Monday, Oct. 26, 2009

Myrtle Beach mayor candidates offer goals, plans

Here's how the Myrtle Beach mayoral candidates responded to a series of questions about the city.

Beatrice Catalano

1. What are your goals and priorities for the city?

My main project for the city will be to bring tourists back to Myrtle Beach to support our businesses and put people back to work.

2. What about the city is working well?

Nothing. Need drastic change to bring business back, bring back bikers, Shriners, church groups, shaggers, the Sun Fun and Pavilion.

3. What about the city is not working well, and how would you fix it?

Marketing, tourism, jobs, taxes [the citizens' right to vote], crime, and the way to fix these issues would be marketing, bring back the magic, let the citizens have a say-so in their community.

Bill Howard

1. What are your goals and priorities for the city?

The re-establishment of small business as a jobs incubator for our economy is important. This will also address or help address other issues, such as unemployment, redevelopment of blighted or vacant areas, and security in surrounding neighborhoods. I would also strive for inclusion and empowerment to every area of our city and work to more equitably deliver governmental services such as public safety. To be a world-class resort, we must also be a world-class place to live.

2. What about the city is working well?

Most of our city employees are dedicated and loyal public servants. Our emergency management system works extremely well, particularly the cleanup after a storm. The planning staff does a good job of guiding growth through the implementation of our comprehensive masterplan. As the current zoning re-write proceeds, care and monitoring of this process is critical from council's role as policymakers.

3. What about the city is not working well, and how would you fix it?

One person, whether mayor or council member, is not capable of "fixing" anything alone. Moving forward in any direction or any issue will require a healing process to get beyond the wounds created by the last several administrations. A mayor or council willing to empower the residents, business owners, working public and taxpayers through inclusion, attitude and a simple willingness to listen will go along way. We have to find a more equitable way to serve the entire city with services and amenities. We should encourage, in whatever means possible, the creation of small business and entrepreneurship. I believe the City Council could benefit from a complete analysis of our public safety department from an efficiency and service delivery perspective. We must do everything possible to ensure a safe environment in our homes, businesses, neighborhoods and areas frequented by our visitors. And finally, a mayor should be able to build consensus among the electorate and among council. It is only then that Myrtle Beach can truly claim its rightful place on the stage with the premier cities in S.C. and the premier resorts in the U.S.

Mark Struthers McBride

1. What are your goals and priorities for the city?

A. Support tourism;

B. no ad tax;

C. reduce crime;

D. unify the city, not just the City Council;

E. Positively promote the city with a "friendly" environment

2. What about the city is working well?

We still have visitors in spite of all the negative actions taken by the current mayor and council.

3. What about the city is not working well, and how would you fix it?

The city has been divided with the current mayor and council. If this is what the citizens believe and disagree with it, then they must elect new leadership.

Matthew McCarty

1. What are your goals and priorities for the city?

I want to continue to strongly promote tourism. I want to help bring more year-round business to the area that offers full-time jobs to our residents. I want to see to it that the current 1 percent ad tax goes on a referendum. Our citizens deserve a chance to decide on that issue for themselves. I want to develop the downtown area and the old mall site into attractions that will draw more tourism and promote business growth. I want to change the council meetings to the evening so that more working citizens can attend the meetings.

2. What about the city is working well?

We have a beautiful, well maintained and manicured city. We have fantastic police and fire departments that do a great job. Our parks and recreation seem to constantly be improving.

3. What about the city is not working well, and how would you fix it?

The ad tax should have never happened without a vote by the people, so I will fight to have it placed on a referendum. I agree with the idea of promoting the entire city by mass advertising, but so far I think we are giving too much responsibility to the Chamber of Commerce to do so. I would like to see the city be more of a watchdog when it comes to our tax money and how it is spent. I also feel that the city needs to improve the way that we all work together on achieving a common goal. I feel that all contributors to our cities economy need to be given a forum where they can be heard without confrontation. We spend too much time fighting over who will suffer the most and we lose sight of how the city can benefit from good ideas. As mayor, I would offer a monthly town hall meeting at different locations where anyone who lives or works in the city could ask questions and share their thoughts.

Mayor John Rhodes

1. What are your goals and priorities for the city?

The city has accomplished much in the past four years. It's my intention to continue working toward retaining and increasing jobs in Myrtle Beach; to continue to attack crime; to promote Myrtle Beach nationwide and make more people aware of what the city has to offer; and continue to be an ambassador for the city of Myrtle Beach.

2. What about the city is working well?

The council and the administrative and city staff work well together for the betterment of the city; we are transparent with our city finances; we've been able to start the construction of the new boardwalk ahead of the anticipated starting time; we've worked closely with the county to begin construction of the Harrelson Boulevard extension; we worked closely with Horry County Schools to renovate and improve the Doug Shaw Stadium complex for our children and the citizens of Myrtle Beach; we completed The Market Common and are well on the way to completing the new recreation complex that especially serves south-end residents; the city has a balanced budget despite the recession; we have better city finances; and this administration has been able to increase the city's credit rating.

3. What about the city is not working well, and how would you fix it?

There are some projects and goals that must move to the front of the list, including the city and local business owners getting together to brainstorm ideas that would help spark even more redevelopment downtown and draw more people. Part of that discussion has to include how to finance any plans we come up with, too. We also need more parking for day-trippers and residents, but we need to find property to invest in that will benefit everyone. The city needs to be part of the cleanup of Withers Swash, and to put the funding in the budget for this project. We need more stormwater outfalls, and we need to get federal funding for them.