Heroin and opioid abuse is a national health crisis, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. Sadly, Horry and Georgetown Counties have not been exempt from this epidemic, which is why local governments and the medical community are joining forces to find solutions.
Nearly five years ago, Myrtle Beach voters approved a referendum supporting a performing arts center next to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. The referendum would have allowed the city to issue $10 million in general obligation bonds for construction (and a tax increase to repay the bonds), but the city has not done so.
The City of Myrtle Beach hopes to establish a voluntary diversion program for those people who are homeless and find themselves in trouble with the law. The goal is to provide real help for individuals, especially repeat offenders, instead of just issuing more fines or jail sentences.
A relatively new program in Myrtle Beach allows the public to help with beautification, virtually city-wide. Called “Myrtle Beach in Bloom,” it allows organizations, businesses and community groups to sponsor and maintain public property landscapes. In return, the visual improvements feature signage with the sponsor’s name and “Myrtle Beach in Bloom” logo.
The Myrtle Beach City Council has an important decision to make about the Tourism Development Fee, or TDF. Local businesses and homeowners have benefited mightily from the fee since its implementation in late 2009. Now, with the 10 year anniversary approaching, City Council must decide whether and how to renew the Tourism Development Fee.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the Myrtle Beach City Council approved an access and decorum policy for all City Council meetings, as well as meetings of other city boards, commissions and committees. The resolution encourages appropriate and even passionate expression of all points of view; however, Council recognizes that expressions in a public meeting should be reasonable and civil.
First impressions send a message, and we want the message to be that Ocean Boulevard and areas east of Kings Highway are fun, inviting places for our millions of visitors to explore. Most property owners understand the importance of keeping their property clean, free of trash and weeds, and well-maintained, but a little extra effort goes a long way.
Here’s your chance to be an informed resident of your community. Make plans to attend City Day from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Saturday, February 3, at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Admission is free, of course, and the parking is complimentary, too.
As we begin 2018, the City of Myrtle Beach is poised to welcome a new mayor, one returning Council member and two new Council members to four-year terms. This orderly transition of power – one of the hallmarks of our democracy – will occur at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 9, in the Ted C. Collins Law Enforcement Center.
Myrtle Beach City Manager John Pedersen presented City Council with a market rate adjustment pay plan for certified police positions during Tuesday’s City Council workshop. The plan addresses the dual needs of recruitment and retention for police personnel by bringing police compensation in line with – and ultimately ahead of – the city’s competing law enforcement agencies.
