Friday marked the last day on the job for three Atlantic Beach town employees, who were part of a mass firing this week that included all three officers on the town's police department.
The firings followed the seating of new town council members Carolyn Cole and Windy Price. The pair joined the council after the state Supreme Court ruled that the election of Cole and Price to the council in 2009 should not have been overturned by the town's Election Commission.
Linda Cheatham, Atlantic Beach's assistant town manager and chief financial officer, is among those who will have to find new employment. She said she came to Atlantic Beach earlier this year specifically to help solve some of the town's problems and plans to remain in the area.
"The staff is just trying right now to face the challenge that we have with as much grace and professionalism as possible," Cheatham said. "We are a professional organization, we love this town, and we want to seek what's best for the town."
As Cheatham and the two other employees packed up their personal belongings, well-wishers stopped by at town hall to offer their support.
Atlantic Beach resident Debbie Littell gave a hug to town clerk Jackie Gore, who Littell said became a mentor to Littell's teenage son when he was ordered to do community service in the town.
"It just kills me, it breaks my heart that people that try to be good to the citizens just get kicked to the curb," Littell said.
Pastors from two nearby churches also came to town hall Friday to pray with the employees.
"We are about the Lord God and we are about a great revival of goodness and grace and hope for Atlantic Beach and that's God's vision for Atlantic Beach and he's doing that," said Rev. Tom Clymer, pastor of Waterbrook Community Church in Longs.
Clymer said it's a difficult time for Atlantic Beach, but his congregation would continue what he said is its great relationship with the town, no matter who is in charge.
Interim town manager Benny Webb said he thinks the transition is going well so far and he's pleased with his review of the town's operations.
He said security will be his first order of business. The town will hire off-duty Horry County police officers to provide police protection on a temporary basis, until the town can hire a new force of its own, he said.
The next order of business would be to improve the town's fiscal health, Webb said, and firing all of the town's employees was part of that plan.
"We had a responsibility to the citizens of this community, not only to protect them, but to make sure that they're getting the most bang for their bucks, and sometimes, as difficult as it is, it means a reduction in force, and sometimes, you have to terminate people," Webb said.
Webb said he wishes the fired employees and their families well, but the town did what it had to do to help bring down its debt, which he tabbed at more than a quarter of a million dollars.
The town does not have anyone hired to replace the financial officer, town clerk and administrative assistant who were let go, but Webb said he hopes retirees or volunteers could be brought on board on an interim basis until those positions are filled.
Atlantic Beach will also temporarily cut back on its office hours at town hall to save money, with town offices possibly closing on Fridays until the town can start building a new staff, he said.
