Tag: Horry County Council

Coast RTA Funding in Jeopardy

Funding for Coast RTA was almost removed from the Horry County budget for next fiscal year during last week’s Horry County Council budget retreat.

A motion to remove funding from Coast RTA was made and seconded and was only stopped by the intervention of council chairman Mark Lazarus.

Lazarus convinced his fellow council members the most recent Coast RTA update on its funding agreement with Horry County should be heard by the Administration Committee before a vote to remove the agency funding is considered.

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Changes Coming in Horry County Police Funding?

If Horry County budget discussions are any indication, it appears changes will be made in the way the Horry County Police Department is funded.

That appears to be the sentiment of a majority of council members after this week’s Horry County Council budget retreat.

The exact change is not certain at this time, but the establishment of a special tax district in the

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Horry County Council and Police Funding

One of the most important items Horry County Council will study at its budget retreat next week is future funding for the Horry County Police Department.

Council chairman Mark Lazarus recently directed county staff to study the possibility of establishing a special purpose tax district for police funding, similar to the method in which the Horry County Fire Department is funded.

The results of that study are expected to be ready for the Horry County Council budget retreat.

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Waste Stream Diversion and the HCSWA

The HCSWA (Horry County Solid Waste Authority) will begin an intensified study of diversion of its waste stream in the upcoming fiscal year.

The first step in this study will be the inclusion of $50,000 in the HCSWA budget for a detailed study of the components of Horry County’s municipal solid waste (MSW) stream.

When that study is completed, it is anticipated the HCSWA will issue some type of request for companies interested in being involved in this diversion process to respond.

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Mark Lazarus on Paying for Police Services

During a council workshop Tuesday, Horry County Council chairman Mark Lazarus warned of a future tax increase to pay for increased needs for police services.

“As we continue to grow, the issues at public safety are going to continue to grow,” said Lazarus. “We’re going to need more personnel and it’s going to grow at a faster pace than our income is growing.”

Lazarus directed staff to study the possibility of establishing a special tax district in the unincorporated areas of the county to fund the police department similar to the way Horry County fire department personnel and equipment are currently funded.

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HCSWA Waste Stream Study Planned

The Horry County Solid Waste Authority (HCSWA) is budgeting $50,000 net fiscal year to study the components in its waste stream.

The results of the study will be used as a basis for the HCSWA to issue either a request for qualifications or proposals from firms interested in helping save airspace at the HCSWA landfill on Hwy 90.

The more airspace that can be saved by diverting waste from being buried in the landfill, the longer the life of the landfill can be extended.

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Atlantic Beach Bikefest Plan Incomplete

Two months before the next Memorial Day weekend Atlantic Beach Bikefest and planning is still incomplete in what should be the most important planning areas.

Horry County Council heard a briefing on plans for the weekend from Horry County Emergency Management Department head Randy Webster at its regular meeting Tuesday night.

Included in Webster’s briefing were details such as 600 out-of-area law enforcement personnel will be on hand to help with weekend; magistrate courts will be open extra hours to keep the detainee population at J. Reuben Long Detention Center manageable and the traffic loop.

Sounds like a lot of arrests are planned.

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A Lesson from the AvCraft Experience

The final curtain is coming down on AvCraft Technical Services in a couple of weeks leaving behind an important political lesson that will soon be forgotten.

That lesson? Never, never, never believe a politician’s (or their associates’) claims about economic development and/or job creation.

AvCraft was first introduced to Horry County in 2003 by, then, Horry County Council candidate Joe DeFeo.

AvCraft had just forfeited economic development incentive payments for failing to reach job creation promises at its location in Tyler, Texas and was looking for fresh government dollars. DeFeo was looking for an issue that could help him win election to Horry County Council District Three.

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Local Officials Look at HCSWA Waste Diversion

Recent discussions about waste stream diversion at the Horry County Solid Waste Authority (HCSWA) have spurred some local officials to look into the process.

One example is Aynor mayor Keb Johnson, who is also serving as chairman of the League of Cities this year.

The League of Cities membership is composed of the mayors from the eight incorporated municipalities in Horry County. The League of Cities nominates three members to the HCSWA board and is kept apprised of policies and other decisions of the HCSWA.

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Myrtle Beach International Airport

Myrtle Beach International Airport Old Terminal Rehab Costs

The cost of renovating the old terminal at Myrtle Beach International Airport should raise questions among limited government proponents.

Now estimated at approximately $10 million, the cost includes $3.5 million for a new glass front to the building, according to several sources.

But, rising costs on airport projects are nothing new at Myrtle Beach International Airport.

The real question is do we need to spend this money?

What is ironic about the old terminal project is that the planned renovations now include work that county officials were once told could not be done on that structure.

County officials were told in early 2008 that expansion work and interior renovations on the old terminal building would not meet new building code requirements and could not be done.

So the new east side terminal and its passenger gates were built and the old terminal is being renovated to open two new passenger gates to handle all of the new passengers flying to Myrtle Beach.

But, that is not happening.

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