Four North Myrtle Beach City Employees Earn Awards

Left to right: City Manager Mike Mahaney, Timothy Wagner,
John Griffin, Davis Livingston, and Lent William

During the October 21 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting, four City employees received Longevity Awards. Longevity Awards go in five-year increments to employees who consistently provide excellent customer service.

The award winners are Operations Manager/Solid Waste Lent Williams (40 years of service), Superintendent/Pumping Stations Davis Livingston (35), Sergeant John Griffin (15), and Heavy Equipment Operator Timothy Wagner (5).

North Myrtle Beach City Council Recognizes Team Shark 843

Mayor Marilyn Hatley joins team members for a celebratory photo

During their October 21 meeting, City Council members recognized Team Shark 843 for its recent team and individual performances at the wakeboard nationals.

The successful team represents Shark Wake Park 843 located on the lake at the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex.

Team members appearing at the Council meeting included Charlie Pfahler, Will Hall, Ethan Bellamy, Kyle Bohack, Regan Bohack and Jake Bohack.

Results - October 21 North Myrtle Beach City Council Meeting

City Council approved a special event permit for the annual North Myrtle Beach Christmas Parade scheduled for Saturday, December 7, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on Main Street. The North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and the City of North Myrtle Beach work together to present and manage the annual parade. City Council passed second (final) reading of an ordinance amending section 7-172, Form and Condition of Permit, regarding sidewalk cafes. To satisfy concerns raised by SLED and the S.C. Department of Revenue, Section 7-172(12) of the City’s Code of Ordinances now reads: “The serving and consumption of beer, wine and liquor in the sidewalk encroachment pursuant to this article is limited to patrons within the sidewalk encroachment area designated for the permittee.” The City also amended Section 7-172 to add subsection (13) which provides: “All tables authorized for use in the sidewalk encroachment area shall have non-moveable signage, which is permanently affixed to the table and visible to all, which identifies the table as belonging to the business for which the encroachment permit has been issued. The area of the sidewalk authorized for use as a sidewalk café shall be designated and marked by the City. All tables, chairs and or other items authorized to be placed within the designated encroachment area shall remain at all times within the designated encroachment area of the sidewalk.” City Council removed from the table and postponed until after a soon-to-be scheduled Council workshop second reading of an ordinance to amend the Robber’s Roost Planned Development District (PDD), revising standards for the Neighborhood Overlay Zone pertaining to porches and recessed garages. At City Council’s previous meeting, at the applicant’s request, City Council tabled second reading of the proposed ordinance. The amendment would affect the residential portion of the PDD. The proposed amended architectural standards would: -- Delete the requirement for garage doors to be recessed from the front facade, allowing garage doors to protrude forward from the front facade no more than two feet. -- Require a minimum of 24 feet of driveway between any garage door and the front property line. -- Revise the minimum width of porches to require 25 percent of the frontage of the facade facing the street or a six-foot minimum when a third garage bay is part of the home design. City Council passed first reading of an ordinance to amend Chapter 21, Article II, Section 21-40 - Annual Parking Fee Exemption, to include parking decal placement specifications. Parking decal placement is problematic for parking enforcement personnel due to inconsistent placement and failure to use provided adhesive by some vehicle and golf cart owners. There is no legal provision to for the City to issue a citation for either violation, and there is no effective way to encourage compliance. The proposed ordinance would require that decals for all personal vehicles be located and adhered, adhesive side to designated surface and area, as follows: -- Regular vehicles to the inside of the windshield, on the driver’s side, in the bottom part of the window -- Motorcycles with windshields to the outside of the windshield, in the bottom left corner -- Motorcycles without windshields to the fork -- Golf carts with windshields to the outside of the front windshield, on the driver’s side, in the bottom part of the window. -- Golf carts without windshields to the front of the cart beside the state decal. During the meeting, Mayor Marilyn Hatley appointed a committee comprised of Mike Bessant, Kevin Blayton, Pete Brooks, Bob Cavanaugh and Rob Kayton to develop a plan for educating residents, businesses and visitors about the City’s ordinance prohibiting the sale, use or distribution of single-use carryout plastic bags by retail establishments within North Myrtle Beach. The ordinance goes into effect January 1, 2021. City Councilman Bob Cavanaugh serves as chairman of the committee.

North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Presents Mini Golf Trophy to City Council Team

During the October 21 City Council meeting, North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Cheryl Kilday and North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Director of Public Relations & Governmental Affairs Pete Brooks presented City Council members J.O. Baldwin, Bob Cavanaugh, Fred Coyne and Nicole Fontana with a trophy for their second place finish in the October 8 Hole in Fun Mini Golf Charity Tournament.

Left to right Pete Brooks, Cheryl Kilday, Nicole Fontana,
Fred Coyne, J.O. Baldwin, Bob Cavanaug

The tournament benefits the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

This was the first time the City entered a team in the fundraising event.

North Myrtle Beach November 5 General Election Information

PLEASE NOTE: If you are registered to vote in North Myrtle Beach in this election, be aware that all precincts vote for all candidates. Example: If you live in Cherry Grove, you may vote for the candidate of your choice in the Cherry Grove Ward, the candidate of your choice in the Crescent Beach Ward, and the At-Large candidate of your choice. You are not limited to voting only for a candidate who represents the Ward where you reside.

The general election for North Myrtle Beach is November 5, 2019.

The following offices shall be included in this election:

-- Council Member Crescent Beach Ward -- 2019-2023

-- Council Member Cherry Grove Ward -- 2019-2023

-- Council Member At-Large -- 2019-2023

The polling places are as follows:

-- Windy Hill 1 Precinct- Windy Hill Fire Station # 3 (33rd Avenue South)

-- Windy Hill 2 Precinct- Fire Station # 5 (Barefoot Resort)

-- Crescent Beach Precinct- J. Bryan Floyd Community Center (Possum Trot Road)

-- Ocean Drive 1 Precinct- Fire Station #1 (2nd Avenue South)

-- Ocean Drive 2 Precinct - St. Stephens Episcopal Church- (11th Avenue North)

-- Cherry Grove 1 Precinct- Chapel By The Sea Church (Sea Mountain Highway)

-- Cherry Grove 2 Precinct - Fire Station # 4 (Little River Neck Road)

As previously announced, the deadline for registering to vote in this election was October 5, 2019. If you have questions about the voter registration process, contact Horry County Voter Registration: 843-915-5440.

The polls open at 7:00 a.m. on Election Day and close at 7:00 p.m.

This is a nonpartisan election and no party affiliation shall be placed on the ballot.

The Municipal Election Committee at the close of the polls will count absentee ballots at City Hall.

The Commission will meet at City Hall at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday November 7, 2019 to certify the election and determine the validity of ballots challenged in this election. Any runoff will be held two weeks after the election on Tuesday November 19, 2019.

Sensory-friendly Family Fun Weekend on the Grand Strand November 15-17, 2019

A WEEKEND OF SENSORY-FRIENDLY EVENTS AND FUN FOR CAN FAMILIES NEAR AND FAR!

NOVEMBER 15TH 4:00 PM – NOVEMBER 17TH 11:00 AM

Friday evening join us for a pool party at Harbour Lights – play, splash, eat and mingle.

• 8-11 am Saturday morning is sensory-friendly Dave & Busters
• 9-11am Saturday morning sensory-friendly Ripley’s Aquarium
• 1-3 pm Saturday is sensory-friendly Christmas on Ice show.  Click HERE to purchase tickets.
• 7-8 pm Saturday evening is s’mores at Harbour Lights
• 9-11 am Sunday is sensory-friendly shopping at Tanger Outlets with holiday sales and activities for the kids.
• 4-close Sunday is Sensory Night at Wonderworks

For more details visit: https://championautismnetwork.com/myrtle-beach-autism-events/

North Myrtle Beach Receives $1.2 Million FEMA Safer Grant

The City of North Myrtle Beach applied for, was awarded and has accepted a $1,258,096.20 Department of Homeland Security FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant.

The purpose of the SAFER Grant Program is to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards, attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments.

Under the SAFER Grant program, the City will hire 12 firefighters.

The City will receive its SAFER Grant funds over three years in these amounts:

1.    $510,039

2.    $510,039

3.    $238,018.20

In keeping with Safer Grant requirements, the City will contribute these amounts over three years:

1.    $170,013

2.    $170,013

3.    $442,033.80

“The SAFER Grant will be very helpful in continuing to advance fire operations in our popular and growing community,” said Fire Chief Garry Spain.