RESULTS: November 16 City Council Meeting

During the November 16 North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, Oaths of Office were taken by J.O Baldwin III (Crescent Beach Ward), Fred Coyne (Cherry Grove Ward), and Hank Thomas (At Large). The Councilmen will each serve another four year term on City Council.

City Attorney Chris Noury administered the oath of office to the three Councilmen. Rachel Stanley held a Bible for Councilman Fred Coyne. Reverend Michael Ritter held a Bible for Councilman Hank Thomas. James Baldwin held a Bible for Councilman J.O. Baldwin III.

L-R: City Attorney Chris Noury, Rachel Stanley, Councilman Fred Coyne, Reverend Michael Ritter, Councilman Hank Thomas, Councilman J.O. Baldwin III, James Baldwin.

Mayor Marilyn Hatley issued a Proclamation declaring December 4, 2015 to be Arbor Day in North Myrtle Beach.

Arbor Day can be traced back to 1872 when J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees. This was called Arbor Day, and the day was observed with the planting of more than one million trees in that state.

Mayor Hatley’s Proclamation reminds us that trees can reduce erosion of topsoil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen and provide wildlife with habitat.

L-R- Mayor Marilyn Hatley, Urban Forester Lois Edwards, Parks Superintendent Jim Grainger, and Tree City Board Members Dee Meyers, Tom Walker (Chairman) and Ron Bruce following the reading of Mayor Hatley’s Arbor Day Proclamation and a presentation to the City by Lois Edwards of its 10th  Tree City USA award.

Trees are also a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our home, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products. Trees in North Myrtle Beach can increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas and beautify the community. Community forests also offer some protection to life and property from damage caused by low-category hurricanes and tropical storms.

For the 10th consecutive year the City of North Myrtle Beach was presented with a Tree City USA award from The Tree City USA® program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. The program provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities that more than 135 million Americans call home.

Employee Longevity Awards were presented to Fleet Management Supervisor Delton Grissett (40 years of service), Engineering Assistant Terrence Burns (10 years), and Public Safety Officer Tom Bruce (5 years) for their valued service to city residents, businesses, and visitors.

L-R: City Manager Mike Mahaney with Longevity Award winners Delton Grissett, Tom Bruce, Terrence Burns

City Council passed second (final) reading of a request to amend the North Beach Plantation Planned Development District (PDD). David Stradinger, authorized agent for NB Villas Holding Company, LLC, submitted documents to amend the existing PDD (dated April 10, 2015 and approved June l, 2015), to account for development of what is now being called Phase III Tower, also known as the Oceanfront Villas, within the "Oceanfront Towers" Neighborhood. The approved amendments include a total of 120 units, the same building height as originally approved, 773 parking spaces, an outdoor pool instead of an indoor waterpark, and the existing fountains remain intact.

Council passed a motion to approve the North Myrtle Beach Christmas Parade, which will be held Saturday, December 5, at 5:30pm on Main Street.

Council passed first reading of an ordinance to lease space to Cellco Partnership/Verizon Wireless on buildings, facilities and real property owned by the City for the placement of small cell communications equipment.

The suggested term of the master lease is 25 years. The suggested term for each supplement to the master lease is

five years. Each supplement to the master lease agreement would automatically be extended for four additional five year terms, unless the Lessee (Verizon) terminates at the end of the then-current term by giving the City written notice of its intent at least three months prior to the end of the then-current term.

The annual rental amount for each supplement would be $1,200. For each renewal term, rental payments would increase at the beginning of each supplement term by an amount equal to five percent of the rental payments in effect for the immediately preceding term.