Read more: Local, Town, Manager, Tattoo, DHEC
An Atlantic Beach town councilman called for Town Manager Kenneth McIver to be fired Monday night, after McIver provided false information to state health regulators so that a tattoo parlor could open.
The issue was placed on the town council's agenda after a NewsChannel 15 investigation uncovered McIver's letter and after DHEC last week revoked the license of the tattoo parlor, 5 Jesters Custom Tattoo.
McIver and the town's attorney, Stephen Benjamin, have come under fire for the ways they went about settling a lawsuit filed by Excitement Video. The tattoo parlor is located in the other half of Excitement Video, and since 2003, Excitement had been seeking a tattoo parlor.
In an attempt to settle the lawsuit, the town issued a business license to 5 Jesters Custom Tattoo, but the parlor also needed a license from DHEC. But DHEC wouldn't license 5 Jesters since the town's playground was within a 1,000 feet of the business. That's against state law.
So McIver, in an effort to settle that lawsuit (which was dropped after his actions), wrote a letter that said the playground was "condemned", "not in use" and that the town did not plan on reopening the park.
NewsChannel 15's investigation showed the park remains open.
When presented that information, DHEC revoked the license. And a few days later, town council members instructed McIver to pull the business license as well.
Donnell Thompson called McIver's letter untrue and dishonest, but his motion to fire him couldn't muster a second.
"It's dishonest, and you signed your name to it. It is improper, and as a council person I'm asking this council to terminate you," Thompson said in a statement before council.
Any further discussion on the issue was tabled until the town's next meeting, since the town's attorney was not at the meeting.
Excitement Video owner, Brian White, showed up to the meeting along with his new attorney John Breeden and 5 Jesters' CEO Stan Hudgins. They were hoping to hear council's discussion of the parlor, but when the issue was tabled, the group left.
They declined formal comment, but said they did nothing wrong and added they shouldn't be punished for the false actions of Atlantic Beach. They said they'll take whatever actions necessary to stay in operation.
"I'll spend $1 million just to make back $10," Hudgins said.
