Mayor Hellyer’s Weekly Update
February 10, 2023
“Non-resident/non-owner” parking registration allotments for decals have SOLD OUT. Parking applications for all residents/non-resident property owners continue at Town Hall. For further information go to: https://www.surfsidebeach.org/202/Parking
This week, Council and I attended the Hometown Legislative Action Day in Columbia. Its purpose was for the new proposed legislation this year. We attended a legislative reception to meet and converse with our representatives. Our new Representative, Val Guest, spoke with all the Council members and he is anxious to meet in the next week or so to discuss possibilities in helping our town. We also attended educational classes. You should also know that this was the 1st time all councilmembers have graduated from the Municipal Elected Officials Institute of Government. Only 22 municipalities have achieved this status. Our next goal is to graduate from the Advanced MEO Institute and Advanced Continuing Education. Councilmembers Drake, Keating and myself have graduated with this status and councilman Holder is just one class away. Councilmembers Kinken, Kraklaw and Stamey have just started.
Mark your calendars to attend the important Public Open House on Tuesday, February 21st from 5:00 to 7:00 PM to learn more about the COMPREHENSIVE PLAN for Surfside Beach. You can drop-in to learn about the process for creating a new long-range prior-setting plan for the future of our town. We want your input right from the start! Please plan to attend at the Dick M. Johnson Civic Center. Input from the public is a huge part of the process and we appreciate your input.
Applications for the “Town Administrator” position have been arriving. We are working with the South Carolina Municipal Association to help process and screen candidates for interviews and selection. We expect this will take several months. In the meantime, our Interim Town Administrator, Fire Chief Rob Clemons continues to do a fantastic job.
Our town is in need of inspectors. Job opportunities are listed on the website: https://www.surfsidebeach.org/Jobs.aspx. Help us spread the word. Perhaps you know of someone with the right set of qualifications.
At next week’s Council Meeting, we hope to finalize the contracts for the Farmers Market on Tuesdays, and the Craft Market on Thursdays, to begin in April. Vendor applications for the annual Barbeque Festival on March 3rd and 4th are being collected; contact Sheri Medina, Town Clerk, at 843-913-6333.
For those interested in gardening, now is a good time to start your vegetable seeds!
Stay safe and God Bless …
Bob Hellyer - Mayor