North Myrtle Beach City Council Calls Special Meeting to Address City Manager’s Resignation
North Myrtle Beach is buzzing with news as a special meeting has been called for Tuesday, October 22 at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall. This meeting follows last month’s city council decision to remove Mike Mahaney, the city’s city manager, from his position. As residents look on with interest, the city gears up to address the implications of Mahaney’s exit.
What Happened?
So, let’s rewind a bit. Back on September 19, during a special meeting, the city council voted to place Mahaney on paid administrative leave and remove him from his job. This decision came as a surprise to many. After this meeting, Mahaney filed a written notice requesting a public hearing regarding his employment. For those who don’t know, this is allowed under South Carolina law. However, just recently, North Myrtle Beach’s Public Information Officer, Lauren Jessie, announced that a public hearing will no longer take place.
In her email, Jessie mentioned, “As I mentioned in my email, we will release more information at the meeting tomorrow.” Many residents are looking forward to the meeting to get the full scoop on Mahaney’s resignation.
What’s Next?
The agenda for the upcoming Tuesday meeting seems quite straightforward; it’s mainly about formally accepting Mahaney’s conditional resignation and fulfilling his employment contract. This resolution states that the city aims to offer Mahaney some “valuable consideration” in exchange for releasing any claims he might have against the city, effectively bringing an end to their employment relationship.
If approved, this resolution also includes a kind acknowledgment for his time served as city manager. The compensation’s not small potatoes, either! Mahaney could walk away with a total of $319,884, which is more than his current yearly salary of $253,000. That figure includes about $126,500 as part of the six-month severance stated in his contract, plus another $193,379 that the city might grant him.
Concerns Aroused Over Transparency
It seems that the whole situation has raised a few eyebrows in town, especially around the issues of transparency and public information. Local media attempted to request Mahaney’s personnel file under the Freedom of Information Act, yet the city repeatedly denied these requests. This has frustrated many residents and even legal experts. Attorney Taylor Smith from the South Carolina Press Association expressed concerns over this lack of transparency, saying, “In the governance of a city, is no more important a figure to learn about concerning the performance of their public duties than that of a manager.”
Residents are definitely feeling left in the dark, and it begs the question, what’s really going on behind the curtains in City Hall?
Looking Ahead
For those who are interested in the outcome of this special meeting, definitely mark your calendars! While we might not have all the details yet, it’s clear that this meeting on October 22 could shed some light on the recent events surrounding Mahaney’s departure.
North Myrtle Beach is a tight-knit community, and changes like this certainly stir up conversation in the neighborhoods and at the local hangouts. So, make sure to keep your ears open and stay in the loop as more information comes to light! It might just shape the future of North Myrtle Beach.
