‘Put me in jail’: Horry council member condemns tentative hospitality fee agreement
Horry County Council Member Harold Worley thinks the deal to end the hospitality fee is an attempt to rob Horry County taxpayers of more than $6 million.
Ahead of an executive session Tuesday night discussing a deal struck between the City of Myrtle Beach and Horry County last week, Worley said what he has heard about the deal is not in the best interest of the taxpayers. Horry County has made the exact offer being extended to Myrtle Beach since March, and the city is only agreeing now so it can get attorney fees covered by the county, he said.
“We have offered all along to give Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside and others every penny of their money,” Worley said. “The only difference is they’re going to tack a $7 million attorney fee bill on it. Well, I am not going to vote for it.”
The two sides met last week for their third round of mediation, where this unofficial deal was made but has not been adopted by either side. Horry County Attorney Arrigo Carotti told Worley that the members who attended the mediation were bound by the court to not speak specifically about the plan. Worley said he heard about the plans from “street talk,” meaning someone else had already given out the information and could not be exactly true.
“Hell, if I am in contempt, put me in jail,” Worley said. “I will not be a party to pay attorneys’ fees to the tune of $7 million when the deal, there was no argument. The arguments has been how much attorney fees they can get out of the taxpayer.”
The county is in favor of the deal since Horry County has agreed since March to give the municipalities “every penny of their money,” he said. To him, the municipal governments are only agreeing now due to a deal being made over who will pay attorneys’ fees from the months-long ordeal. He said the cost was in the $6 to $7 million range.
Worley also asked why Myrtle Beach did not send any elected officials to mediation. It’s hard to make a settlement without all the stakeholders there, he said. While Worley was not at mediation, Horry County had five council members attend the final day.
Worley did not join the executive session. He said he already heard all he needed to know.
“They’re aiming to rape the taxpayers. It’s awful what’s going on behind closed doors. I won’t be a part of it,” he said. “I represent the people, I don’t represent lawyers.”
Horry County Chairman Johnny Gardner said he could not confirm the details due to being bound by law. Worley was hearing from his sources and not necessarily from council, Gardner said.
Horry County Council made no decision on the agreement once it exited executive session. Gardner said the governments’ attorneys are working out the details of a full plan. Once the plan is made, it will be presented to the councils and voted on. Once the councils agree, a judge must approve it and then it will become public, Gardner said.
“Street talk is what it is. It’s rumors. Some of if is educated based on their sources and things like that. I can’t speculate what other people have heard and where they heard it from,” Gardner said.
Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune said the county was not supposed to be talking about the deal and could not comment on any specifics.
Sun News reporter Anna Young contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 5, 2019 at 8:17 PM.
