North Myrtle Beach council candidates tell voters their ideas for addressing key issues
Candidates running for council in North Myrtle Beach took a stance on key issues in the city during a forum planned weeks ahead of the election.
Destination North Myrtle Beach hosted the forum last week. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Council members Nicole Fontana (Windy Hill), Terry White (Ocean Drive) and Trey Skidmore (at-large) terms expire at the end of the year. Fontana and Skidmore are seeking reelection, but White said he will not run for reelection after serving for 29 years.
Skidmore was not able to attend the forum because he had a previous engagement, but he encouraged voters to reach out to him with any questions in a Facebook message.
Who’s running?
Candidates for city council at-large
Davis, who has lived in the city since 2007, was a volunteer emergency medical technician in Maryland and is a U.S. Army veteran. He is retired from the United States Department of Education, where he worked as a project manager for 18 years.
Skidmore is from North Myrtle Beach and owns TRS Builders, a construction company. He also runs Foxfire Communities and Barefoot RV Resort, which are both RV parks, his campaign page states.
Candidates for city council- Ocean Drive Ward
Collins owns independent insurance company Bubba Collins Insurance. He served as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and has been a member of the city’s Planning and Zoning commission. He has lived in North Myrtle Beach for 41 years.
Jones, who is a veteran, is originally from Raleigh, NC but has lived in North Myrtle Beach since 1989. He is a retired firefighter and owned multiple local businesses, according to his Facebook page. It also states he serves on the Horry County Solid Waste Authority Board.
Candidates for city council- Windy Hill Ward
Fontana is originally from Loris but has lived in North Myrtle Beach for more than 20 years. She has been on council for eight years.
Puffer is a real estate agent and has her own company, JP Real Estate and Consulting LLC. She has lived in the area for three years.
Where do candidates stand on key issues?
How would you include businesses in discussions about policy?
Collins said he would be interested in starting a business forum for owners to talk about any issues they have.
“I will have open communication with them. Any time they have an issue or something, they can come to me,” he said, adding that he wants to be transparent.
Jones said he believes in open and honest communication. Only transparency and working together is going to work, he added.
“I think the first thing I would like to do is go back and explain to them that the ciry is not their enemy,” he said. “[It’s] percieved that way a lot of times beacuse they ask for things and don’t get them, and they don’t understand why.”
Fontana, who is on council, said she believes council members already do a good job of involving business owners in city discussions. She said they have an open door policy, and people come to them with feedback.
“We always make it comfortable to where they can come to us if they have an issue, and we always encourage them to come to us if there is something going on,” Fontana said.
Puffer said she would also implement quarterly meetings and thinks an open door policy isn’t enough.
“I I would like to be able to go out in the community and talk with those businesses and bring those concerns back to council,” she said.
Davis also said he would set up monthly or bimonthly forums for businesses to discuss how local laws affect them.
How would you control growth in the city?
Recently released U.S. Census data showed that Horry County added nearly 82,000 new residents between 2010 and 2020. North Myrtle Beach had a large population gain. The city has an additional 5,038 people from the 2010 Census when they counted 13,752 people, a nearly 37% increase.
We need to manage our growth not control it, Jones said. He added he is concerned about ensuring North Myrtle Beach keeps its small town feel and “keeps the tax base where we can have the quality of life that we have today at the price we’re getting it today.”
Fontana said council does a good job of controlling the growth by examining planned development districts and making sure new developments don’t impact the area too much They also get input from residents who live close and could be affected by it, she added.
Puffer said wants to follow the Comprehensive Plan that has already been created for the area and would be interested in being a part of the modification process if changes need to be made.
Collins said he wants to rely on residents’ feedback on how to control growth, noting that it’s important to look at each project one by one and determine the right way to deal with it.
To control growth, Davis suggested initiating impact fees, which he said will help pay for any new developments.
“Builders are building three houses on one small lot, so we’re starting to lose the charm of the city ...” he said. “These developers will come in and build these developments. They make their money, and then they’ll leave.”
How do you feel about the construction of I-73?
The interstate project that would connect the Grand Strand to I-95 near Latta and Dillon. Local and state leaders are working together to commit funds to the project. Local governments are aiming to raise $200 million for the project between Horry County, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach.
Fontana supports I-73 because it will bring more jobs. But, she said, there are roads that need to be improved now.
“I think we need to invest in what we already have,” Fontana added. “[Highway] 9 needs to be taken care of. Highway 501 has always had issues since I’ve been here.”
Jones said the project is a necessity because it will bring more people to the area and will provide an escape route during hurricanes. His only concern is figuring out how to balance the needs of Highway 90 and I-73 at the same time.
Puffer said she does not have enough information about I-73 to answer the question, but added she is worried about wetlands and said the project is cost prohibitive.
Davis said he supports the road project but thinks it is a complex issue and will take a long time for it to be completed.
Collins said he understands I-73 is a complicated issue but still think it is needed. He said it would help in getting people here but would also allow people to safely exit the city in case of a big event.
Do you support banning single-use plastic bags?
The city is on track to implement a plastic bag ban at the start of the year. The ban calls for certain stores, such as groceries and food markets, convenience stores, and restaurants to forgo single-use carry out plastic bags and utilize more environmentally friendly bags.
An exemption will be made for plastic bags used for meat and produce, dry cleaners and newspapers. Bags of prescription drugs, garbage bags, and yard and pet waste will also be exempt. The law, which was adopted in 2019, was initially set to go into effect at the start of 2021. Officials previously said the decision to halt the ban would provide economic relief to businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Collins said he does does support banning plastic bags.
Puffer, who lived in Germany where plastic bags are banned, said getting rid of the single-use plastic bags is a great idea.
“I think once people get used to it, it will be a great thing that we will no longer have them,” she said.
Jones said he supports the ban, adding that he is concerned about the health risks associated with using plastic.
“Having served on the Sold Waste Authority [Board] for six years that is our biggest problem ...” he said. “It’s cost prohibitive . We picked it up, and it is not recyclable.”
Fontana is also for the ban, saying it is the right choice for the city.
Davis agreed, saying he has walked the beach and picked up plastic bags.
“They just don’t go away, he said. “They don’t just dry up and leave.”
What are the city’s top concerns?
Fontana said beach parking is a major problem in the city. Growth in the surrounding areas has made it harder for the city to accommodate the influx of people visiting the beach, she added.
“We need to continue working as a council and pursue those pieces of land that we can turn into more parking,” Fontana said, adding that it must be safe, so people won’t have to park on the street with their families.
Pucker said belives uncontrolled growth is a big problem in the city. She said North Myrtle Beach is at a “tipping point,” and there are infrastructure issues that need to be addressed.
“We enjoy low taxes, we have great amenities, and there’s a lot of great things going on,” she said. “We have to be really really careful about how we develop North Myrtle Beach in order to not overdevelop. I believe some of our wetlands might be being built on, and those are some concerns that I have.”
Collins also pointed to growth as being a major issue, which he said not only affects the city’s roads and bridges but water, sewage, the school system and public safety.
“We welcome new people here, so it’s kind of a hard thing to balance, so we have to make sure we say the right things and do the right things.”
Jones said growth is the biggest problem and the city needs to manage it, adding that city, county, and state officials must work together because growth is occurring in surrounding areas as well.
Davis also said growth is a top issue and would like for new development to be more controlled.
What should North Myrtle Beach look like in 20 years?
Puffer said she loves the town the way it is now but would like to see more businesses and housing on Main Street.
“I would love to see us invest a little bit more in the businesses and make sure we are taking care of existing businesses,” she said.
Davis said he envisions more growth, jobs and hotels. He added that he sees improvements on Main Street but didn’t specify what those changes would be.
Collins said he wants to keep the small time feel. He wants Main Street to be a focal point, where people go to shop.
Fontana said she wants the city to keep its home town feel. She wants to see North Myrtle Beach be top location for sports tourism in the country. 27
“We see so many compliments with our sports tourism and our sports park and now with the expansion of it, people are so excited and so happy and they tell us all the time, ‘this is one of the most beautiful parks we have ever seen,’” she said.
Jones said he is more concerned about what the city should feel like rather than what it looks like. He wants to “preserve the small time feel,” which he said can be done by talking with residents and managing growth.
There will be a forum for the mayoral candidates on Thursday. Wayne Troutman is challenging Mayor Marilyn Hatley for her seat.