Myrtle Beach ‘disgusted’ by county’s behavior, won’t approve new changes to settlement
The hospitality fee feud between Horry County and Myrtle Beach will remain in limbo after city officials declared they won’t agree to the altered settlement that would resolve the lawsuit.
Municipalities throughout Horry County — sans Loris and Conway — met on Monday to vote on the settlement between both entities. While votes were cast to approve the terms of the agreement, county officials agreed to approve the plan so long as none of the hospitality money would pay for attorneys’ fees.
City Council met Thursday morning to oppose the suggested changes and condemn county officials for amending a deal that was originally agreed upon following three days of mediation. County officials were also criticized for the behavior they exhibited as they discussed the city’s intention in filing the initial lawsuit in March.
Mayor Brenda Bethune said residents deserve better from their elected officials after county leaders shared misinformation, made several comments against the city and referred to the lawsuit as “B.S.” and a “sham” and “bogus.”
“Not only are these statements beneath the dignity of an elected official, unprofessional and exudes poor demeanor, they are false,” Bethune said. “I for one am disgusted by this type of theatrics and it is not called for; that is not the proper behavior for an elected official.”
City attorney William Bryan added that any monetary mention of attorney fees on behalf of the county has been false, noting that a price hasn’t been determined.
Furthermore, Bethune said the county’s comments were also disrespectful to the state’s judicial system that prohibited Horry County from collecting the 1.5 percent hospitality fee, adding county council’s behavior was meant to intimidate those municipalities who have acted in the “best interest” of the residents and tourists.
“County Council does not intimidate us with their poor demeanor, their tactics and their bullying,” Bethune said. “We are not intimidated.”
Horry County Government said in a release that the county has only spent hospitality money to benefit all of its citizens, including those living in Myrtle Beach.
“We vehemently oppose the continued assertion by the City of Myrtle Beach that the fee was “illegally collected by the County,” the release stated.
With Myrtle Beach, Horry County and the rest of the municipalities unable to agree to the terms of an agreement, Horry County Councilman Johnny Gardner said it probably means the lawsuit will move forward in litigation.
The governments could still attempt to make a new compromise, which Gardner is open to if its done in “good faith.”
Without a compromise, the South Carolina Supreme Court will hear an appeal from Horry County against a previous ruling that placed the hospitality fee revenue in escrow until the lawsuit is completed.
Once the appeal is over, the matter will come back to the circuit court where a judge will decide the future of the fee.
Sun News Reporter Tyler Fleming contributed to this report.
This story was originally published December 19, 2019 at 1:26 PM.
