OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Horry County Council Regular Meeting - October 1, 2024

County Council — Tuesday, October 1, 2024
BodyHorry County, South Carolina
SessionCounty Council
DateTuesday, October 1, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 42:49

Transcript — Verbatim
2:02

2024, we start on time so we can finish on time and we start every meeting out the same way with an invocation tonight by Mr.

2:10

Crawford, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mr.

2:13

Hardy.

2:13

If I can get everybody to please stand.

2:34

Um throughout the meeting and in all the decisions we make.

2:38

Please keep our public safety and our county employees safe as they go out and do the work of the county on behalf of our citizens.

3:12

Next up is public input.

3:14

We have three people signed up.

3:16

Looks like they're signed up for the same topic.

3:47

But it is a professional venue, so we want to be professional about the way we do it, so we're not gonna allow any personal attacks against any council members or staff or any other groups.

3:56

We're not gonna allow any profanity or uh outrageousness, and uh we're glad to hear from you.

4:02

So first up is Lance Taylor, Central Coast Complex.

4:07

Mr.

4:07

Taylor.

4:34

We were terminated on August the thirtieth.

4:42

There's no really no reason to be terminated.

4:46

Um as I understand it, also the foundation company CSG was also terminated.

4:53

And currently they're all owed almost six hundred thousand dollars.

5:00

According to a four-year request, fulfilled a week and a half ago on detailed pay apps and lien waivers.

5:08

All that we have billed for included the $352,000 was paid by the county to Cupertasia.

5:16

Also the everything that CSG was billed for was paid to Coupertasia.

5:23

We were both terminated.

5:36

Most of them were not, which has left us with no choice but file suit against Cupertasia.

5:49

There was no arbitration clause in their contract, which means we're going to jury trial, which take about two years.

6:56

A lack of lean waivers.

7:00

Although we signed one for every pay app, there was only one return from the county.

7:33

And I don't speak for CSG, but what was done to them is entirely wrong.

7:39

You're currently building your building on top of everything that that company did.

7:43

There's nothing that has to be ripped out and repaired from them or us.

8:45

All because of this 85, 88,000 worth of additional dirt above the original topo.

8:54

It was provided by DRG.

9:13

I mean, they build the county for our 352,000 dollars, and currently it's in their bank account.

9:17

They've terminated terminated me.

9:19

Thank you, sir.

9:20

Appreciate you coming out.

9:21

That was five minutes.

9:23

Wow.

9:25

Yes, sir.

9:26

Thank you.

9:27

Next up is Mr.

9:28

Brandon Lawrence on the same topic.

9:30

If you have some new information or additional information, we'd love to hear from you.

9:35

Yes, sir.

9:36

Good evening.

9:37

My name is Brandon Lawrence.

9:38

I'm the other partner of Carolina Utilities and Site Work.

9:43

Just like to say that originally this project was awarded to a company, a local company called Tungsten out of Myrtle Beach.

10:00

Uh was removed on July 25th because of a topo issue that Lance had early talked about, and also some temporary cooling issues.

10:11

Um talking talking with Mr.

10:13

Tungsten and Mr.

10:15

McVick Victoria.

10:16

The county um awarded uh after that, the county awarded Cooper Tia for an additional 718,853,000 dollars.

10:29

They awarded this to Coopertasia.

10:31

Um CUS uh we were hired.

10:38

Excuse me, I'm getting choked up.

10:40

CUS was hired.

10:42

We went under contract in October 2023 with the original contract amount of a million nine hundred and seventy-eight thousand dollars.

10:52

From the beginning of this communication and discussions, we were regarding import needed.

10:57

A topographic survey reported dated October 13th, done by Coopertasia, showed evidence that the data given during the bid process was not correct.

11:08

All parties involved were aware of these issues before the start of the project, yet we still haven't been paid.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning And Land Use██████████████████████████████████████████42%
Pending Litigation███████████████████████████████31%
Procedural███████████11%
Personnel Matters██████████10%
Procurement███3%
Airport Operations███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Horry County Council Regular Meeting - October 1, 2024

The Horry County Council held its regular meeting on October 1, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. The meeting included public input on procurement issues, approval of several ordinances and resolutions, recognition of employees, and discussion of new zoning districts. The council deferred one agenda item and referred another back to committee.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved as amended the consent agenda, which included first readings of ordinances, resolutions, and community benefit fund allocations. Notable items: Ordinance 119-2024 authorizing up to $2,500,000 in general obligation bonds for the Legends Drive Special Tax District; Resolution R-114-2024 supporting Cybersecurity Awareness Month; Resolution R-116-2024 awarding HOME Consortium funding ($320,000 to Habitat for Humanity, $40,000 for rehabilitation, $400,000 to Eastern Carolina Housing Organization for tenant-based rental assistance); Resolution R-117-2024 awarding HOME-ARP funding ($324,250 for supportive services, $75,750 for non-profit operating expenses); Resolution R-118-2024 supporting HGTC property acquisition; and community benefit fund allocations totaling $35,500 to various organizations.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Lance Taylor (partner, Carolina Utilities and Site Work) and Brandon Lawrence (partner, same company) spoke about the Central Coast Complex project. They stated their company was terminated on August 30, 2024, without cause, and that the general contractor (Coopertasia) was paid over $3 million by the county but owed nearly $600,000 to subcontractors. They alleged work was paid for but not completed, and a new unlicensed contractor (GNK Developers) was hired. They requested payment for completed work.
  • Tim Davis, a concerned resident, spoke in support of local contractors, criticized procurement processes, and suggested releasing CAD plans for bidding to avoid issues.
  • Chairman noted pending litigation and county policy of no comment.
  • Sam Yarbrough (Poplar Church resident) spoke in favor of Ordinance 105-2024, stating the proposed MRD-P zoning was preferable to the alternative half-acre lot plan. He thanked council and staff for working with the community.

Presentations & Resolutions

  • Recognition of Frederick Smalls, 30-year employee at the detention center, for his service.
  • Announcement of Chris Leinhart as the new Horry County Police Chief, effective October 1, 2024.

Discussion Items

  • Ordinance 105-2024 (Diamond Shores, MRD-P rezoning): First MRD-P district in the county. Councilman Allen explained the design includes extensive buffers (300 feet on some sides), pocket parks, sidewalks, and reduced road footprint. Developer representative detailed how the plan protects wetlands and existing community. Council expressed support.
  • Budget Amendment (Ordinance 117-2024): Recognized additional revenue and expenditures, including six new positions, capital project schedules, transfer of $825,000 from CIP contingency to Big Bull Landing flood project, and a $5,000 salary increase for council members (effective January 1, 2025). Passed 7-5.

Key Outcomes

  • Deferred: Paragraph 11 (Third Reading of Ordinance 87-2024 – HWY 17 Business South Overlay) was deferred.
  • Referred: Paragraph 19 (First Reading of Ordinance 118-2024 – Shoreline Behavioral Health Board compensation) was referred back to the Administration Committee for further work.
  • Approved (second reading and public hearing): Ordinances 100-104 (airport concessions), 105-2024 (Diamond Shores rezoning), 113-2024 (Benton Rentals rezoning), 115-2024 (Clara Ford rezoning), 116-2024 (Cesar Sacalxot Sacor rezoning), and 117-2024 (budget amendment).
  • Consent agenda: Approved as amended.
  • Executive session: Held to discuss the administrator’s employment contract.

Meeting Transcript

2024, we start on time so we can finish on time and we start every meeting out the same way with an invocation tonight by Mr. Crawford, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mr. Hardy. If I can get everybody to please stand. Um throughout the meeting and in all the decisions we make. Please keep our public safety and our county employees safe as they go out and do the work of the county on behalf of our citizens. Next up is public input. We have three people signed up. Looks like they're signed up for the same topic. But it is a professional venue, so we want to be professional about the way we do it, so we're not gonna allow any personal attacks against any council members or staff or any other groups. We're not gonna allow any profanity or uh outrageousness, and uh we're glad to hear from you. So first up is Lance Taylor, Central Coast Complex. Mr. Taylor. We were terminated on August the thirtieth. There's no really no reason to be terminated. Um as I understand it, also the foundation company CSG was also terminated. And currently they're all owed almost six hundred thousand dollars. According to a four-year request, fulfilled a week and a half ago on detailed pay apps and lien waivers. All that we have billed for included the $352,000 was paid by the county to Cupertasia. Also the everything that CSG was billed for was paid to Coupertasia. We were both terminated. Most of them were not, which has left us with no choice but file suit against Cupertasia. There was no arbitration clause in their contract, which means we're going to jury trial, which take about two years. A lack of lean waivers. Although we signed one for every pay app, there was only one return from the county. And I don't speak for CSG, but what was done to them is entirely wrong. You're currently building your building on top of everything that that company did. There's nothing that has to be ripped out and repaired from them or us. All because of this 85, 88,000 worth of additional dirt above the original topo. It was provided by DRG. I mean, they build the county for our 352,000 dollars, and currently it's in their bank account. They've terminated terminated me. Thank you, sir. Appreciate you coming out. That was five minutes. Wow. Yes, sir. Thank you. Next up is Mr. Brandon Lawrence on the same topic. If you have some new information or additional information, we'd love to hear from you. Yes, sir. Good evening. My name is Brandon Lawrence. I'm the other partner of Carolina Utilities and Site Work. Just like to say that originally this project was awarded to a company, a local company called Tungsten out of Myrtle Beach. Uh was removed on July 25th because of a topo issue that Lance had early talked about, and also some temporary cooling issues. Um talking talking with Mr. Tungsten and Mr.

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