City workers caught on tape taking down campaign signs of council challengers

A local business owner says Myrtle Beach city workers on Monday removed dozens of campaign signs from property surrounding his sports bar, and only a few were returned after he called the city to complain.

Cole Caldas, who owns Caldas Coal Fire Pizza and Sports Bar on 1311 North Kings Highway, said he checked his security video because this was the second time the signs had been removed.

Caldas posted the video on his Facebook page, which shows a city truck and two city workers removing signs that support Edward J. Carey for mayor, and candidates Ann A. Dunham, Mike Hobeika and Matthew Dalton Hardee for council.

Caldas said about 25 signs were placed in the parking lot and around the property, but only three were returned. In all, he said about 50 campaign signs have been removed.

“We’re still trying to figure out what happened to all the other signs,” Caldas said. “They’re messing with the wrong person.”

Caldas said he posted new signs around the property, in addition to the few that were returned.

Mark Kruea, Myrtle Beach city spokesman, said workers thought the signs were in the public right-of-way, which is against the law in Myrtle Beach.

“We returned the signs,” Kruea said.

Asked if the signs were in the public right-of-way, Kruea said he did not have that information.

“During the course of an election, we will pick up dozens if not more signs that are illegally placed in the right-of-way,” Kruea said.

The signs are not thrown away, but stockpiled for the candidate to retrieve them.

In Myrtle Beach, political signs are permitted on private property, but not in the public right-of-way between utility poles and the street, Kruea said. Signs will also be removed if they are blocking the line of sight at an intersection.

Signs are allowed to be posted 45 days before an election, and must be removed five days after Election Day.

Caldas said he obtained permission from the owner of the plaza to place the campaign signs around the property.

This story was originally published October 23, 2017 at 5:32 PM with the headline "City workers caught on tape taking down campaign signs of council challengers."