COASTAL OBSERVER

The Georgetown County Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee last week recommended that nonprofits that maintain the Highway 17 median and local beaches should get full funding for their annual grant requests.

The committee recommended that grants cuts for requests from first responders.

The county will receive nearly $1.8 million in revenue this year from the 2 percent state tax on short-term rentals. The money can be used to offset the cost of services that support tourism. 

The county received applications for $2.59 million in funding. It was up to the advisory committee to make recommendations to County Council about how much money, if any, each entity should receive.

The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office asked for $355,379 to maintain its beach patrol.

Committee chairwoman Lauren Joseph made a motion for $166,514 for staff but no funding for  equipment.

“That is something that I think the county can work into their budget, hopefully,” Joseph said.

The motion passed.

The Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire District asked for $167,781 to support its Marine Safety Initiative.

Committee members Billy Nichols and Suzanne King questioned Battalion Chief Brennan Moore about a last year’s referendum that allowed the district to raise its tax rate.

Moore said that extra money would be used for staffing and an extra ambulance.

“I’m talking about lifeguards, boat captains, JetSkis and equipment,” he added. “We would not be able to staff this at all with our firefighters.”

King made a motion to recommend $108,680, which was approved.

The fire district also asked for $44,669 for expanded medical coverage during the bike weeks in May and October, including one ambulance just for the rallies.

“I agree this is important, we need to make sure our tourists are safe, but where we’re struggling is, we’ve kind of gotten word that you’ll have a source of funding and the ability to raise millage on your own to go directly to what you’re asking for,” Nichols said. “I think we feel that being able to fund $200,000 a year is maybe not the best use of A-tax funds, although it’s important.”

Nichols made a motion to recommend $22,500, which was approved.

The nonprofits that were recommended for  more than $400,000 for median and beach access maintenance were: Litchfield Beaches Property Owners Association, Georgetown County Parks and Recreation Department, Mainstreet Pawleys Beautification Committee, Litchfield Beautification Foundation, Pawleys Island Highway Beautification Program, Murrells Inlet 2020, Garden City Beach Community Association and Brookgreen Gardens.

The county Chamber of Commerce asked for $896,681 for for tourism marketing and research. The committee recommended $800,000. 

Joseph said County Council does not want a-tax money spent on projects on private property or for nonprofits to spend on marketing. 

Requests from individual groups for marketing money should go through the county’s Tourism Management Commission, she added.

Under those requirements, requests from the Harbor Historical Association and Swamp Fox Players were recommended for no funding.

Several other entities – Varna International, Friendship Place, Winyah Auditorium and Winyah Bay Musical Arts – were recommended for cuts because their requests included marketing. 

When the committee got to the last two of the 33 requests, both from the Kaminski House Museum, it had $8,179 left, which it recommended go to the museum. The museum had asked for $113,898 to install artificial turf and $16,300 for marketing.

The committee’s recommendations will be presented to County Council on Dec. 10. It will have the final say.