Myrtle Beach tables talks of downtown security program
A near half-million dollar program that Myrtle Beach officials believe could improve the perception of safety in the downtown has been tabled until further notice.
Myrtle Beach City Council members in a 5-1 vote approved a motion that will halt the city from entering into negotiations with Block by Block, a company that would provide safety, cleaning, hospitality and outreach services through the guise of an ambassador program. The company would hire over a dozen locals to police areas east of Kings Highway from 29th Avenue North to 6th Avenue South, officials said.
While council members overall believe this program will benefit the city, a few issued some trepidation with immediately moving to approve the funding.
Council members Mike Lowder and Jackie Hatley said that while they support the program, they believe approving a near $500,000 project would an irresponsible action to take prior to the council’s budget retreat. The city usually holds a two-day budget retreat in April, but postponed discussions to June due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Councilman Mike Chestnut expressed having second thoughts on implementing the program due to a recent string of gang-related shootings along Ocean Boulevard in the last week. He believes the money should be spent to hire and place more officers in the downtown, if needed.
“We’ve heard over the past several years that we need more officers on the boulevard,” Chestnut said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. “What’s weighing heavy on my mind right now is more policing.”
If the program is later approved, ambassadors would be tasked with building relationships with stakeholders to offer hospitality services in designated areas, further enhance the reality and perception of personal safety for residents and tourists and act as a “force multiplier” for the police department to report actual or suspected criminal activity.
Hospitality services would include offering a friendly greeting or assistance, providing directions and recommendations on things to do and see, answering questions and identifying customer service opportunities, such as carrying packages or holding a door.
Maintaining a high visible presence in strategic areas and providing proactive engagement with the public would be included in public safety obligations.
Additionally, they would identify and report zoning and building code violations, water hanging baskets daily, report maintenance issues, pick up trash, and work with local agencies to address homelessness and make appropriate social services referrals.
Lauren Clever, Execute Director of the Downtown Development Office, said the company would hire up to 17 locals and spend between 30 to 45 days training them on the services they’d provide. Along with working with city departments and agencies, New Directions would offer assistance and guidance with homelessness issues and social outreach.
“This does not replace our police officers or security officers that are in the downtown area, it does not replace the current level of city services that are already provided and it does not fix everything,” Clever said. “It is another additional layer of an an effort to help improve the downtown area.”
While the ambassadors would focus on specific areas along Ocean Boulevard, the actual deployment of workers will fluctuate depending on the time of year and the number of people anticipated in the target areas, Clever said. Prior to the vote, the program was sought to begin in early July at the latest.
The proposed agreement would see the ambassador program in Myrtle Beach for one year on a trail basis, with the proposed cost $449,814. Under the terms of the proposed agreement, the city would also be obligated to provide a location from which ambassadors will operate.
Officials said the money that will fund the program will stem from property sales, parking meters and the closure of the Downtown Redevelopment Corporation.
Currently, Block by Block has ambassador programs in over 100 districts in about 30 states, including New York, Nevada, California, Connecticut, North Carolina and Texas. South Carolina also has a program launched in Columbia.
Councilman Gregg Smith, who was the sole dissenter, said he was disappointed the program wouldn’t be voted on and approved during Tuesday’s meeting. With the three gang-related shootings in the last eight days causing controversy within the city, he felt approving the program would be a step forward to improving the ongoing safety needs of the community.
“I just want to point out that we started this meeting talking about crime in the downtown area,” Smith said. “I said I was willing to look at anything and do whatever it takes to work on that and I think this is a step to work on that, and we have an opportunity to do that today.”
