News and Announcements

The International Drive Road Race, postponed earlier this year due to COVID-19, has been rescheduled to Sunday, November 15, 2020. The event includes a 5K, 10K, and one-mile fun run for kids. The event will have additional COVID-19 safety protocols including staggered start times throughout the morning and a virtual awards ceremony (additional protocols are outlined below). 

This is a closed course race. Participants are able to compete in both the 5K and 10K with the top 1st-3rd overall male and female runners receiving awards. Each participant will receive a finisher medal.

Registration for the rescheduled date is now open and registration fees include a high-quality tech t-shirt, a finishers medal, and refreshments at the finish line packaged for you to take with you. Fun run participants have the option of purchasing a t-shirt.

For more information and to register for the event, visit the website. 

COVID-19 Safety Protocols

1. To ensure social distancing, participants are asked not to go to the starting line until ten minutes before race time.
2. We will have approximately 50 cones placed behind the starting line that are approximately 6 feet apart. We ask that every runner stands at a cone only with family members or people that they rode to the event with. There should be no more than 5 people at any given cone even if they are family or you rode with them. The race is chip timed and we will be doing a rolling start. Runners will be let go one cone at a time by the race staff at the start line. Runners in the line will continue moving to the next cone until they reach the final cone/start line where they will be released to start the race.
3. People will not be permitted to gather in crowds at the finish line.
4. There will be no awards ceremony. Awards will be delivered or mailed to recipients.
5. Results will be posted online and on facebook.
6. Unless supervising a minor child participating in the race, people who are not participating in the race will not be allowed in the area as spectators.

Upcoming Meetings

 

Meeting attendees are encouraged to wear a face-covering when entering the building and when social distancing is not possible or practical.

 

Zoning Board of Appeals

Monday, September 14, 2020, 5:30 p.m.

Click here to view and download the agenda or here for the packet.

 

County Council

Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 6 p.m.

Click here to view and download the agenda or here for the packet.

 

The September 15th Council Meeting will take place in-person in Council Chambers. Social separation protocols will be enforced and seating will be very limited. Overflow space will be available to accommodate public viewing. Attendees are encouraged to wear a face-covering when entering the building and in Council Chambers. The meeting will be broadcast on the Horry County Government website as well as Spectrum/Time Warner channel 1301 or Horry Telephone Cooperative channel 14.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE CONCERNING PUBLIC COMMENT

 

Public Comment will be taken ONLY on items scheduled for a public hearing. See list below.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to provide public comment via telephone on the items having public hearing. You must sign up in advance to speak on public hearing by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. You will receive a call during the meeting and patched into the meeting when the item on which you wish to speak comes up on the agenda. You can sign up by calling Pat Hartley in the Council Office at (843) 915-5120, or by emailing hartleyp@horrycounty.org. You can also provide written comments to be provided to each Council member at the same email, hartleyp@horrycounty.org. The Public Input segment that is held at the beginning of each meeting remains suspended until further notice. 

Public Hearings that are scheduled for September 15th include:

Ordinance 70-2020 to approve the request of Rowe Professional Services Co., agent for Burroughs Brothers Properties, to amend the official zoning maps.

Ordinance 86-2020 to add certain properties to the Horry County Historic Property Register as individual historic properties.

 

Voter Registration & Election Commission

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Click here to view and download the agenda.

 

The following meeting will take place virtually and will be broadcast on the Horry County Government website as well as the Government Access Channel (Spectrum/Time Warner channel 1301 or Horry Telephone Cooperative Channel 14).

 

Board of Assessment Appeals

Thursday, September 17, 2020, 4 p.m.

Click here to view and download the agenda

 

Complete the 2020 Census Today

The 2020 Census is more than a count. Census information is used to determine funding for roads and infrastructure, education, housing, health care, public safety, and more. All you have to do is answer a few questions about you and everyone who is or will be living with you. This year, you can respond online, by phone, or by mail. If you haven’t already, do your part and complete the census at www.my2020census.gov.

 

Horry County Government COVID19 Operations Update

Following the guidance from Governor McMaster and state agencies, Horry County will allow public access to its buildings with the best safety practices being implemented. Safety measures will include:

• Everyone in high-traffic public areas will be required to wear masks while inside facilities. This includes lobbies, waiting areas, customer service counters, etc. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own mask and wear it prior to entering the facilities.
• Occupancy limits are set in public areas of offices and lobbies.
• Physical distancing guidelines are in place.
• Services made available online will continue and the public is encouraged to use online services when possible.
• Additional hand sanitizing stations are stationed in public areas.
• Enhanced cleaning operations will continue.

To help alleviate crowding in public areas, Horry County encourages individuals to continue to do business online and over the phone with county departments where possible. Horry County will continue to phase into operations as conditions permit, and ask for patience if wait times exist.

Anyone planning to visit a County building should be prepared to check in with staff located at the entrance to the facility. Visitors may be asked to wait outside the office or facility depending on the capacity of the facility.

County officials remind everyone to continue to follow CDC and S.C. DHEC safety guidelines as well as Governor McMaster’s executive orders that remain in effect.

Juror selection has resumed with precautions in place.

All local Magistrate Offices are open to the public for filings and court.

Central Traffic Court is open as well as is the Central Jury Court. Central Jury will only be receiving guilty pleas, so the public will not be required to serve jury duty.

Preliminary hearings have been canceled until further notice.

[Revision 09/09/20] The unveiling planned for the Eddy Lake Cemetery Sign Thursday, September 10, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. has been moved to the James R. Frazier Community Center located at 1370 Bucksport Road due to weather conditions.

Eddy Lake Cemetery is on the historic register, and with permission from Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority, the cemetery is in the process of being recovered and restored.

Conway, South Carolina [September 8, 2020]-To best meet the needs of patrons, the Horry County Memorial Library System has changed operating hours at the following locations starting Tuesday, September 8, 2020:

• The Aynor, Bucksport, Green Sea, Loris, and Little River branches will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• The Carolina Forest, Conway, Socastee, North Myrtle Beach, and Surfside Beach branches will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Although the libraries are open, by appointment curbside service is encouraged whenever possible. Branch locations, hours, and COVID19 limitations can be found on the Horry County Memorial Library System's website.

Update on the Hospitality Fee Litigation and Settlement Discussions

This update is provided on behalf of Horry County Government and the City of Myrtle Beach

Conway, South Carolina (September 4, 2020)—After many months and considerable effort, it gives us great pleasure to announce that Horry County Government, the City of Myrtle Beach and all municipalities involved have reached a settlement agreement in principle to resolve the Hospitality Fee litigation.

The settlement provides for a path forward for the continued collection of the fee for the mutual benefit of all parties and the county as a whole. It also provides for equitable distribution of past monies collected and unspent.

The next step in the process will be obtaining preliminary court approval of the settlement. This is scheduled to take place on or before September 16, 2020. Final approval will take place thereafter.

In summary, the agreement among all parties, subject to court approval, provides:

• That the municipalities retroactively consent to the County’s Hospitality Fee and resumption of collections within those municipalities;
• That  Hospitality Fee monies collected within the municipalities will be distributed to the municipalities from where they were collected on a monthly basis, minus a one percent administration fee;  
• That the municipalities agree to repeal any new Hospitality/Accommodations Taxes/Fees that were imposed after January 1, 2019, effective on the date collection of the Hospitality Fee within the municipalities resumes; 
• That the municipalities may reimpose these new taxes/fees if the County stops collecting the Hospitality Fee in those municipalities at any time in the future;
• That after deduction for costs, fees, expenses and claims, 50% of what remains of the $19 million (primarily from monies collected within the municipalities between January 1, 2017 and the effective date of the preliminary injunction) is proportionately distributed back to the municipalities from where the Fee was collected; and
• That distribution of the remaining 50% will be determined by the court. 

For more information, contact:                                   

Mark Kruea, Public Information Officer, City of Myrtle Beach

(843) 918-1014 voice (843) 450-1695 mobile

Kelly Moore, Director of Public Information, Horry County Government

(843) 915-8421 voice (843) 246-8945 mobile