Author: Paul Gable

DiSabato Asks for Another Deferral on Postal Way Rezonings

Tuesday night was supposed to be the night that Horry County Council would vote up or down on second reading of two rezonings, Chatham Crossing and Waters Tract, on Postal Way in the Carolina Forest area.
It didn’t happen. Instead, council member Dennis DiSabato moved for a second three-month deferral for the two rezonings, which were originally supposed to be voted upon at the May 16, 2023 regular meeting of council.
The citizens of Carolina Forest have never been in favor of these two rezonings. They expressed multiple concerns about the developments that would result during two community input events during Carolina Forest Civic Association meetings.
The minutes of the May 16th meeting provide interesting reading. During discussion before the motion to defer, DiSabato stated, “He and the developer had heard everyone’s concerns at the public input meeting they had in Carolina Forest a couple days prior. The developer had asked for a deferment, not for 90 days, but for a period not to exceed 90 days. They wanted an opportunity to go back to their client to see if there was anything that they could do to expand on the infrastructure to try and make this project more palatable to the community. They either would figure out very quickly that they could, or they could not. In either event, it would come back as something the community supported, and if not, it would come back quicker than 90 days and would be voted up or down based on what that outcome was.”
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Postal Way Rezonings Back on Council Agenda with No Changes from Three Months Ago

Horry County Council will consider second reading and hold public input on the two controversial rezonings along Postal Way at its regular meeting tomorrow night.
The two parcels of land, Waters Tract and Chatham Crossing, will add 1,654 new residential units and some new commercial development in an already crowded area.
The rezonings were deferred for a period of 92 days at the request of council member Dennis DiSabato, ostensibly to see if criticisms of the rezonings, voiced by Carolina Forest residents, could be addressed in the development agreements associated with the projects.
According to the language in the development agreements, which will be considered for second reading, nothing has changed in either development agreement from what was presented to council three months ago.
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Sen. Stephen Goldfinch’s Gym Injuries

A few days ago, media from Myrtle Beach to Charleston and Columbia carried reports that Sen. Stephen Goldfinch was injured while on deployment in Africa with the S. C. National Guard. Goldfinch represents S. C. Senate District 34.
Goldfinch’s senate office put out a statement saying he was injured while on deployment in Africa with the National Guard. It said the injury was not life-threatening and Goldfinch was being transferred to a military hospital in Germany for treatment.
Several of the reports quoted a S. C. National Guard spokesperson as saying the injuries were non-combat related and were not life threatening.
Rep. Russell Fry commented on his social media account, “I’m praying for a quick recovery for my friend Senator Stephen Goldfinch who was injured in Africa while being deployed with the National Guard. Hoping he can get home safely to his family soon.”
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It’s Silly Season and I Don’t Do Stupid Well

I have long called election season the “silly season.” This year, the silly season appears to be starting early, at least with respect to the upcoming Conway mayoral election.
Conway Mayor Barbara Blaine-Bellamy was publicly criticized by a small group of people for issuing a Mayoral Proclamation to a local LGBTQ organization establishing June as Pride Month in Conway. Being criticized is part of being an elected official, but those who join the political discussion with their public criticisms also open themselves up to comment in the public domain.
I wrote an article about Blaine-Bellamy’s consistency in her approach to treating all people kindly, with respect and making them feel included not ostracized. That article elicited the following public comment by Drexel Drew on my Grand Strand Daily Facebook page:
“I’m very disappointed in Paul Gable! Shame on you. The Majority of the people in Conway do not hold her same twisted beliefs. Wonder how much you were paid to write this by her campaign.”
I wrote a second article commenting on Drew’s statement and his inconsistency in dealing with people and organizations who support what he calls “twisted beliefs”. Again, answering his question of how much I was paid to write the first article. Let me make it simple, I was paid nothing by anyone to write the first article, nothing to write the second and nothing to write this one.
David Hucks, in his MyrtleBeachsc.com blog, chose to attack me for the second article. That’s his right. He’s entitled to his opinion. I just wish he would have stayed close to what was discussed in the article rather than going off in directions of his own choosing.

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Consistency or Hypocrisy in Politics and Life

A week ago, I wrote an article about Conway Mayor Barbara Blaine-Bellamy and the proclamation she signed for Pride Month.
Included in that article were the statements, “Blaine-Bellamy has worked to help people of every background understand she cared about them and wanted them to be accepted and included in the community. Blaine-Bellamy said she studied the reasons behind Pride Month and she believes every person deserves to feel safe and not be ostracized.”
And, “People can disagree with Blaine-Bellamy for issuing the proclamation to people whose lifestyle they don’t agree with, but they cannot criticize Blaine-Bellamy for not having the courage to stand by the principles she holds.”
My point was that Blaine-Bellamy has consistently, throughout her professional careers, attempted to treat everyone as she would want to be treated and to help them feel included in the community.

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Increase Fees on New Residential Construction or No Reelection?

Two years ago, Horry County Council imposed impact fees on new construction for the first time in county history. Two years prior to the impact fee ordinance, 72% of county voters had said YES to impact fees in an advisory referendum.
During the first two readings of the impact fee ordinance, the maximum possible fee of $6,645 per single family home was passed with other types of construction also being charged the maximum fee allowed by state law formula.
On third reading, then council member Johnny Vaught amended the ordinance to reduce the fee by 81.4% to a rate of $1,236 per single family home. Seven other council members joined Vaught in bowing to pressure from the development lobby to make the fee nominal. Those same eight council members voted to increase property taxes that same year by 7.5 mills, the maximum allowed by state law formula. Five of those eight council members will be up for reelection next year. Two others have already been replaced on council.
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Everyone’s Mayor Barbara Blaine-Bellamy

Conway Mayor Barbara Blaine-Bellamy presented a Mayoral Proclamation last month to Grand Strand Pride in recognition of June as Pride Month.
In doing so, Blaine-Bellamy was acting totally in accordance with the principles which have guided her professional life. Blaine-Bellamy has worked to help people of every background understand she cared about them and wanted them to be accepted and included in the community. Blaine-Bellamy said she studied the reasons behind Pride Month and she believes every person deserves to feel safe and not be ostracized.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you’ll be criticized anyway.” And Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “My obligation is to do the right thing. The rest is in God’s hands.” Blaine-Bellamy did what she felt in her heart to be right.
A portion of the second paragraph of the proclamation speaks much about Blaine-Bellamy’s personal philosophy, “Our LGBTQ residents …as our relatives, neighbors and friends deserve to feel safe and respected in their homes, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces…”
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Benton Sworn In for Conway City Council Seat

Autry Benton was sworn in as the newest member of Conway City Council before the start of the council’s regular meeting Monday night.
The oath of office was delivered by Judge Alex Hyman. Benton’s wife, Amanda Benton, held the Bible for the ceremony.
Benton won a special election to replace Hyman after Hyman resigned from his council office in order to accept a judgeship. Benton will finish out the remainder of Hyman’s term, which ends December 31, 2023. Benton has already announced he will be a candidate for reelection in the upcoming November 7, 2023 non-partisan general election for Conway City Council.
A short reception was held immediately after the ceremony for Family and friends to greet and congratulate Benton.

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Benton Defeats Brown in Conway Special Election Runoff

Above: Autry Benton with wife Amanda
Autry Benton defeated Kendall Brown in yesterday’s special runoff election to fill the seat vacated when former city council member Alex Hyman resigned to accept a judgeship. Benton garnered 760 votes in the runoff to Brown’s 726.
Brown led the first leg of voting with 428 votes to Benton’s 401. Three other candidates in the special election first round were eliminated.
The runoff drew approximately 200 more voters than the first round of voting June 13, 2023, when there were five candidates in the race. Election commission members commented that both rounds of voting went very smoothly with no problems experienced.
Benton’s margin of 34 votes was slim but in excess of the one percent difference between candidates which would have required a recount.

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Conway Special Election Runoff Pits Benton v. Brown

Voters in the City of Conway will go to the polls Tuesday June 27, 2023 to elect a new member to city council in a special election runoff between Autry Benton and Kendall Brown.
Brown led Benton by a 428-401 margin in the first round of voting June 13, 2023. However, 462 votes were cast for three other candidates who were knocked out in the first round. The first round of voting saw 1,297 ballots cast, approximately 9% of the registered voters in the city. All registered voters are eligible to vote in the runoff regardless of whether they participated or not in the first round of voting.
Brown, an African-American candidate, drew approximately 61% of his votes from Racepath #1 and #2. two predominantly African-American precincts in the city, as well as early voting. Benton’s support was more widely spread among the city’s 13 voting precincts. He also outdrew the other three candidates in the Racepath precincts.
Both candidates said they were reaching to all citizens in the city for support.

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