City manager recognizes employees for work

During the May 20 North Myrtle Beach City Council meeting, City Planner Dawn Snider was named Employee of the Month. Dawn joined the City in February 2001 as a planning technician and now works as a planner in the planning and development department. She also assists the city clerk with City Council meeting packets, meetings and meeting minutes. She is always willing to help, while also accomplishing her planning duties with excellence.

During the meeting, two city employees received Employee Longevity Awards. Earning awards were Assistant Clerk of Court Tracy Scola (10 years of service) and Pump Mechanic I Todd Massey (5 years). Longevity Awards are given in five-year increments to employees who consistently provide excellent customer service.

Scola began working for the City as a part-time information services computer technician. She became a full-time assistant clerk of court in May 2009. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two Great Pyrenees, going to the beach and traveling.

Massey began working for the city in 2014 as a Pump Mechanic I in the wells and lifts division of the public works department, a position he holds today. Todd and his wife, LaRinda, have a grown son and daughter and six grandchildren. He enjoys tending honeybees.

City Council approved a request for a special event permit submitted by the Northern South Carolina Eastern Surfing Association for the Anderson Estep Cherry Grove Surfing Championship on June 1, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 21st Avenue South. The annual event honors the memory and enthusiasm for surfing of Anderson Estep, who in 2013 at the age of 19 never returned to shore after he went surfing in waves brought to the area by Tropical Storm Andrea.

City Council approved a request for a special event permit submitted by the North Myrtle Beach Parks & Recreation Department for the Music on Main concert series, which offers free concerts every Thursday, May 16 – September 26, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Horseshoe on Main Street. Coastal Carolina National Bank (CCNB) sponsors Music on Main.

City Council passed second (final) reading of an ordinance setting the property tax levy at 37.1 mils for FY 2020, a decrease of 6.2 mils over the current fiscal year. The 6.2 mils was an eight-year property tax levy used to purchase land for and construct the very successful North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex. The members of City Council promised at that time to remove the 6.2 mils once the $15 million bond issue for the park and sports complex is paid. That has occurred and City Council kept its promise. The property tax levy provides for the single largest revenue source within the general fund budget.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance adopting the FY 2020 budget. The budget is $91.6 million, about $4.6 million less than the current fiscal year. The budget is available for review at www.NMB.us under Press Releases on the homepage and under Finance Department in the drop-down menu. The finance department section of the website also includes copies of city budgets dating back to FY 2008.

City Council passed second reading of a proposed ordinance amending Section 21, Article II, Traffic, Stopping, Standing and Parking. Given the large number of amendments contained in this ordinance, the city recommends readers visit www.nmb.us and, under Agendas on the homepage, review the ordinance as contained in the May 20 meeting agenda packet.

City Council passed second reading of a proposed ordinance amending Section 19, Streets, Sidewalks, and Other Public Ways allowing for immediate removal of all obstructions from public rights-of-way in the city. Given the large number of amendments contained in this ordinance, the city recommends readers visit www.nmb.us and, under Agendas on the homepage, review the ordinance as contained in the May 20 meeting agenda packet.

City Council passed second reading of an ordinance allowing a property exchange between the city and MIG Ocean Sands (MIG). The exchange enables the city to join together two pieces of land in order to expand public parking opportunities.

The city owns a parcel of property of about 0.12 acres identified as TMS # 144-13-38-013 located at 1520 South Ocean Boulevard, currently used as a public parking lot. MIG owns a parcel of property of about 0.14 acres identified as TMS # 144-13-38-005 located at 1514 South Ocean Boulevard. MIG has requested that the city convey its lot to MIG and, in exchange, MIG will convey its lot to the city.

The consideration for the transaction is the exchange of property and neither party will pay additional funds to the other.

City Council passed first reading of an ordinance to amend the Robber’s Roost Planned Development District (PDD) by revising the Coastal North Town Center pylon sign.

The Robber’s Roost PDD is located on Highway 17 North between 11th Avenue North and Starwatch Drive. The PDD was originally entitled in 2009 but a major 2013 amendment significantly revised it.

The original PDD included a large clock tower sign defining the Town Center as a gateway element of the city. The 2013 revision transformed the architectural structure to a more traditional pylon sign with a clock and fountain. However, operational problems have plagued the clock and fountain since construction.

Proposed revisions to the sign include updating the pylon sign by removing the clock tower and repairing the siding to match existing siding, removing the fountain and fountain jets, and removing Town Center lettering and replacing it with Coastal North lettering. The existing fountain basin would become a planter featuring Dwarf Fountain Grass Hameln and trailing Asian Star Jasmine over the planter wall.