News Summary
The Myrtle Beach City Council has approved significant salary increases for top employees and first responders in an effort to ensure fair compensation. The decision follows concerns over transparency in compensation as the city aims to support its workforce amid a challenging hiring climate. With a total operating budget set to grow, the city is focusing on bolstering salaries while tackling job vacancies and recruitment challenges in public safety roles.
Myrtle Beach City Council Approves Significant Salary Raises for Top Employees and First Responders
Exciting news is on the horizon for the community of Myrtle Beach, as the city council has recently voted to approve substantial salary increases for its top employees and first responders. With the city’s focus on ensuring fair compensation for those who serve its residents, this decision has certainly stirred discussions among taxpayers and city workers alike.
Breaking Down the Numbers
The city currently pays its top ten employees a hefty total of around $1.9 million in salary expenses. Recently obtained documents highlighted through the Freedom of Information Act revealed that every top earner in the city has received a raise this year. This kind of transparency is necessary since these paychecks come from taxpayer dollars.
Looking at the numbers from 2024, there were 56 city employees earning over $100,000 per year, with one standout employee bringing in more than $200,000. The highest earner last year was Simons, who took home a remarkable $265,012.80, making him the only employee surpassing the $200,000 mark at that time. Currently, four employees are in this exclusive six-figure club: Simons, Shumpert, Tucker, and Bryan.
Supporting First Responders
When it comes to crucial public safety roles, the council has demonstrated strong support for its first responders. In December 2024, they approved a $5.5 million budget allocated for employee raises, which included a raise of $3,000 for full-time positions. Additionally, certified police officer wages were boosted by over $7,500, bringing their starting pay to $60,000. Alongside these increases, the city has allocated $1.1 million to buy and outfit 13 Ford Explorers for the Police Department.
The Current Hiring Climate
Interestingly, the city is quite active in hiring new personnel. In 2024, they welcomed 57 police officers and 65 full-time firefighters to their team. However, the city is facing a challenge with 105 job vacancies, including 56 open police officer positions and six in the Fire Department. The police chief has noted that there has been a decrease in applications for these positions, which could be attributed to some negative perceptions about public safety.
Despite these challenges, there has been movement in the right direction. In 2023 alone, over 1,000 individuals applied to become Myrtle Beach police officers. And since December 2024, there was an uptick of over 300 applications, prompting the hiring of an assistant to help process all the new candidates.
Fiscal Planning Moving Forward
As Myrtle Beach prepares for the fiscal year 2025, the city is looking at budget allocations that will prioritize increases in salaries and benefits, which will account for a staggering 68% of new government fund budget allocations. The total operating budget is set at $348 million, reflecting a 7.2% increase from last year’s budget of $324 million.
Where does the city’s money come from? The main sources of revenue include property taxes (15%), hospitality and local accommodations taxes (14%), licenses and permits (13%), and transfers (21%). However, budgets for capital projects have seen a noticeable decline, falling from $82.4 million to $44.5 million in the current fiscal year.
The Road Ahead
The Myrtle Beach city council faces an important deadline of passing a balanced budget by July 1 each year. This involves active council feedback and the ability to request adjustments during budget retreats. With a clear focus on supporting employees while maintaining fiscal responsibility, Myrtle Beach’s leadership appears committed to navigating its financial future effectively.
As the dust settles from these significant changes, it’s clear the Myrtle Beach community is striving to provide fair compensation while addressing the challenges of recruitment and retention in vital public service roles.
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Additional Resources
- Myrtle Beach Online: Local News
- Post and Courier: Employee Salaries
- My Horry News: City Employee Pay Increases
- South Carolina Daily Gazette: SC Budget News
- WMBF News: Myrtle Beach Employee Pay
- Wikipedia: Myrtle Beach
- Google Search: Myrtle Beach city council
- Google Scholar: Myrtle Beach salaries
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Myrtle Beach
- Google News: Myrtle Beach news
