One Grand Strand formed a Memorandum Of Understanding agreement, that’s not legally binding, with the City of Myrtle Beach today to pursue their next step, which is to create a place management organization or PMO.
City Council voted unanimously to approve the agreement.
One Grand Strand C.E.O., Michael Clayton said the PMO will be a non-profit group made up of 18 board members which will consist of various community and business leaders.
“If the place management organization sounds boring, it probably is, but it has been used in over 2,500 cities successfully,” Michael Clayton said.
MASTER CONCEPT
Myrtle Beach will need the brightest and the best, however, to make this plan work.
OGS C.E.O. Clayton told council that the PMO Board would seek out the brightest and best President/CEO for the Place Management Organization.
WILL THE CITY GET OUT OF THE WAY?
During today’s meeting Council Member Mike Louder called the 20 year government run experiment of the Downtown Redevelopment Corporation a failure. The DRC spent $20 million in taxpayer monies with little to show for it, except multiple lawsuits from downtown merchants.
City Council and Mayor Bethune will place three members on the 18 member PMO board.
Should Mayor Bethune or City Council choose to nominate former City Manager John Pedersen to this board, it will be a clear indication that the city intends on repeating the failed mistakes of its past.
Pedersen has telegraphed his desire to serve on the PMO Board.
Concerning the board, the memorandum states:
PMO Board Membership: The Board shall consist of no more than 18 members in total. OGS shall appoint the PMO Board members in accordance with the parameters outlined below:
i. Three PMO directors will be nominated by the City and shall be:
1. A Councilmember or designee of the City Council.
2. The Mayor or his/her designee.
3. The City Manager or his/her designee.
ii. One PMO director will be nominated by Horry County.
iii. The remaining PMO directors shall be:
1. At least three nonprofit, nongovernmental organization representatives.
2. Up to 11 local community representatives from property owners, businesses and residents in the City.
iv. All PMO directors shall:
1. Have a demonstrated commitment to the revitalization of the Downtown area and its adjacent communities.
2.Draw from a variety of the Downtown area’s commercial corridors(Broadway Street, Ocean Boulevard, etc.).
3. Represent property owners, businesses and residents from different sectors and of different scales.
4. Be demographically representative of the Downtown area and its adjacent communities
v. Annually thereafter OGS shall appoint the three directors identified by the City, the director identified by Horry County, and at least three nongovernmental and the remaining community representative directors.
PMO Director Terms: PMO directors shall serve three year terms that will be staggered.
A director may not serve more than three consecutive terms.
PMO Staffing: The initial staffing shall include a President/CEO – to be hired by the Board.
Myrtle Beach PMO MOU – Draft Edited (3.17.2021)-Converted by MyrtleBeachSC news on Scribd
Myrtle Beach Downtown Governance Model Recommendations Excerpt_Draft 2 (3) by MyrtleBeachSC news on Scribd