8 candidates run for Myrtle Beach city council seats to help guide tourism, housing
Eight candidates are vying for three open seats on the Myrtle Beach city council, including a pair of incumbents seeking fresh four-year terms.
The roster includes several political newcomers. All races are nonpartisan and at-large. Responses have been edited for length and candidates in alphabetic order.
Stuart Behar
Age: 77
Past/present elected office: none
Occupation: declined to answer
Education: declined to answer
Political affiliation: conservative
Past/present bankruptcies, tax liens of felony convictions: none
Q: The city is investing millions of dollars to convert downtown into an arts and innovation district. There have been potential missteps in the execution of the redevelopment. What has been done well, and what needs to be improved?
A: Any city that takes on such a grand project as this will experience hiccups along the way. With all of the studies and research the city has done for this project, an important factor that seems to be missing here is the input from the residents. Town halls should have been held continuously over the years, to allow residents to speak openly to the council in support of or against this project. From where I am sitting, I see the city quickly becoming a landlord rather than just taking care of city issues.
Q: The city last year shifted from its dual-role life guarding system quietly, in the aftermath of an historic wrongful death lawsuit. Did the city handle the issue correctly?
A: The city has the responsibility of keeping its residents and millions of tourists that visit our shores safe. I believe the city felt that they needed to take precautionary steps to prevent this from happening again by eliminating the dual-role life guarding system. Many factors come into play with this situation such as alerting the beachgoers of dangers they may face such as an undertow or rip-current, while stressing overarching personal responsibility; which should be a priority of the city to broadcast this information. This tragic event was unfortunate and sad.
Q: What is the city’s role in creating affordable housing across the city, and what additional steps should be taken to help those experiencing homelessness?
A: One thing we must do is to get a better understanding of who and why these people are experiencing homelessness so we can come up with manageable solutions, goals and community programs. I’d like to see what the Myrtle Beach Area Homeless Coalition and the Workforce housing advisory board have done to help keep the homeless employed and if they have implemented any long-term plan with these individuals in which they will be able to be successful going out on their own without needing these services provided long-term. I understand that we have made steps towards recognizing the problems to be solved by funding a study by Habitat for Humanity. I am unsure where we are with these results today and if any progress has been made. When elected, I will ensure results-based decisions for funding and advocate partnership with a number of local ministries, which have demonstrated success in taking in homeless and chemically dependent individuals, providing food and shelter, teaching life changing work skills.
Q: The city police department has been unable or unwilling to publicly offer data about the diversity of its workforce. How will you hold law enforcement accountable to residents?
A: I would like to take a look at why we cannot fill the positions with the resources needed so they can do their job effectively. These men and women are doing the best they can, with the resources available, to keep residents and visitors safe. I do see lack of officers as our major problem which in turn leads to less protection on the street and raising our crime rate. It would not be my job as a council member to hold the police department responsible for anything but I can assist and make recommendations to the city manager and the chief of police. In conjunction with the first part of your question in regards to the data you were seeking, The Myrtle Beach Police Department has a highlighted section on their website stating that they are committed to a diverse workplace. If the department identifies any officers being bias or going against these practices, accountability is necessary. The decision on how to hold them accountable will require open communication with the council, city manager and the chief of police.
Mike Chestnut
Age: 60
Past/present elected office: Myrtle Beach City Council member since 2000
Occupation: small business owner
Education: associate’s degree
Political affiliation: none
Past/present bankruptcies, tax liens or felony convictions: none
Q: The city is investing millions of dollars to convert downtown into an arts and innovation district. There have been potential missteps in the execution of the redevelopment. What has been done well, and what needs to be improved?
A: Downtown redevelopment has been a hot topic for a long time. What I would say this time is different is that we have a council and private sector that is more committed to see a positive change. Sure, we have had to make some changes, but we are determined to keep our eyes on the vision to make downtown bigger and better for all of our residents and visitors.
Q: The city last year shifted from its dual-role life guarding system quietly, in the aftermath of an historic wrongful death lawsuit. Did the city handle the issue correctly?
A: I think the city is always looking for ways to make sure we have the best possible services for our residents and visitors. I have no problem with the way things were handled.
Q: What is the city’s role in creating affordable housing across the city, and what additional steps should be taken to help those experiencing homelessness?
A: The city has been talking about a workforce housing plan. We have hired Habitat for Humanity of Horry County to come up with a plan and ideas. I do believe if we are going to solve the problem of homelessness in our community, it’s going to have to be a combined effort, both public and private.
Q: The city police department has been unable or unwilling to publicly offer data about the diversity of its workforce. How will you hold law enforcement accountable to residents?
A: I would be more concerned if there were issues that need to be addressed. I would say we need more applicants to apply.
Debbie Conner
Age: 55
Past/present elected office: none
Occupation: faculty member at Coastal Carolina University
Education: bachelor’s degree from Converse College, master’s degree from The University of South Carolina and doctorate in educational leadership from Clemson University
Political affiliation: This is a non-partisan election, and it is important for each elected person to represent all our citizens. I have traditionally voted as a Republican.
Q: The city is investing millions of dollars to convert downtown into an arts and innovation district. There have been potential missteps in the execution of the redevelopment. What has been done well, and what needs to be improved?
A: The vision is good for downtown redevelopment, and I believe that investing in our downtown to attract a variety of business investment is good for all of Myrtle Beach. I think there should be more dialogue with current business owners and property owners to ensure we are considering all stakeholders. I feel strongly that the more people who are at the table the better the result.
Q: The city last year shifted from its dual-role life guarding system quietly, in the aftermath of an historic wrongful death lawsuit. Did the city handle the issue correctly?
A: I worked many summers as a lifeguard and also as a water safety instructor, then a high school swim coach. The beach is one of the most vulnerable locations for water emergencies to occur. I feel that a dual-role life guarding system is not a good practice and lifeguards on the beach need to be alert and ready to respond to incidents.
Q: What is the city’s role in creating affordable housing across the city, and what additional steps should be taken to help those experiencing homelessness?
A: The city has many options when it comes to playing a role in affordable housing. That could include incentivizing mixed-income developments, zoning changes or subsidies for developers to encourage this type of development and also for us to maintain current affordable housing. The city can also facilitate home ownership programs through public/private partnerships. There are pockets of good work happening to support our homeless population. The key for us is to broaden support through collaborative work in the areas of affordable housing, job training, even outreach teams to connect people with healthcare, mental health support and substance abuse treatment.
Q: The city police department has been unable or unwilling to publicly offer data about the diversity of its workforce. How will you hold law enforcement accountable to residents?
A: Public safety is a high priority for me. First and foremost, we need to ensure the police have what they need to make our city safer. There should be workforce data available for all areas of the city government. We should expect transparency and then if diversity is a concern, then we should work together to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce.
Kenya Hennigan
Age: 59
Past/present elected office: declined to answer
Occupation: declined to answer
Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology/community service, Master’s degree in human services/criminal justice from Horry-Georgetown Technical College and Walden University
Political affiliation: declined to answer
Past/present bankruptcies, tax liens or felony convictions: none
Q: The city is investing millions of dollars to convert downtown into an arts and innovation district. There have been potential missteps in the execution of the redevelopment. What has been done well, and what needs to be improved?
A: Right now the team that is in charge of creating these economic developments are in the process of communicating with the residents to inform them about what this great infrastructure can do for their community. Hopefully, the improvements will come when the infrastructures are in place. This will assure all residents in the city of Myrtle Beach will use this new project to have the best quality of life.
Q: The city last year shifted from its dual-role life guarding system quietly, in the aftermath of an historic wrongful death lawsuit. Did the city handle the issue correctly?
A: Yes, I feel they diligently worked on this tragic issue with professionalism.
Q: What is the city’s role in creating affordable housing across the city, and what additional steps should be taken to help those experiencing homelessness?
A: Right now, we need to see about implementing more construction for low income housing, especially for the homeless, senior housing and veterans concerns .
New infrastructure can definitely make a good impact of helping in these areas of need. Our area in the city of has a great deal of resources to help out the homeless to get these individuals a new start. We also have counseling, drug and alcohol programs and other helping resources.
Q: The city police department has been unable or unwilling to publicly offer data about the diversity of its workforce. How will you hold law enforcement accountable to residents?
A: Law enforcement is a rewarding, demanding, rigorous, and as recent events painfully remind us, dangerous profession. We have the utmost respect for the men and women who wear the badge and serve our communities, the vast majority of whom perform their jobs with professionalism, honor, and integrity.. To hold law enforcement accountable among the community can be created with badge numbers, and video cameras.
The use of video and information of their badge numbers are accurately done in a professional matter in our city These professional actions guarantee the residents can find out who served that situation that day.
John Krajc
Age: 34 at election day
Past/present elected office: Currently first term on Myrtle Beach City Council
Occupation: Realtor, Licensed Contractor
Education: bachelor’s degree from Radford University
Political affiliation: This is a nonpartisan election and even with varying political backgrounds we work well together.
Past/present bankruptcies, tax liens or felony convictions: None
Q: The city is investing millions of dollars to convert downtown into an arts and innovation district. There have been potential missteps in the execution of the redevelopment. What has been done well, and what needs to be improved?
A: Our staff has done a great job of moving the progress forward on our downtown master plan and spotting opportunities to bring to council. One such instance is the properties we purchased east of Kings Highway. As a result, that area has seen over a 50% reduction in first responder calls for service. Our vision for that property is a dense mixed use area with a year round downtown feel. We have engaged with a master planning company to show us layouts that can work on that site. Another great example is the start of the Gold Cap ambassador program that I voted for. This program has had a positive impact on how our Ocean Boulevard entertainment area has looked the past two years. West of Kings Highway, I voted on a $35 million infrastructure package that will lay the groundwork for the Arts and Innovation District for the next 15-20 years to include projects such as a city square, bike lanes and sidewalks, and better lighting. This will also attract new businesses, enhance existing business, and prepare for new projects such as a library, city services building, and more.
Q: The city last year shifted from its dual-role life guarding system quietly, in the aftermath of an historic wrongful death lawsuit. Did the city handle the issue correctly?
A: I was proud to vote publicly to shift away from dual-role life guarding. The role of lifeguards should be public safety first and only.
Q: What is the city’s role in creating affordable housing across the city, and what additional steps should be taken to help those experiencing homelessness?
A: During my first four years on council, I voted to implement a workforce housing fee on higher value building permits. The result of that is now over $2 million available to use to help with the workforce housing issue our city currently has. We have partnered with Habitat for Humanity to be at the forefront of solving the problem. We are working to partner with private organizations to enable public/ private solutions to a far stretching problem. This has a huge impact on issues such as our local workforce, and even resiliency in the face of natural disaster. On homelessness, we have partnered with United Way of Horry County to implement a 211 system that will connect people in need to area resources. I voted to develop an opioid coordinator department under the fire department. This three person team responds to every overdose call in the city. As a result, over 80 people have been connected with the help they have voluntarily requested in the past five months alone. We continue to work with New Directions, who has recently expanded their capacity and currently planning their next phases of growth. We are advocating for mental health funding on a state and federal level. Since mental health started being defunded decades ago, homelessness has only risen.
Q: The city police department has been unable or unwilling to publicly offer data about the diversity of its workforce. How will you hold law enforcement accountable to residents?
A: I am proud of our law enforcement team and the hard work they do every single day. In the past four years since I took office, violent crime is down over 41% in our city. In 2022, I voted to increase starting pay for certified police officers to the highest in the State of South Carolina at the time. In the last four years, we have budgeted for over 30 new police officers, enhanced equipment for the real time crime unit, and continue to have the bulk of our budget go toward public safety. Diversity is much more broad today than just black and white, and having diversity in our workforce is something that is important to create a city for everyone. We have worked hard to increase our score on the Municipal Equality Index. When businesses look at cities in which to locate, markers like diversity, cultural arts, quality of life, and business friendliness are at the forefront of their concerns.
Bill McClure
Age: declined to answer
Past/ Present elected office: No past elected office
Occupation: Retired
Education: bachelor’s degree from George Mason University
Political Affiliation: Independent
Past/present bankruptcies, tax liens,or felony convictions: none
Q: The city is investing millions of dollars to convert downtown into an arts and innovation district. There have been potential missteps in the execution of the redevelopment. What has been done well, and what needs to be improved?
A: The Arts and Innovation District (AID) is a re-branding of the old superblock area. The stated $350 plus million that the city wants to finance by long term debt for the AID project does not, in my view, represent the needs of the broader Myrtle Beach community. If downtown development is the actual city council goal, then a priority should be a cooperative development of the vacant Pavilion land with Burroughs & Chapin. Cities that have successfully implemented downtown development/redevelopment areas have done so by developing from the middle out. The city should not be in the real estate business. Let Businesses do the developing.
Q: The city last year shifted from its dual-role life guarding system quietly, in the aftermath of an historic wrongful death lawsuit. Did the city handle the issue correctly?
A: Dual role life guard systems are unsafe and the city made the correct decision dropping the dual role or lifeguards. Horry County has also moved away from the dual role life guarding scheme.
Q: What is the city’s role in creating affordable housing across the city, and what additional steps should be taken to help those experiencing homelessness?
A: Affordable housing in Myrtle Beach city is up against construction costs, land prices, labor costs, etc. all influenced by continued inflation. The city leadership has stated that they want to make downtown housing affordable via redevelopment and coming up with a “housing trust fund” which among other things would offer “developer incentives”. Is this a road to Section 8 housing? New Directions now estimates that there are 1,000 homeless persons in Horry County and up to 700 in Myrtle Beach city. I am hopeful that the city’s homeless court in conjunction with New Directions is a positive step towards dealing with this issue.
Q: The city police department has been unable or unwilling to publicly offer data about the diversity of its workforce. How will you hold law enforcement accountable to residents?
A: I would sit down with the city manager and develop, and revise, written quarterly reporting standards. I would seek as part of this effort citizens input. Those quarterly reports would be published on the city’s website combined with a link to those reports listed on the Friday Fax.
Myra Starnes
Starnes did not provide biographical information.
Q: The city is investing millions of dollars to convert downtown into an arts and innovation district. There have been potential missteps in the execution of the redevelopment. What has been done well, and what needs to be improved?
A: The city’s initiative to revitalize downtown into an arts and innovation district highlights our commitment to culture, creativity, and forward thinking. Incorporating various arts and innovative hubs has the potential to add vibrancy and enhance the appeal of our downtown. This bold step showcases our city’s adaptability and openness to novel and enriching concepts. However, there have been areas where execution could see improvement. Community involvement is vital in such transformative projects. The city must ensure that the voices of our residents and local businesses are heard and considered throughout the development process.
Q: The city last year shifted from its dual-role life guarding system quietly, in the aftermath of an historic wrongful death lawsuit. Did the city handle the issue correctly?
A: Even though the city was dismissed from the lawsuit, in today’s environment of packed beaches, it is probably a good idea to have lifeguards have the sole role of concentrating on saving the lives of swimmers. The shift from the dual-role life guarding system following a tragic incident was undoubtedly complex and sensitive. We must act with utmost integrity and transparency in such cases. While the parties involved worked to prevent such unfortunate incidents in the future, communication could have been more straightforward. The residents deserve to know how and why decisions are made, and ensuring this transparency would build stronger community trust.
Q: What is the city’s role in creating affordable housing across the city, and what additional steps should be taken to help those experiencing homelessness?
A: The city has a pivotal role in ensuring that all citizens have access to safe and affordable living spaces. Creating partnerships with local developers to allocate a portion of new developments for affordable housing and re-purposing vacant buildings into livable spaces are strategies to explore. For our homeless residents, the city should enhance its support for shelters and services that assist individuals in transitioning out of homelessness. Collaboration with nonprofit organizations, mental health services, and employment agencies is critical to providing a comprehensive support system. What we currently have in place is the result of a study done which I believe was flawed from the beginning. We need a new study by real experts to make recommendations in a public forum including both city officials and residents.
Q: The city police department has been unable or unwilling to publicly offer data about the diversity of its workforce. How will you hold law enforcement accountable to residents?
A: The city is understaffed with the police department and is basically in the position of hiring anyone who can meet the qualifications. Diversity should be a consideration, but maintaining a sufficient level of officers to adequately police the city must come first. As an elected council member, transparency and accountability within our police department will be a priority. Having a diverse workforce that mirrors our community is essential. I would advocate for the department to publicly sharing workforce diversity data, which is a step towards building trust and inclusivity.
Randal Wallace
Age: 53
Past/present elected office: Myrtle Beach City Council from 2002 through 2018
Occupation: Real Estate Sales
Education: Bachelor’s degrees from Lander University History and Spartanburg Methodist College
Political affiliation: Republican
Past/present bankruptcies, tax liens or felony convictions: None
Q: The city is investing millions of dollars to convert downtown into an arts and innovation district. There have been potential missteps in the execution of the redevelopment. What has been done well, and what needs to be improved?
A: There are two distinct parts to downtown, east of U.S. Route 17 and west of U.S. Route 17. I agree with the Arts and Innovation District on the west side because it can lead to drawing young people and potential residents into downtown. We need to work with building owners to fill the many apartments that are above the stores and that would give you a more stable population in the area. So many of the current trends that young people are looking for in where they want to live today are truly possible in downtown that I think the sky is the limit here. I would push for a reliable transportation loop in the downtown area with a connection to the main route. Arts, music, food, entertainment, and technology are all things young people want to have near where they live and work and all of those things can draw locals into the area. Historically, on the west the area has only thrived when it had businesses that appealed to locals.
Q: The city last year shifted from its dual-role life guarding system quietly, in the aftermath of an historic wrongful death lawsuit. Did the city handle the issue correctly?
A: In any situation you can have flaws in the system that may need to be addressed. The dual system the city had was the same it had had for decades. Hindsight is 20/20 and it is easy to be an armchair quarterback but I think given all the circumstances the city handled it as best they could and I won’t second guess the decision.
Q: What is the city’s role in creating affordable housing across the city, and what additional steps should be taken to help those experiencing homelessness?
A: The affordable housing question is one that needs to be placed on the front-burner for the community. The one hope I had with the number of new apartment developments that came online over the past few years was that our workforce would have had its needs met, that is not what happened. Instead rents skyrocketed and we have a situation where our work force cannot afford to live in the city and I am increasingly afraid not even close geographically either. That will leave us with a lopsided population of retirees who cannot enjoy the amenities that brought them here because we won’t have the workforce to service them.
Homelessness is largely a totally different issue. The homeless population is largely alcohol dependent, drug dependent, mentally ill or all the above. They need help. Long term, I think we need to appeal to our state legislators and the governor to take the budget surpluses and invest heavily in dealing with mental health. Short term, we need to work with our community kitchen to move it away from the periphery of downtown because as long as we provide service there the problem is going to continue to go on.
Q: The city police department has been unable or unwilling to publicly offer data about the diversity of its workforce. How will you hold law enforcement accountable to residents?
A: While I certainly want a diversified work force at our police department, I can also see that with 50 to 70 positions not filled we need to be finding qualified, trained, law enforcement professionals of all kinds to fill the positions. We need more community policing, and I want to see us helping the officers willing to move into our more troubled neighborhoods get the help with rents as I proposed doing in 2017 so that our officers would be living in the community and helping change the atmosphere not only while on the job but 24 hours a day too.
Editor’s Note: Myrtle Beach City Council member Mike Chestnut’s responses were added to the online version of this story after the deadline. This story has been updated. (10/21/23 at 10:07 A.M.)
