Changes continue in Atlantic Beach
/ Lindsey Theis
More changes in the politics of Atlantic Beach at their Tuesday night Town Council meeting.
Just three weeks ago, the town's council, which included two newly seated council members, fired almost all of the staff including the entire police force.
Tuesday, the changes included some hires. Three new police officers were hired. In addition, embattled Mayor Retha Pierce reclaimed her seat as mayor.
Pierce won the Atlantic Beach mayoral election in 2008 but was suspended by then Governor Mark Sanford in 2009 after a hit and run charge.
On August 4th, Solicitor Greg Hembree dropped the hit and run charge against Pierce, leaving her free to reclaim the title of mayor. She has three months left in her term.
Also Tuesday, Atlantic Beach Town Council voted to fire Town Manager William Booker for reasons of malfeasance, nonfeasance, and misfeasance.
Three weeks ago they sent Booker on a paid vacation and put interim Town Manager Benny Webb in place. Booker was not at the meeting.
For the past three weeks, Horry County has been responding to calls in Atlantic Beach, and no one has been patrolling since the Atlantic Beach police force was fired.
In those three weeks, Webb says Horry County police responded to 45 calls. Before that when they had a police force, they responded to 43 calls in a three week period.
