Politics

Myrtle Beach City Council – A Glimmer of Hope

A glimmer of hope made its way into the Myrtle Beach City Council deliberations on ordinances aimed at Atlantic Beach Bikefest.

At its regular meeting Tuesday, Myrtle Beach City Council tabled an ordinance specifically defining riots as three or more persons acting together.

Additionally, Myrtle Beach City Council amended its extraordinary event ordinance, before passing second reading, to eliminate some of the more ridiculous restrictions previously contained in the ordinance.

Now, over Memorial Day weekend, you can walk your dog or carry a cooler without worry of being arrested.

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Overseeing Horry County Department of Airports

Oversight of the Horry County Department of Airports may change based on an ordinance that will be considered by the county’s Administration Committee.

The ordinance, if approved by Horry County Council, would eliminate the Horry County Airport Advisory Board.

The Airport Advisory Board is appointed by Horry County Council. It meets once a month to provide input and recommendations to council about airport matters.

In the past, the Airport Advisory Board has been a rubber stamp for airport staff and Horry County Council, especially on issues like new terminals at Myrtle Beach International Airport. Frankly, it failed to perform its advisory oversight mission.

More recently, however, it was questions by several board members that led to not tearing down portions of the old terminal complex at the airport.

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Singling Out Atlantic Beach Bikefest Crowds

We are being told by local officials that plans are ready for the crowds attending Atlantic Beach Bikefest over Memorial Day weekend.

You can see headlines like – “Hundreds of officers, thousands of barricades…to fill the streets.” And verbiage about the traffic loop, increased police presence, new restrictive laws and new equipment and technology all for Memorial Day weekend.

All this money, planning and effort wouldn’t have stopped the killings that made national headlines last year nor will they stop two gangs coming up here from the Charleston area and using Ocean Boulevard as a shooting gallery if they wish to this year.

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Bureaucracy to prevail at expense of the taxpayer

Critical Week Upcoming in SC General Assembly

This is the final week to get bills passed in one chamber of the SC General Assembly for the other chamber to debate them without a two-thirds vote.

In other words, this is the week bills effectively die for this year.

And with the rush to keep legislation alive, I believe road funding will become a dead issue for this year. H 3579 has passed the House, but includes an approximately $400 million tax increase. The Senate is probably amenable to a tax increase for road maintenance.

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Myrtle Beach International Airport

Horry County Council Delays Airport Work

I was happy to see Horry County Council table a budget amendment Tuesday for façade work on the old passenger terminal at Myrtle Beach International Airport.

The action keeps $3.5 million from being spent needlessly since plans for what to do with that portion of the old terminal don’t exist.

Saving $3.5 million is a drop in the bucket of money that has been spent needlessly at the airport over the last 15-20 years.

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Coast RTA 4th Quarter Funding Approved

Coast RTA will receive its 4th quarter funding from Horry County despite not completing some required tasks in its funding agreement with the county.

However, if Horry County Council comments Tuesday night were any indication, it is still unclear if Coast RTA will receive the same level, or any, funding from the county in the new fiscal year that begins July 1, 2015.

By an 8-3 vote, council followed the suggestion of council chairman Mark Lazarus to release 4th quarter funding “for the public’s benefit, for riders and for employees (of Coast RTA).”

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SC House Amends Roads Bill

SC House members amended their road maintenance bill last week to allow county councils the choice of whether to take over maintenance of current state roads.

Instead of County Transportation Committees as first included in the bill (H 3579), it will now be county councils that have the choice whether to accept maintenance responsibility for roads within the county now in the state system.

It would be nice to see County Transportation Committees disbanded with gas tax rebates (C Funds) from the state to the counties directly disbursed to county governments.

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Interview with Jeb Bush Jr.

I had the opportunity to speak with Jeb Bush, Jr. one of the more polished minds in the public arena about how youth could be involved in the political process and what to expect after Obama maybe even from his own dad Jeb Bush.

His name is Jeb Bush Jr. As you will see after you read thru this Q&A, Jeb Jr. is not focused on politics. He is attentive to uplifting every American to be better off than they were after the changes are made.

He is dedicated to carrying the people’s interests and reconstructing the American dream based upon the new issues that we face day in and day out. Enjoy.

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Desperate Preparations for Atlantic Beach Bikefest

Two Ordinances aimed at the Atlantic Beach Bikefest and passed first reading by Myrtle Beach City Council appear acts of desperation.

Called the extraordinary events and public peace act ordinances, they could be lumped together under the title “Gall Doctrine” after Myrtle Beach Police Chief Warren Gall.

Why acts of desperation?

Randy Webster, Director of Horry County Emergency Management, was quoted in local media as calling Atlantic Beach Bikefest an uncontrollable event. Webster went on to say with all the planning that has gone into Bikefest “it’s still uncontrollable.”

With Myrtle Beach as the epicenter for the crowds that come to Bikefest and with planners calling the event uncontrollable, passing what amounts to de facto martial law ordinances was the answer from Myrtle Beach City Council.

Or are there ulterior motives?

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Myrtle Beach City Council Mental Breakdown

Myrtle Beach City Council passed first reading of an ordinance Tuesday aimed at controlling Atlantic Beach Bikefest crowds.

The ordinance can only be described as the result of an apparent collective mental breakdown on the part of Myrtle Beach city officials.

Supposedly for use during “extraordinary events”, the ordinance specifically names Memorial Day weekend as an extraordinary event, thereby establishing de facto martial law in Myrtle Beach for that weekend.

Among other things, the ordinance allows the city manager to close private businesses, require private property owners to employ private security, close public streets and makes the possession of a number of objects, some as innocuous as backpacks, coolers, bottles and pets, violations subject to arrest.

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