don't know how we pull that out or or can we pull that out? I I would suggest that we deny this and they come back with something that's very very clean and simple. That's right.

And we can get it done, you know, at the next meeting. We can start that process because it is, you know, it's for us people that don't live in the planning and zoning world that it's a bit complicated. Just bring it back to a survey very clean. you. We want to deny what the planning commission denied basically and the rest of it I believe stands uh as I understand it. Just not agree with you, Bill and then come back with a motion that is what we can support. And can you encapsulate exactly why planning wanted to deny this in three sentences?

Largely the concerns that you all had as well, the investment brickandmortar folks make. Um, this feels like it kind of flies in the face of that. And then the complication of governing something that's mobile by permanent standards just didn't seem to fit. Understood. I would just ask council to does this not fly in the face of free commerce that we all profess to embrace that. That's my only concern. I fully appreciate the investment versus roll in and make money, but again, it's a different time. Just saying. And we can bring back the adjustment to the number of food trucks at the next meeting. Either the next one or the following. It'll be quick. Does the planning commission have to revisit that? At this point,

we could always do Well, yes, but we could do the first reading and then revert back, do one of those things if that's what you want to do. And if I heard you correctly, we have the 20 permits filled and there are 16 in the queue to apply. Is there a decision? What would you like to see? 40. Would you like to see 50 on the Well, we can talk about that the next time, but you're talking about in terms of what to present back to us. Anybody? Sure. The recommendation of 50 came from where again? That was staff's recommendation. Planning commission did not put a number on it. Okay. Um I go with staff recommendation. Quite frankly, if there's 16 and you do 40, then you've only got four spaces left at that point. So those 15.

Yeah, the staff recommendation. 50. Let's make sure we're clear. We're deny this one and we'll come back with a clean ordinance left in the cap. Can do. Um, any comments from the public? Hearing none. All those in favor of the motion to deny this ordinance, please say I. I. Any opposed? Opposed. One. One. No. Thank you. Have a great morning. All right. First reading, Jennifer of 26-38.

First reading of ordinance 2026-38 to amend section 23-142 of article 6, division 2 of chapter 23 of the city of Myrtle Beach, code of ordinances relating to record services and nonconsentual towing.

At the last council meeting, we were asked to look at some of the other fees that are associated with towing. We did that, brought that back to workshop. Um, the ordinance in here reflects the feedback that I got at workshop. Um, just really to go back through this really quickly. Um, covers three things. Um, first is storage. Uh, the other is the decoupling fee and the other is the no tow fee. And for comparison, these are the comparisons. I went ahead and the have the current and the proposed fee just so you can see where they're at. um for storage and um the storage numbers that are in here came from that's the highway patrol numbers the decoupling fees uh which are here the other entities uh follow the highway patrol I think the consensus was it was a little steep and so we went to half of that so that's where you see the 11250 and the 250 and then the no tow fees um is the same thing or consistent with what highway patrol is doing or the highway patrol schedule and so that's where the fees that are in the proposed ordinance come from.

Thank you. Is there a motion to discuss? So moved. And Mike, I apologize. I was out of town last week and missed the conversation that occurred at the workshop. Apparently, some of these fees seem high to me, but can someone explain what's involved in the decoupling process? So, or a noto fee. Both of those two specifically.

Yep. So, decoupling up here is they have begun to hook up the vehicle, but it hasn't been completed yet. and you come out there and say, "Hey, that's my car you're about to tow, but they've already engaged in the process of hooking the vehicle up." Um, that's the decoupling fee that it has already been hooked up, but not taken from the property. Um, the noto fee means they have shown up on property, but they have not left yet. You come walking out as the record, they've summoned the record. You come walking out um and you say, "Hey, that's my vehicle you're about to hook up to." That's the no tow fee. And we propose increasing for a standard vehicle the noto fee from $30 to1250 and the decoupling fee from 45 to 11250. That just seems high to me at the end of the day. Well, I think we we felt like it was much lower than what you would find around us, including what the South Carolina Highway Patrol currently charges

or allows allows to be charged. Um, and so we wanted it to be lower than that. The other thing, they haven't been updated since 2012, but that's exactly that's you've got the cost of diesel gas for the company coming out. Josh, did you get any post workshop input from the towing concerns? I have not heard any. No, sir. Well, on the no tow fee, that's almost a 400% increase. On the decoupling fee, it's a 300% increase.

Point again was it hadn't been the fees hadn't been raised in so long. U and the the fact that we are significantly below everything else in the area including the state police uh I believe it was the understanding of council uh that this was a good compromise. Uh it afforded the people in the industry uh some relief but at the same time not overcharging. It also ensures that we have people responding to our requests for proposals for folks to or RFQ to have folks working with the city for towing

or competition's better. And it's not just the city though. These are non-consensual toes between a towing company and a private property owner who I'm sorry between a private property but also a vehicle owner. So if the city's not involved in many of these things, the regulation exists to protect the public from excessive charges. So any other comments from the council? Any comments from the public? All those in favor of the current ordinance as presented, please say I. I.

Any opposed? And first reading of 26-40, please. 39. 39. 39. Did I skip one? I skipped one. First reading of ordinance 26-39, please.

First reading of ordinance 2026-39 to amend chapter 23 of the city of Myrtle Beach code of ordinances vehicles for hire to include article 8 relating to pedal powered passenger vehicles. presented this at workshop last week. Um the ordinance has not changed or what I presented hasn't changed with the exception of one addition which was the requirement that they have brake lights on the vehicle since they're going to be operating at night and when they turn. Um the pedal pubs already have those so that that wasn't a big ask of them. Um but really just for everybody's benefit run back through this real quick. Um what's in front of you? Um this is it's been presented to council several times. There's been some concerns in the past as you know um Pedal Pub is operated with a special events permit um beginning Black Friday through uh the first or second week in January and then they got another one in mid-March um and expires at the end of June. This ordinance really governs the operation of the pedal pubs and talks about the process to uh get or obtain a franchise agreement and the cost associated with that. This ordinance does not provide the franchise agreement. So, if this is passed, then we would come back to you with the actual franchise agreement. Um, one of the things you heard, uh, interim police chief Chris Smith come up last time and talk about, I know there were some concerns from the public safety perspective. Um, operated during spring break, which as we know was very busy around here. Um, from uh the police department's perspective, there were not any issues. Um and in my conversations with um Chief Smith is provided they're following the rules, he does not foresee this uh being an issue. Um couple things. This ordinance um defines what a pedal powered passenger vehicle is. Um it is right there in front of you. I'm not going to read to

you. We went through this the other day. um you cannot operate um a pedal powered uh vehicle uh without a franchise agreement in the city. It provides the application process which includes the hours um the map of where it's at. They have to have insurance. Um one of the conversations that came up last week at workshop was the franchise fee because when I brought it to you last week, it was at uh 5% of gross sales. Um we have since adjusted that. It's $1,000 for the first year and $1,500 um for subsequent years after that. Um one of the concerns I know council's had in the past is consumption of alcohol um on the on the pedal pub. Um South Carolina law um forbids that to begin with, but our ordinance also says you cannot do it. Um it can only be uh operated on routes in the agreement. So they can't change the route every day. It's got to be whatever we have approved is that's in the franchise agreement. cannot be operated on roads that um the speed limits over 35 miles an hour. Um it can't be on the sidewalk um rightways or or multi-use paths. The operator's got to have a driver's license. Um it's got to go with the flow of traffic. If it's they if the I believe they call them the pilot or the driver of the the pedal vehicle realizes traffic's backing up behind them, they need to do their best to move over to the side and let cars get by. And I know they've been doing that. Um they cannot load uh passengers in the rightway or in a moving lane of traffic. Um and the last one up there is disorderly passengers. They cannot have them. I know um Pedal Pub, at least the franchise, um has pretty strict rules about that. I know Mandy's been up here and spoken about that before because that's been a concern. Um and the pilots have the authority to to stop um or you know, kick folks off if they're not behaving. Um, I also know that um, credit cards and fees and things like that for uh, passengers that do not behave.

Um, I know music was an issue or a concern um, of some of the council members in the past when it's been presented. Um, they have to be in compliance with the noise ordinance. Um, hours of operation, they can go from 10 to 10 um, Sunday through Thursday and 10 to 11, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on the weekends. Um, the operational requirements are up there. has got to have a horn, turn signals, brake lights, headlights, tail lights, um reflectors, fire extinguisher, first aid kit. There is the insurance requirements, and then um there are certain circumstances where the franchise can be suspended or revoked, which are spelled out in the ordinance. That's what I have. Need a motion. Is there a motion? Council motion. Motion to approve.

Second. Mike and Bill. Uh Mike Bill, I think. Mike Chestn, not Bill Mccclure. Bill is faster than you. Phil, I can answer any questions or if I can't Mandy's here as well. Any discussion from council? One thing about the operator of the vehicle, we'll call it. Is there a requirement? I didn't read a requirement in here about a driver's license check. I think uh by the second reading I'd like to see that added in there that person driving records have been verified. Okay. Well, it's not in here.

Yes, I can fix that. Any other discussion from council? Just to reiterate during the spring break time frame, there were no issues of consequence as reported before. There were none. That's correct. Yes, sir. Very good. I've got one question. A pedal powered passenger vehicle may be operated only upon grant of a franchise by city council after application. They're operating currently under a special event permit. Correct. As I read that, you could no longer then get a special event permit to operate this sort of vehicle.

True. believe you'd have to have a franchise. We're creating a mechanism where you could operate this, right? So, it's possible to exclude that occurred to me before. It's possible to exclude the relief from zoning law application through specificity specificity in an ordinance. Okay. Something to keep in mind. Any other council discussion? Any discussion from the public? Mandy, do you have anything to add? Has it been fun? Okay, great. All those in favor of the ordinance as presented, please say I.

I. Any opposed? Thank you. Welcome.

Now 26-40. First reading of ordinance 2026-40 to amend article 1 chapter 23 of the city of Myrtle Beach code of ordinances vehicles for hire to include section 23-11 relating to accessibility of article applicability of article. So, I'll keep this one quick. As uh we were going through and uh drafting the uh the pedal pub ordinance um that you just approved, one of things that we realized is in chapter 23, there is regulations on several different types of vehicles for hire. And so, really, this language um just makes clear that whatever type of vehicle you're operating, that section applies to you and not all of the sections under that section, if that makes any sense. And so really it's just cleaning up what applies to what.

Is there a motion? Motion. Second. Mike and Debbie. Any council discussion? Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of this first reading, please say I. I. Any opposed? And that passes for first reading.

Jennifer, ordinance 26-41, please. First reading of ordinance 2026-41 to enact an overlay zone limiting land use of nightclubs, bars, and other drinking places with occupancy exceeding 150 persons to allow existing drinking places properly licensed as of May 12th, 2026 to continue as nonconforming uses to direct planning commission to review zoning amendment hold public hearings. ings and make recommendations and to invoke the pending ordinance doctrine.

Thank you, Madame Clerk. Council ordinance 2026-41 creates a zoning overlay that limits the size of bars and nightclubs and lounges and other drinking places that are adjacent to Ocean Boulevard. Um, in the ordinance you'll find the city council finds that new bars, nightclubs, and other drinking places adjacent to Ocean Boulevard, especially bars and nightclubs and drinking places with occupancy capacity exceeding 150 people, leads to increased noise and disturbances of surrounding properties, including transient accommodations. late night activity, including disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and other nuisance activity, all of which conflicts with the familyfriendly environment that city council desires to achieve in the Ocean Boulevard area. City Council further finds that regulating the size of new bars and nightclubs and drinking places adjacent to Ocean Boulevard is a reasonable uh and tailored way to control the negative impacts to promote a familyfriendly environment on the on the boulevard and to reduce the burden on law enforcement. Um, the overlay will apply to properties adjacent to Ocean Boulevard between Grand Dunes Boulevard and the point where Ocean Boulevard and Kings Highway intersect. If the proposed or ordinance receives a favorable first reading, the proposed overlay will go to the planning commission where it will have a public hearing. Planning Commission will then review the ordinance and make recommendations regarding the overlay, including additional possibly additional conditions that may be imposed on new

bars, clubs, and drinking establishments on adjacent to Oceanan Boulevard. That is ordinance 2026-41. Is there a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second, Mike and Debbie, any council discussion?

I would uh just to be clear on this, are there currently any purely drinking establishments that have a, for lack of a better description, a seating capacity in excess of what this ordinance is recommending. its occupancy. I don't know. But if there are, they are allowed to continue as a non-conforming use. But I I don't know if currently if if and I was just thinking on Ocean Boulevard as

I don't know if Sharkies or Rip Tides has a capacity of 150. If they do, they are allowed to continue operating as a non-conforming use and they would be allowed to continue as long as the business remains in existence and does not close for more than one year. Right. And if the business is sold to another entity, would that transfer with them? Yes, sir. Okay. Okay. The ordinance also protects u businesses that have vested rights um if there are any. Couple of questions. I'm not sure who's capable of answering them at this point. The ordinance specifically says occupancy, not seating capacity.

Right. So, I'm assuming that's a fire marshall's occupancy at the end of the day. That's my understanding. Correct. And the occupancy is typically posted. building code. Can we elaborate on that just so that we have an understanding? So, there's an occupancy for building spelled out in the building code.

This is about as close to getting over my skis as you will ever have seen me get. So, understand that. Yes. The building code the building code defines capacity based on whatever the use is. So ultimately fire marshall will have his say but the size of the the size of the property and the use of the property uh is constrained by the the building code itself. So those numbers could differ. I'm sure they can. Um we we generally do a not generally we always do a group review of projects of this kind anyway. I mean, there would be conversations between the fire marshall's office and the and the building inspector's office.

Okay. So, what would the occupancy be for the barbecue restaurant on Broadway Street, for example? I don't um and how do how how is drinking place defined? Do you get a business license for a drinking place? I believe it's a establishment whose primary business is a sale and consumption. Do that for us?

Yes. So, a drinking establishment has a different N code than just a regular bar restaurant. It it is a class 9, which means it's charged at a different rate. It is a place that primarily function as drinking, but they do have food. Uh, typically that's um, from what I've always heard it was a 60/40 split. Um, but I've never seen anything that actually backs that number up saying it's a 60/40 split. It is not checked by us. It's not something that we determine, but their primary goal or function is alcohol, but they have to sell food. So, this would not affect a bar or a restaurant. Um, not that I know of. No,

it would if their primary business is a sale of alcohol. And if I'm if I'm understanding correctly and the sale of alcohol uh represents at least 60% of their gross sales. What he just said though was that a bar or restaurant would be licensed differently than what you just described.

So, let me let me jump in on that. every restaurant here in the city, especially if you're selling liquor, things change at that point. So, let's look at um a place like even though we don't have it anymore, and I miss it, Applebee's. Applebees would carry two licenses just like pretty much every other restaurant here. They would have one for the food, beer, and wine. The second would be for just liquor. Liquor is governed a little bit differently, especially when it comes to taxing implications. When it comes to hospitality fee and getting a liquor license, they will carry two licenses. One will be for the restaurant. The other will be for the same nakes as something called a drinking place, as you alluded to earlier.

So, a bar or a restaurant could qualify as a drinking place. Yes. And what's the distinction? It's this mythical 6040. Yes, sir. Okay. Other questions? Council, just curious one for Will. Does does the current debate in Colombia with regard to liquor liability affect any offshoot of what we're doing here or is that completely a separate issue and I'm not sure that they know where they're going with that. Doc Dr. Render, I think it's a separate issue.

Okay. Obviously, if there are any bars or restaurants that either exist currently that are will be allowed to continue as a non-conforming use or perhaps will be allowed to be a new bar or restaurant perhaps with a capacity of less than 150, they will have to adhere to all figure out how to get insurance and satisfy the general assembly. But I think it's simply for our purposes a related issue. Okay. Thank you. Yes, sir. I'm just curious, is there any magic in the 150 number? Counting the room, generally speaking, including us, there's about 70 people here.

That was a number that was used in the past and we've just carried it forward. Okay. Okay. Any other comments from council? Any comments from the public? All those in favor of first reading as presented, please say I. I any opposed and it passes. All right, we need to insert here at this point the motion that was removed from the consent agenda and that would be motion number 26-61.

I thought it's normal size. Okay. Ready. Motion 2026-61 authorizing the city manager or his designate to apply for a grant in the amount of 1,317,000. That number has changed. Yes. 1,522,166. 1 million 522 166

166. Starting over motion 2026-61 authorizing the city manager or his designate to apply for a grant in the amount of 1,522166 from the Ory County Transportation Committee the CTC through the South Carolina Department of Transportation for the purpose of resurfacing roadways within our jurisdiction to record appropriation of such grant funds in the amount approved and to execute and deliver the grant agreement and such related documents as may be required to put the grant into effect. The local match will be the FY27 road surfacing budget of 3.2 million which is allocated in the capital improvement fund.

Thank you. Motion to approve.

Motion to approve. Second, Jackie. The accompanying text says, "The ORC CTC provides funding for improvements to state, county, and city roadways. This grant will be used for the rehabilitation of city and stateowned roadways within our jurisdiction, which includes milling, full depth patching, resurfacing, and pavement markings. So, are there roads to which we could apply this?" I realize the grant covers specific roads already, but the ability to do pavement markings on state roads seems to be a a positive thing at the end of the day. If we have to go through CTC to do this, can we do use that as an option?

I would say yes, we can. Um I I would say it would be uh at the discretion of that body to grant. We we're making a very specific grant to CTC for a very specific set of projects. Um based on prior experience, I'm not sure how they would review a grant to solely stripe county or stateowned roads. So I mean, yes, we could ask. I think their appetite would be I would I'm uncertain as to as to their appetite. I'll say it that way. Do you have a quick list of the roads that are covered under this grant?

I'm sure has it off the top of her tongue. So for the city roadways they they have not changed since workshop and I apologize I missed workshop. So

that is really small. So I do apologize but it is um 7.45 four or five miles of city-owned roadway that we are looking to resurface with our existing FY27 resurfacing budget if approved by council. And then the changes that we made, excuse me, were simply to extend um roadway segments and some of the roads um are being resurfaced this year as part of our existing. So with that being said, the reallocation of the existing 2025 CTC money that we have already been awarded, um we are asking to reallocate $873,580 of that which is 1.99 miles. Um, and the reason why we have this extra I won't say extra money to potentially reallocate is that we have been able to go after and chase larger sized projects which we have realized savings in the overall project for the benefit of our community. And so we are asking at CTC meeting this evening to be able to keep that money here locally and do more work. In this case, these would be the state roads that we would be res milling and resurfacing and striping.

So the 873 is in addition to the 1.5. Yes, mayor. Okay. And for the benefit of the the public, um the roads considered in this reallocation are portions of 17th Avenue South, Yopan Drive, Mitchell Drive, Park Drive, 36th Avenue North, and 69th Avenue North. Thank you.

Oh, I'm sorry. I lost a slide there. Um, and then the excuse me, the new project, what I like to call the 2026 OECTC road project application is approximately 3.21 miles and um this was simply we had to extend the the length of segment um increasing the cost. Um, so with that, we have for the benefit of the public uh portions of 20th Avenue North, Executive Avenue, South Highland Way, Sunset Trail, Sumpter Drive, Pine Lake Drive, Bryant Street, 65th North, 67th North, Colonial Drive, Duncan Avenue, and Somerset Drive. And as uh was mentioned in the motion, that new figure is 1,522,166 will be our application request this evening. And I welcome um if you're able to uh we'd be glad to have you at the train depot tonight at six o'clock.

Thank you. Thank you, council. Any comments from the public? All those in favor of the motion as presented, please say I. I. Any opposed? Thank you. We have a couple of motions here. Jennifer, I'll let you start. And motion 2026-62 is to consider the renewal of the city attorney's contract. Motion to approve. Second. Second. Dr. recommend is the second. Any discussion from councel?

We are this particular motion. We're just looking at uh being able to in this case work with the city attorney on a new contract. Is that correct? And the terms of that contract, etc. We haven't drafted that. We haven't formalized it or anything else. So, this just gives us the ability to start discussions with the city attorney and if he's we come up with a contract he's happy with, then you know, we move forward. If not, we figure out what we're going to do. Would that be a fair description?

Mr. City Attorney, does that match your concept of that? Um in years past this item has come up and it's the item was to renew the city attorney's contract. We we have a contract that we use since I started. So this would be somewhat different. But if that is the will of council to go back to restructure that agreement um that's that is for the will of council to decide. Well, we need to have an understanding of what it is we are voting for or against at the end of the day. Um, I don't know that that's the way I would have read that.

No, my my understanding we were and I had asked that this be put on the agenda was to that we were approving his contract based on the present contract for another year. We have not talked about making any changes which if we wanted to go in executive session and talk about anything else but my understanding was just to vote on his contract that he has now or his agreement that we have with him now going forward for one more year the same contract.

I'm not sure that I'm comfortable with that. I would like to take a look at the contract again. I think we need to discuss it again. It will be the will of council. U but I don't know uh the current contract if um well we I'm sorry

if we should make uh uh some changes to it uh just to blatantly say okay fine we're going to do what we did last year and if you recall the year before we didn't even get to this and the contract just uh continued u without uh any consideration from council or vote. So, but again, it'll be the will of council. But I what I thought we were going to be doing uh is the ability to look at the contract, talk amongst us, and then present a new contract. Uh but again, that's the way I see it.

I play mediator here in the middle. I think that's a possible thing to do, but I don't think that's what's before council at the moment. And I would agree with Mr. Chestnut. I agree with Chestnut. So options just throwing things out would be to vote on this today to continue it to the next meeting to make a motion to go into executive session and to discuss this further. We're voting on what we're voting on today is to renew the contract of the attorney as it is in place today.

Yes, sir. And then at some point in time if we want to have go into executive sess executive session to discuss would there be a possible change as part maybe in compensation or something like that we could do that. But today the motion is to rem renew the city attorney's contract as written as it is today. That's the way I read that too. That's the way. Thank you. I'll entertain. We have a motion before us. I'll second that motion.

Oh, no. There there already is there already is a first and a second. Any other council comment at this point? Any comment from the public? Again, I'm not a lawyer, but I can read. And it says, "Consider renewal." Not renewal. Consider. Thank you. This is going to be exceptionally weird. Mr. Attorney, what does that wording mean?

I don't think it's really confusing. is the council to consider whether to renew my to consider whether to renew my contract or not. Well, we are considering it and we have a first and a second. Now, all there is to do is vote. I I I now see where Bill is coming from with this. Well, let me let me let me withdraw my motion and well, let me back up and do this. We'll I'll leave the motion and second as it is and I'll make a motion to amend this to where it says to renew. Not consider to renew. Was he the first? He was.

Okay. So, Mike, we'd have two votes. First on the original, then on the amendment. We got to do I make an amendment that we change the wording to renew the contract. Make a second. Is there a second? Do we vote on that first? We got to vote on amendment first. If I get a second, I just seconded that. Okay, Mr. Attorney,

it's not my intent to draw this out. I apologize. Is there a need to amend that motion? Could you not just simply because it is a motion, a motion by nature is oral. There's nothing written. Um, is it possible to rem withdraw the first and second and make a new motion or is this the preferred method? If you're asking me as the parliamentarian, I would say Mr. Lauder has has a motion on the table to amend. Get a a first and a second on that and then you vote on the amended motion. There you go. Yes, sir.

Debbie was the second on the amended motion. Any other discussion from council on the amended motion? Any discussion from the public? Will you state the amended motion for us, please? We got a vote on the amendment first. Yeah. I just want to hear it. Motion 2026-62 to renew the city attorney's contract. Okay. Is there I'm sorry. All those in favor of the motion as amended, please say I. No, we can't vote on the amended version unless we vote on the amendment itself.

We have we've got a first and second on the amendment. We have to vote on the amendment. And if we get a positive. All right. Okay. All those in favor of the amendment to the initial motion, please say I. I. I. Now would be the amended. Any opposed? opposed one. Okay. All those in favor of the amended motion, please say I. The motion as amended. All those in favor of the motion as amended, please say I. I. I. Any opposed?

Opposed. Okay. And that motion passes. Is there a way to avoid this for the second motion? No. No. I think you need to get a first and a second to get the item on the table and then you do the same thing again. Somebody makes the motion to amend it. It It's oral. Can it not just be Cannot the original motion just state what the intent is? It's it is oral, but it's also written written in in an agenda. Agenda, so it's

trying to simplify things. Jennifer, motion 26-63. Motion 2026-63 to consider renewal of the city manager contract.

Motion to approve. Second. Now, I'd like to make an amendment motion to to renew the city manager's contract. Second. So, we have a first and a second on the original motion and a motion to amend so that it reads to renew the contract. Any council discussion? I'll go back to the my original uh with the city attorney's uh contract. It has nothing to do with the individuals. Uh I firmly believe when I read this that we were going to consider that we would have a discussion and just to blatantly renew a contract that has just keeps continuing to roll over to me is just very very bad business. And so I will be voting no on this. It has nothing to do with those two individuals. It has to do and I'm disappointed in the process. In with respect, Bill, I will say this that a a contract is voted on each year for one year. However, if there's no discussion or there's nothing brought forward prior to the end of the contract, the way the contract's written, the contract rolls over as it is at that time.

And I I understand that we we actually had this discussion last year about how did this happen. So, I get it. Again, uh my perception was we were going to have actually have a discussion now about contracts. what's in the what's in the contracts. Uh I don't think there's anybody here. Maybe there is a couple of people here. Um but I don't think anybody here has actually read either one of their contracts in the last what six, seven months maybe. I don't know. So at any rate, that's just my feeling. The will of council is going to do this. So let's not belabor this. Let's just move on.

So I would also add that having served now just more than two years on council. Um and there was a um we began to have conversation in regards to an appropriate evaluation tool based on this contract which is our responsibility as council. And so I would happily work with our mayor to make sure that we have that um set up for ourselves for this coming year based on the contract and that the city manager as we all know based on our type of government is responsive to us. And so I think we need to make very clear um through that as established through the contract what our expectations are so that we can do an appropriate assessment in this next year of the good work that's happening in our city.

And mayor I would just suggest we consider beginning that discussion in January of each year so there's adequate time to delve into any concerns any of the individual councilman persons may have. Thank you. Yeah,

I recognize the difficulty of working under a one-year contract. It's a tough thing to do. It is also the CEO's position for the city of Myrtle Beach and I would argue the most important position in the city of Myrtle Beach, far more important than we are at the end of the day. Um, city council does three things typically. There are other things that they do, but the city council does three big things. They set the policy that includes policy about the general stuff but also the specific policy, the laws and ordinances under which the city operates. City council approves a budget. At the end of the day, it is city council's budget, not the staff's budget. And I would like for city council to begin to take more responsibility for the details that are in each annual budget because it is our budget at the end of the day. And then city council hires a few key people, one being the manager, one being the city attorney, and appoints the municipal judges at the end of the day. So those are the big three things that city council does. Last year, for whatever reason, don't know where the ball was dropped, but this contract was not voted on last year. As Bill points out, it rolled over automatically. I did suggest earlier this year that we begin an evaluation process. We've got a newly seated council. The council changes every two years potentially. Um, y'all have not done, to my knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong, y'all have not done a formal evaluation for Fox as the manager ever, have you?

Just upon the renew contract, Mr. Mayor, I I don't believe we have, but if if you recall, um it was either on your first or your second meeting, I gave you a copy of, you know, performance evaluation for us to look at at some point. Um so, we have not done it, but and and and I I don't think by passing this um contract stills us from doing all that. We need to do that.

But I think we also need to move forward and send a clear direction that um I just me me one I'm supporting our senior staff and I want to see let the people know uh just as you said the manager is responsible to us and you know we hire them and I think the public want us to uh to make a clear statement. I am that um I think that the person that we have running the city right now um he cares and is concerned about the city and he's wanting to see or to enforce what council wants him to enforce by four of us saying hey this is what we want to see happen um run the city we actually run the city

no under our form of government he runs the day-to-day operations he he um he is the one that's over the employees. We set the policy that he has to carry out. That's all I'm saying. I mean it for us decides I I hear you. Under our form of government, the manager runs the day-to-day operations of the city. I agree. literally the chief executive officer of a 37, but he's enforcing the policies that we put in place that the people ask us to put in place. We don't require, but the city does evaluations for all of its staff annually. No, sir. But we don't hire those those.

No, but it it those people belong to the manager. Those employees belong to the manager. At this point, this is no reflection on Fox as a human being. I like Fox very much as a human being. At this point, I'm not comfortable doing this without city council having an evaluation for the manager. Rolling it over automatically by wrote for a a CEO of a company just doesn't make good sense to me. at the end of the day. We have time between now and either the end of the month or the end of the contract, whatever the case may be, to accomplish that. And I think that would be a good thing for the city to do, for the city council to do, to have that evaluation process before you say, "Here's your contract and your check. Let's have an evaluation and see where we stand."

Well, I'm respons. Yeah, we've had time, Mr. Mayor. Since the second since the second meeting we we met and I suggested one too. I suggested an evaluation process and you were given evaluation uh a form for an evaluation that has sat with you for this entire time and I gave y'all one and and at the end of the day you had as much opportunity to bring this forward as anybody else here. So time out. Time out. Time out.

So here it is. We all we can say we all didn't move forward with it. But at the end of the day, we had time, including yourself and we didn't do it. Okay. So let's just be straight up and be honest about this. And and here it is. I do not believe that we have enough time between now and the time it's time to uh the contract would renew. So, here it is. Let's just put it to a vote. Let this council decide whether we're going to renew this contract or not. And then after that's done, starting as Mr. Render says, in January, we start that evaluation. And then at that time we have enough time to determine whether we want to renew that contract again or not.

I would just add that waiting till January means that we will basically be through 50% of uh whether it's the city managers or the city attorney needs an evaluation too from us. Uh but we're going to be through 50% of their contract before we come up with an evaluation. And then how do we how do we rate them and how do they know what they're going to be rated on? Now, if Mike, please, if you want if you want to vote and get this done today, that's fine. It's the will of council. I get it. But I I think we don't wait on the evaluation. We start working on it now so that both of these men have something in front of them and they know what is expected from them. But I think waiting till January is is

I'm just going on fields. But I I agree with what you're saying is a you know, no problem at all. Is that is a half a bucket. We need to do the whole bucket. Mayor, um, two things. One, I agree with Councilman Mccclure that we need to have our evaluation tool set by July 1. And secondly, I would like to say a vote today is an evaluation. and it is a confirmation that we are moving forward with our city manager for the next year.

And and mayor, I'd only say in closing that my valuation began January 13th or 100 days ago whenever I accepted this role as your council person. Uh I see evidence already of a decreased increase in spending so far this year in the manager's budget. I see an emphasis in capex on the needs versus the wants visa v the fire station. That's how I evaluate not on the two pieces of paper but daily performance. And I disagree with some of the stuff but I agree with largely some of the stuff. And I hate to say stuff. Children don't pay any attention to that verbiage. U but we we each conduct an evaluation daily. I I I trust I mean that's the nature of the jobs we have assumed. So and again this is a wonderful council to work with. I appreciate the debate. It's that's changed and that's largely due to you. So,

thank you. I think we have time. I did suggest an evaluation form as well after Councilman Chestnut provided one. I got no traction on that. We have time to do this in ourselves. So, I this is not a vote against Fox at the end of the day if this is the way it goes. This is a vote against council rushing this to judgment. I agree with Councilman Louderder. We forgive me folks. We beat this horse to death. We know there's going to be a vote. We know that you have at least four votes. Let's go ahead and move forward. Let's work on the evaluations. Uh yeah,

and you know, let's get back to work. Let's get back to what uh the people that that elected us expect of us. Um, yeah, I'm disappointed, but again, it takes uh, as Mr. Chestnut told me my first day on council, he just said four four votes, and that's the way it's going to be. Um, and again, it's no reflects reflection on will or Fox. I really thought we would be having this discussion. We would be talking about an evaluation. We would get that in place before we actually voted on a contract because it's hard to do a They need to be together but and I just said let's vote. So let's vote

and we have time to do that. That's my objection at this point. Okay. Any comments from the public, you all received my emails. I'm not going to beat that to death, but I'm encouraged by a couple of comments here and discouraged by others. Um, it is your responsibility. Your responsibility and the citizens expressed the need for change and part of that change is you taking responsibility. Rushing this through is not taking responsibility. Doing what's right is taking what's responsible. Okay? And we're watching.

Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Alex. Any other comments from the public? All those in favor of the amendment to the motion, please say I. I. Any opposed? I. All those in favor of the motion as amended, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? I. And the motion passes. Mr. Mayor, just for the record, was there only one nay? Two nays. Two nays. Two nays. Okay.

For the reason stated that we have time to do an evaluation. We've had time to do an evaluation. No evaluation was done last year. The conversation didn't happen last year. You've already said that three times. I know. Um motion 26-64, please. Motion 2026-64 to declare certain vehicles abandoned or derelictked pursuant to the authority of article 41 56 South code of laws 2001.

These are Can we see these please? If we can see the motion if we see the vehicles. Is there anybody in the room who has one of these vehicles? Who's the owner of one of these vehicles? Is there a motion to approve? Please. First. Second. Second. Any discussion from council? First. Mike. Mike Louder. Smiling. Mike Louder.

Any discussion from the public? All those in favor of 26-64 to declare certain vehicles abandoned or derelct, please say I. I. And it's approved. Any nays? Non-aggenda items from the public. We have another 30 minute time block on the agenda. Anyone wish to address council who has not signed up? Communications from city boards and commission members. Anybody here? communications from city council and the city manager.

I do have one thing. Um over the weekend I came in contact with a lot of the business owners and um chamber members and I know everybody knows that we've been in discussions talking about the TDF um with the uncertainty of tourism this summer. um they were going to see if perhaps we could postpone any further talks until September perhaps just because they don't know what's going to happen this summer

and they need to focus on their businesses and the chamber and their marketing everything and they just ask that we postpone it for a few a few months but what are we postponing any type of discussions on the TDF on the TDF

till September We the the chamber has invited us to come chat with them about potentially revisiting the percentage allocation in state law so that it would benefit the whole community, provide some additional funding for tourism related capital projects, and potentially create a TDF that other communities across the state could use and get benefit from. Um, we've thrown out numbers and we're not quite of a a mind at this point, so we have some time. Um, I think there was I think it was more it's a courtesy. Sure.

Ju just so they could focus on what they need to for this tourism season and and try to do anything they can because Labor Day from our I'm okay with that. I think let's let's talk about that then. You know, I think 9,000 households might have a problem with that that are affected with this. And I understand timets and you know, when in effect we could affect change, but no, I think the discussion needs to continue in a gentlemanly way. No, it can't get before the general assembly until next

January. Um, it will be end of the legislative session before it becomes law at the end of the day. it wouldn't take effect until some point a year from now. So, we've got a little cushion in there. You need pre-file legislation in December to get moving. Yes. Again, that's just me. The mayor and myself. Don't shoot the messenger. Just not at all. Not at all. brought it up,

but we've not heard uh from the the people in this group uh that are not, you know, municipal uh folks like ourselves. We have not heard from them to slow it down

though. And you know, Dr. Renders, it really is important if we're going to do something, we need to get everything together. no later than December because it's got to be pre-filed. Uh, and once we get an agreement on where we're going to be, then that's going to take a a lot of work to get that language into place. So, and I I hear what they say, but they should, you know, tell them, your friends, that yeah, get out there and focus on the business. We'll do everything possible to help them out, but we need to continue the discussions.

I I think there's a second layer of discussions that does involve us directly that that will be occurring in all likelihood. Um, If we postpone it until after Labor Day, we've got three months to iron out a deal, which I think we can do. We We're still We we we started here, we may be here. We aren't here yet. So, well, just as long as Councilman Bill and Debbie are engaged in this discussion, uh we don't that's all I'll say. Okay. Anybody else? I don't think we slow it down, but again, I've been the naysayer today. Sorry, folks.

And then we've got a Memorial Day America 250 celebration discussion. There's a lot going on during the month of May. May is military appreciation month both here in the city of Myrtle Beach and nationally. Meredith, you want to come forward and talk to us a little bit about that? And then don't forget the police officer memorial ceremony at 10 o'clock this Friday behind this building. It's Mayor's walking down. Just to kind of remind council, Memorial Day is actually two weeks away. Snook up on me. Um so we'll be beginning our preparations actually next week. Um so it dawned on me when Janice said the 18th. I went, "Holy crows, that's next week." So yeah. Yep.

All right. I'm going to keep this pretty brief. Uh, Military Appreciation Days did officially kick off a little earlier than usual this year. We had the JOTC meet on April 25th. It was a great event. We had six schools from Ory and Georgetown County and, um, Myrtle Beach High School won. Per usual. They usually bring home the big trophy. Um, next up, this Thursday actually, um, Saltwater Chamber Orchestra. Not sure if you've heard of them. They are a local group, local musical group, and they had two concerts this year and wanted to be part of our military appreciation day's events. All of these events are free. They have their first patriotic concert this Thursday 6:30 at Risen Christ Lutheran Church. They have another one on Sunday at General Reed Wreck at 4:00. So again, both of those are free events and this is an addition to our usual lineup of Military Appreciation Days events. This Saturday, we actually have SC250 in town and they're going to be at the Military Appreciation Game as well, I'm told, with reenactors and cannons and things like that. So, this is the Pelicans game at 7:05 against the Augusta Green Jackets. There's also a special military card set um of veterans and those veterans are at the game and they're recognized prior to that game. This is usually part of our month of events. We also have the festive brass concert, another free event to the public. We moved it to 7:00 in the evening Friday, May 22nd this year going into Memorial Day weekend. That's also at General Robert Reed Wreck. If you all do remember, Festive Brass recently was invited to go to Normandy to perform for the what was the 80th anniversary of um D-Day in France. So, they're a wonderful group. Another local another local group that we're happy to partner with on all of our events. They'll also be at our Vietnam veterans memorial grand opening and me remembrance ceremony on Memorial Day, which I'll out in a second. So, um one of two biggies this year. So, the former Military Appreciation Days parade is now the America 250 Red,

White, and Remember Parade. Our Military Appreciation Committee did vote on that name, and they were in favor of that name change, and it has totally paid off. As of this morning, we have 75 groups and floats in the parade this sat on that Saturday at the Market Common. We're super excited. I know some of you all are going to be there that day. I think everyone's excited just to wear their red, white, and blue, wave their American flags, and um show appreciation for our military. So again, we're really excited about participation this year. World War II veteran Bob Hirs, also our former mayor, um as of right now, is our grand marshal. So we are very happy and lucky and grateful and all the things to have him that day. And um Ed Petroski at Ed Petroski at WPDE will be minging the parade as he did last year with me. Um that was an old number. I got that update this morning. So it's now 75. Step off is at 10:00 in the morning. It starts at Johnson and Pharaoh, ends at Phyllis and Pharaoh. And we also have about a thousand American flags that we'll be handing out to people there. So super excited. We're super excited for this event. Again, it's Saturday, May 23rd at 10 in the morning. You look like you have a question.

I do. Where is Parade Staging? What What piece of property? Um I want to say it's the Coastal Carolina Realtors area. The same one right down Johnson. Um Amy Lee helps us out and she coordinates that parade. So we're super excited. Any any questions on the parade before I move to the picnic?

And we have all this information. We've been putting it out in our Friday facts talking about on the radio, the news, and it's on our social media pages. Um the picnic is also going to be larger than usual this year. It starts at 11:00 in the morning. We're partnering with Long Bay Symphony. Their brass quintet will be doing patriotic tunes that, you know, will go with the vibe of everything. They also have a few surprises up their sleeve. And also with this one, I am super excited. We're going to be having a mini living history festival with reenactors within the picnic. So, um, we have mostly military personnel from both sides of the Revolutionary War, the South Carolina Continental line, Marian's Patriot Militia, and British forces will set up a small encampment there with visual displays, so it'll be a good program for everybody.

So, we're serving porridge and bangers and mash for the

only if you're serving it up, Mark. Um, we'll we'll see what they all they they've been a fun group to work with. You can you can imagine that they're kind of last second. So they've confirmed a few things. It's still up in the air. What if we have the blacksmiths and the woodworkers there, but that'll be a nice touch um you know for the kids really for all ages. And the Daughters of the American Revolution are also coming out from across the state. They'll be in their full revolutionary get up. So this will be a nice special touch to this event this year. The Omar Shriners are serving a free hamburger hot dog lunch like they always do. We are adding food trucks. That was at the request of the public. Um, they wanted easier access to food. Sometimes that line gets really long and also to be able to have drinks. So, just cross your fingers. We just need good weather

like we did last year. JackPlat Veterans March has moved this year. This was also a committee decision. We didn't want to take away from the Vietnam Veterans Grand opening on Memorial Day, which I'm sure you guys can guess is going to be a huge event we're setting up for more than a thousand people. So they moved it to the ferro Pharaoh Park to Pharaoh Parkway. They're also going to march along the sidewalk so it's a little better when it comes to safety. They're going to start at Valor Memorial Garden, march along the sidewalk to the memorial at Warird Park and then they're just going to stay there and grab their seats and be ready to go because we can anticipate people are going to start showing up probably around 9 9:30 for that 11:00 event. So this is um the Jack Platt Veterans Remembrance March. We do encourage people to bring photos or memorabilia of their veteran or military member to march with in honor of with it being Memorial Day and that starts at 9:30 on Memorial Day. Any questions?

I just want to say, you know, we the public doesn't normally see this, but what Meredith and her team does behind the scenes to make all this come together is absolutely incredible. Thank you. It It's teamwork. It's everybody. It's the parks department. It's the police department. it's the fire department or a team unit. It's public works. Curtis is like my right-hand man right now. So, um, no, it's total teamwork, but I appreciate that you're driving the bus. We know that.

Um, and moving on to the big day. Uh, we're super excited about this. You know, cannot, we are so excited. Um, been working with HGTC to get access to have their parking lots. Of course, parking is going to be a huge worry for how big this event is going to be. We're also working with Coast RTA right now for shuttles. Um, we have a logistical meeting with Troy and George over at the police department to work on the setup and we'll be releasing maps as we get closer to this date of where to park, where the shuttle stops will be. Um, Aaron's got a great relationship with the sign store here and we'll have all the appropriate signage to really make the logistics of this event as easy as possible. We're planning right now to have seating for a thousand people for the grand opening of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. We've already had those logistical meetings and have everything set up. We'll have reserve seating for handicap um of course special um special attendees, city council, um Vietnam veterans of course, and even some World War II veterans who could possibly attend. Bob Hirs also is planning to attend this. So, we'll have at least one World War II veteran there. And we have a ton of local groups, regional groups involved. But we know that so far the news of this event has gone across the state of groups planning to attend. So, it's just a great thing um for the city. I can't speak about it enough. We actually had to have a Vietnam Veterans of America statewide site. They were sneaking in to the construction site to take a picture because people are so excited and it's been really important to the project leaders to keep things a secret. So, they took that down for us. Um just a few things really quick. We have Medal of Honor recipient General James Livingston, Vietnam War veteran, who will be our featured speaker. Really excited for him. Colonel Buddy Styers, of course, will be talking. We also have a um a Myrtle Beach resident who's the a wife of a Vietnam veteran who passed away due to Agent Orange. And yes, and um she'll be speaking as well. We really wanted to bring in that family aspect.

And she's a veteran herself. We have a few members from city council speaking and Chris Miller, our infrastructure project manager, will walk us through building the memorial at this event as well. I went ahead and listed a couple other um local organizations that are involved. That is by no means all of them, but it's going to be a huge event. We're going to have water, snacks, um the whole shebang and it'll be a great time. Um before I move on to 250, any other questions? I just really encourage people to please pay attention to the Friday facts, our social media. Um, I've been on WRNN a lot and all the cumulus stations talking about it, but to help spread the word. We are doing our absolute best to get the word out and to reach all these Vietnam vets, but any way the public can help us to make sure as many as possible know about that, we the event, we really appreciate it. Um, so switching gears now to honoring not only Memorial Day, but also going to America's 250th birthday. Thankfully, it's all patriotic and America related, so they kind of go hand in hand. We already have the 130 military banners up along Harelson Boulevard and Robert Gryom Parkway. We are expecting banners to arrive this week for Valor Memorial Garden, Colonel Styers Park along Frell Parkway, and also Nance Plaza. And there's 66 of those. They'll actually be in the style that you see on the right side of your screen, the America 250, and then just the general America banner. They'll be staggered. So, those will look really nice, especially as we get into CCMF and July 4th and Nance Plaza. Um, I failed to put this on there. There's also going to be bunting, American flag bunting throughout Nance Plaza, also on Ocean Boulevard. I think some Skywheel people are still here in the audience, so I know that makes them happy. And that bunting will go up after CCMF and be up through July. And that's really been Troy's baby. Um, I've also worked with Troy. We're going to have roughly a hundred flags along the boardwalk. It'll be 50 state flags, 27 different US flags, similar to the Field of Honor flags. It's like our flag through the

years, and then various America 250 designs. Um, I've also worked with Brian Schmidt. He's actually really been the head of this one. I'm not sure if he's here, but we're going to be doing a temporary American art installation in Nance Alley. It's already been ordered. We're just waiting for it to get here. Um, this is very much a a trial thing. They're they're throughout Europe. They've been in some of the big cities here, Chicago and New York. So, we're going to try it out here in Myrtle Beach. And it's we haven't seen anything like this before. So, we're really excited for it. Um it should last about four to six months depending on any storms that we get, but we're really excited for this. It's going to be a great photo op as we get into um June and July. And that's all I have.

Thank you. Thank you. All right. I can actually walk in the Jack Platt thing, go home and change clothes and come back for the Vietnam Memorial. That'll be great. So, thanks. Thanks, M. Motion to adjourn. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor of adjournment, please say I. I. Thank you. Why did you say this had to change? You were tricking me.