The departure of John Pedersen as City Manager last December continues to create transitional havoc at Myrtle Beach City Hall as employees increasingly turn in their notices. This according to sources working inside city government.
Said one key source in May, “Last night someone said he just left Public Works two days ago. He went to City Hall and gave Fox [Simons – City Manager] an earful of what’s going on. Five people in City Hall and now four in Public Works have recently quit. Fireworks are going to come before the 4th of July, I think. One public works employee is doing Uber on the job.“
In June, we were informed: “City is now going to hire a private street sweeper contractor…$45,000 to clean up Ocean Boulevard. They can’t get vfc anyone to work for $12 ,hour. They are spreading parks and recs employees all around the city where they are short. The contractors are to clean the trash, and debris off streets, sweep using the two Myrtle Beach city owned sweepers.”
This came in last Saturday: Because of ongoing issues in Public works, the city “separated the sanitation dept. from Public Works.“
And then Thursday, “Another person just walked out of purchasing at Public Works….just never came back to work in public works!! Every one is abandoning ship! I guess the company they hired to clean Blvd are coming in at 1 a.m. in the morning. As far as I know they are under Parks and Rec. $47,000.00 paying them. I don’t know for how long.“
According to a former employee in Human Resources, “Employee turnover in the City’s Public Works department is a whopping 27.5%.” The latest release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national average for city government employee turnover at 3.8 percent. We brought you this article on March 5th when we reported on the city’s toxic work environment.
PUBLIC WORKS
Why are so many employees leaving Public Works?
Our source in Public Works reported this on May 7th: ” Grand Strand Water & Sewer (GS) installed new flow meters to measure the exact volume of sewage going into the treatment plant. (Btw, Shutting down the system so GS could install the meters was the reason for the sewer leak on 48th.) Prior to this, GS was measuring the volume of sewage going to the plant, from the amount of water being metered.
These new meters will increase the cost of treatment the city pays, due to the amount of infiltration of a neglected sewer system. Infiltration and inflow (I/I) is excess water that flows into sewer pipes from groundwater. Groundwater (infiltration) seeps into sewer pipes through holes, cracks, joint failures, and faulty connections. Myrtle Beach’s water table is very high. GS believes that these new meters will measure an extra million gallons a day, due to the amount of infiltration of groundwater seeping into the sewer system. –“
LEAKING – COLLAPSING PIPES ALL OVER TOWN
As we have continued to publish, Myrtle Beach city pipes are leaking and collapsing city-wide. These sewer pipe leaks are a key reason why Myrtle Beach is rated as S.C.’s dirtiest bacteria beach.
The cash strapped city refused to invest in sufficient infrastructure over the past few decades.
MBPD
Moral continues to be low inside the Myrtle Beach Police Department. As we published earlier this year, the MBPD went into the 2021 tourist season 55 police officers short. Shortages require those on payroll to work long hours in a city where shootings are a weekly occurrence.
OTHER REASONS FOR DEPARTURES
Why would so many quit a good paying government job with benefits? Sources tell us some are leaving as a result of personal politics. Apparently some inside the organization believe an entanglement exists between the city and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
Mayor Brenda Bethune 
Ryan Moore Pelicans Baseball
Says this city source, “If you haven’t seen it yet, go look at @milbadvocates on twitter. The page is called advocates for minor leaguers. A not so good look for the pelicans.” This after a beer bat night at Pelican’s stadium went viral.
A business called corkedbatcollection.com will be filing a lawsuit according to this thread and our source.
RYAN MOORE – A POTENTIAL NEW PELICANS BASEBALL STADIUM?
Ryan Moore is the General Manager of the Pelicans Baseball franchise in Myrtle Beach. Sources connected to the Corked Bat collection say Moore is operating unethically and illegally as it relates to the beer bat saga. However, issues around a potential new stadium have many at the stadium and city government most upset.
WBTW ran this article on May 10th quoting City Manager Fox Simons, “There’s going to have to be significant investment in the current stadium,” Myrtle Beach city manager Fox Simons said. “Or part of the conversation is going to be whether it’s the current stadium or a new stadium.” The Post & Courier then reported: The city of Myrtle Beach is facing a decision with its minor-league ballpark within the next two years — spend $15 million to bring the two decade-old stadium up to standards or build a new one, likely for more than twice the price.
After these articles were posted, a source working for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans reported that Moore is now showing up for work daily, informing staff not to worry about maintaining the stadium as “Mayor Bethune has personally promised him a new facility.“
A Pelicans Baseball employee informed us that Mayor Bethune and Ryan Moore have been working very closely to “re-define the definition of what putting heads in beds means altogether.” This information was also confirmed by another attraction owner who operates inside the city limits of Myrtle Beach.
Putting heads in beds is a term the city often uses to explain the city’s need to invest in $30 million dollar facilities like Pelicans Stadium. We are unsure, but it could be possible this source was speaking of an entirely different definition altogether. We chose not to ask.
Like most bars, restaurants, and area hotels, the City of Myrtle Beach finds itself short staffed this June.