North Myrtle Beach police request investigation into city manager’s alleged assault
The North Myrtle Beach city manager is at the center of allegations that he initiated a physical confrontation with a business owner.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division was requested by the North Myrtle Beach Police Department to investigate North Myrtle Beach City Manager Michael Mahaney for an alleged assault. No other details are available from SLED at this time as agents continue to investigate.
City Councilwoman Nikki Fontana, who was reportedly present Tuesday when the alleged confrontation occurred at City Hall, issued the rebuttal to allegations Thursday on her official public Facebook page.
“Contrary to what has been reported no one was threatened, physically intimidated or assaulted in any way,” she wrote.
City manager Michael Mahaney has been accused of intimidating and putting his hands on local businesswoman Laura Weaver, co-owner of Glass Bottom Kayak Tours.
Weaver and fellow co-owner Tyler Watkins submitted statements Thursday to North Myrtle Beach Police regarding the incident and shared those statements with The Sun News and on social media.
The incident report provided to The Sun News outlines their statements, though their names are redacted. The alleged assault involved Mahaney pointing his index finger in Weaver’s face and grabbing her leg just above the knee, the report states.
Neither Mahaney nor any other witnesses were interviewed when the report was written, and the officer that his supervisor determined the incident should be referred to SLED due to Mahaney’s position with the city..
City council held an emergency meeting Friday evening, immediately entering an executive session to discuss a personnel matter, and then returning after an hour and 45 minutes to adjourn with no officials actions taken.
Mahaney was present, but declined to comment.
City spokesman Donald Graham said he couldn’t comment on personnel issues, but he confirmed that Mahaney was not placed on administrative leave.
He added that city council is taking the allegations seriously and have consulted both city attorney Chris Noury and an outside labor attorney.
Fontana summoned Weaver to City Hall Tuesday for a meeting with her and Mahaney, according to Facebook messages Weaver shared with The Sun News.
Weaver didn’t know why she was being summoned, but said she guessed it had to do with the ongoing controversy surrounding the city’s recent decision to force kayak companies into contracts.
City council recently approved changes to its zoning ordinance, allowing it to impose fees on the kayak businesses that use the popular Cherry Grove Park and Boat Landing.
One company, not Glass Bottom Kayak Tours, has even sued the city seeking an injunction to prevent the rules from taking effect.
Weaver alleges that when she arrived, she was escorted to Mahaney’s office and asked about an email that Watkins had sent to a city recreation official. The email was inquiring whether a person charging to teach yoga on a public beach would be charged the same fees as the kayak companies.
The discussion turned heated before Mahaney’s alleged assault, Weaver said, and she immediately messaged Watkins to come to City Hall. Watkins told The Sun News that Weaver looked “distraught” when he arrived.
Weaver and Watkins said they struggled in the decision to make these allegations public — knowing that Mahaney has the power to take away their contract to do business at Cherry Grove Park — but they want to ensure no one else is subjected to a similar incident in the future.
“This man should be removed from office,” Watkins said, referring to Mahaney. “This is not okay, and I’m not going to shut up.”
Mahaney has been North Myrtle Beach city manager since 2010, when council unanimously voted to hire him, according to previous Sun News reporting.
Before getting the job, he was previously fired from two similar positions with the city of Deerfield Beach, Florida and Nassau County, Florida, The Sun News reported.
Mahaney told The Sun News at the time that both terminations were split decisions resulting from elections that brought in new leaders. North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley has served as mayor throughout Mahaney’s time with the city.
This story was originally published May 13, 2022 at 2:54 PM.
