North Myrtle Beach City Manager Faces Council Scandal and Paid Leave Decision

North Myrtle Beach in a Bit of a Tussle Over City Manager

North Myrtle Beach, you might want to grab your morning coffee and sit down because things just got a little spicy at the city council! Last night, City Manager Mike Mahaney, who has been at the helm since 2010, found himself in a bit of a bind after the council voted 5-2 to place him on paid administrative leave. The big question hanging in the air is whether he’ll be sticking around or if city leaders are working on a “goodbye” card for him.

What’s the Scoop?

So, here’s the scoop: during a special meeting on Thursday night, the council voted to put Mahaney on leave while they decide if he should continue in his role. Now, we know that council members Fred Coyne and Nikki Fontana stood by Mahaney, but the rest of the crew seemed ready to move on. As for the Mayor, Marilyn Hatley, and her compadres, they weren’t keen on chatting about the decision, citing advice from the city attorney to steer clear of personal discussions.

Mahaney, however, is not one to back down easily. He plans to appeal the council’s decision. He mentioned that he feels the reasons for his potential dismissal are a bit out there, particularly the claim that he didn’t pursue hiring a grants coordinator, despite encouragement from multiple council members.

What’s Behind the Back and Forth?

Now, if you’re scratching your head wondering what the big deal is, Mahaney has some interesting points. He sent out an email earlier this year saying that while he, along with a couple of other team members, thought hiring a grants coordinator wasn’t necessary—after all, the city has successfully locked in about $80 million in grants over the last decade—he was open to the idea if the majority of the council was on board.

But here’s where it gets even juicier: only three council members responded to the email, and Mahaney took that as a sign that the majority didn’t support the move. So guess what? He didn’t hire anyone! It turns out that this decision has now thrown him right into the hot seat.

What’s Next for Mahaney?

If Mahaney goes ahead and files a request for a hearing, we could be looking at waiting around 20 to 30 days for that to roll out, followed by another final vote from the council on whether he gets to stick around or not. Meanwhile, Ryan Fabbri, who is the Assistant City Manager, will be filling in the big shoes while Mahaney is on leave. Talk about a whirlwind!

The Big Question—What Do You Think?

As you can imagine, this drama is getting people talking throughout North Myrtle Beach. Some are probably wondering if there was a hidden agenda behind the push for hiring a grants coordinator. Either way, Mahaney isn’t going down without a fight, and it seems he’s ready to rally some support behind him. Will he emerge victorious, or will the council get their way? Only time will tell!

For now, all eyes will be on the council and Mahaney as this story unfolds. Whether you’re for the city manager or hoping for a change, one thing’s for sure—things just got a lot more interesting here in North Myrtle Beach!