Surfside Beach says no wrongdoing found after failed pay raise attempt
Surfside Beach leaders on Tuesday stood behind police Chief Kenneth Hofmann and other top ranking employees before launching closed door talks based on unspecified allegations of “potential misconduct.”
“There have never been any accusations of criminal activity or anything else. That’s ridiculous,” town council member Cindy Keating said. “We have been presented with a series of events that were considered potential misconduct in accordance with our employee policies and ordinances.”
Residents in the town of 4,200 about nine miles from downtown Myrtle Beach packed the council chambers to defend Hofmann and outgoing fire Chief Rob Clemons, whose leaving Aug. 11 to pursue consulting work.
“I want law and order and I want fire service. That’s what I’m paying for, and I’d greatly appreciate that stay in place,” longtime resident Larry Cooley said. “I personally would stand in front of a bus to save any one of the officers and firemen that serve this community.”
Clemons, along with retiring finance chief Diana King and Hofmann were all in line for pay raises under the current year’s budget until the town council rescinded them days before the start of the July 1 fiscal year.
That prompted town administrator Gerald Vincent to examine what led to the miscommunication and draft a corrective action plan to ensure nothing similar happens in the future.
Council member William Kinken said in public remarks that Vincent cleared any town official of wrongdoing, but stopped short of finishing those comments after being reminded it was meant to be talked about in executive session.
“Mr. Vincent completed the investigation about the salary increases over the previous 10 months and found nothing illegal or nefarious,” Kinken said.
Several residents at the standing room only meeting thanked Clemons and Hofmann, seated in the front row, before urging town leaders to move on from the issue.
“It’s disturbing to hear about what’s been happening in town, and it’s disappointing that you find yourself in this position,” former town council member Julie Samples said. “The desire of some of you to push out employees, that will not be received well and I fear bring a mass exodus of other fine employees.”
Mayor Bob Hellyer said council members had no intention of terminating Hofmann as he expressed regret over Clemons and King’s imminent departures.
“I don’t know of anybody, at least in my career, that has been sentenced and convicted based on an allegation. So the only thing that I asked for what that we have an investigation done on it to see what exactly did happen,” he said. “Getting rid of people, that was never my intention.”
This story was originally published August 8, 2023 at 10:02 PM.