ATLANTIC BEACH — Dates and vendor prices were announced for the 2013 Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Bike Fest Monday night.
Bike Fest will start May 23 and ending Memorial Day. Mayor Retha Pierce said the draft included an 11 day festival, but Charlene Taylor said it would be unlikely to have people attend a festival that lasts longer than four days.
Vendor prices were the most discussed issue and were lowered from 2012.
Retail permits, which were $1,100 in 2012, will cost $700 if purchased before May 15 and $900 after May 15.
Food permits cost $1,000 before May 15 and $1,200 after. In 2012 food permits cost $2,100.
Property owner’s permits will cost $200.
Before the meeting, resident Michael Gore suggested even lower numbers, costing retail merchants $500 and food vendors $750. He said last year a lot of the vendors he spoke with said they weren’t going to come back because it cost too much.
“I think they shoulda came down a little bit more but I’m satisfied with the prices,” he said.
With the new prices he said the 2013 Bike Fest will be successful, bringing more vendors than last year.
Gore sells space on his property for vendors and said 2012 was difficult with the prices so high.
“We didn’t have enough vendors,” he said. “The more vendors you’ve got the more spaces you can sell.”
Councilman Jake Evans agreed that the prices last year were simply too high and resulted in bad turnout.
The prices and dates will be official after a second reading at the next Town Council meeting.
“It was the worst ever [Bike Fest] if you ask me in terms of the crowds and everything else,” he said. “I almost think we owe them something for last year.”
Town Council also looked at a resolution for mutual aid with North Myrtle Beach. Pierce along with councilwomen Carolyn Cole and Windy Price voted against the resolution.
Pierce said she didn’t think it was necessary.
“I don’t see the need to become formal here when the document itself might invite something that we don’t want invited over here,” she said.
She said the agreement has been understood for years and didn’t understand why it should be in writing now.I don’t see the need to become formal here when the document itself might invite something that we don’t want invited over here.
The Atlantic Beach Election Commission also met Monday, said Patricia Bellamy who chairs the commission.
She read a letter from attorney Sam Howell during public comment that said Evans should not have a seat as a councilman. Town Council did not take action, and Evans held his seat through the meeting.
Evans won the mayoral race which was contested and remains pending with the state Supreme Court. Councilwoman Charlene Taylor and Josephine Isom won two council seats, one of which Evans is still holding.
Town Council voted that Isom forfeit her seat last fall when she failed to take the oath of office.
The opinion from Howell, as read by Bellamy, said Evans shouldn’t hold the seat because it was filled even though Isom never took the seat.
Bellamy said Taylor won Evans seat and Isom won the seat previously vacated by Donnell Thompson. She said the seat should simply be vacant, pending a special election to fill it.
Evans said the people voted for him and he intends to hold on to the seat until a lawyer tells him he should be off council.
Contact AMANDA KELLEY at 626-0381, or follow her at Twitter.com/TSN_akelley.
