April 6, 2026 — Regular Council Meeting
Loris City Council gave Ordinance 01-26 its second reading, authorizing the Interim Administrator to sign a contract to sell 5.75 acres ± of city land (a portion of PIN 186-00-00-0024) to Horry County for $315,000.00 to build public facilities. Council also voted to issue a request for proposals to replace the street department's knuckleboom loader truck, with a 15-day notice on the city website.
At a glance
- Approval of minutes — March 2, 2026 regular meeting
- Approval of minutes — March 19, 2026 special meeting
- Authorize the Interim Administrator to sign a contract to sell and purchase real property — convey 5.75 acres ± to Horry County
- Potential purchase of a new knuckleboom loader truck for the street department leaf and limb pickup
- Executive session — contractual matter
Read the full summary
At its 37-minute regular meeting on April 6, 2026, the Loris City Council approved minutes from two prior meetings and passed two business items. On second reading, Ordinance 01-26 authorizes the Interim Administrator to sign a contract conveying 5.75 acres ± of city-owned land — a portion of PIN 186-00-00-0024, part of roughly 16.26 acres bounded by Broad, McQueen, and Bryant Streets — to Horry County for $315,000.00, so the County can build and operate public facilities for the joint benefit of city and county residents.
The attorney noted the County pays for the survey after the contract is signed and that council must later pass a resolution adopting a contract addendum with the surveyed plat. Council also authorized the administrator and attorney to put out a request for proposals to replace the aging knuckleboom loader truck used for leaf-and-limb pickup, with a 15-day notice posted on the city website before proposals return to council.
All votes carried with the mayor and all members voting favorably. Council entered a brief executive session on one contractual matter and took no action.
Reports covered a newly organized Loris Regional Lions Club; an April 21 community forum on utility peak-hour rates with Santee Cooper and Horry Electric at Santino's Pizza; an emergency-preparedness meeting on radio technology; ongoing city-code updating proposals from Civic Plus and International Code Council Innovation; the fire department's 2025 Fire Safe South Carolina Community Designation and a new skid unit for Brush 425; a roughly $40,000.00 plan to replace Watson Park basketball goals and playground equipment; FEMA comments on the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan; and a Flood Mitigation Grant Application for drainage improvements in the upper Pleasant Meadow Branches. No one signed up for public comment.
Written by an AI from the verbatim record below, a convenience, not the official record. It may contain errors; the sourced items below are authoritative.
The item-by-item record
Click “Jump to …” on any item to play the video at the moment it was taken up.
Approval of minutes — March 2, 2026 regular meeting
Approval of minutes — March 19, 2026 special meeting
Authorize the Interim Administrator to sign a contract to sell and purchase real property — convey 5.75 acres ± to Horry County
An ordinance authorizing the Interim Administrator to sign a contract to sell and purchase real property located in the City of Loris, so as to convey 5.75 acres ± owned by the City of Loris to Horry County, a Body Politic, for the purpose of building and operating public facilities for the joint benefit of the citizens of the City and the County. The City owns approximately 16.26 acres bounded by Broad Street, McQueen Street, and Bryant Street. Read by title only. Attorney Zilinsky noted Horry County pays for the survey after the contract is signed and that there will be a contract addendum, incorporating the surveyed plat as Exhibit “A,” that council must pass by resolution before it is signed.
- What it is
- This ordinance lets the city's interim administrator sign a contract to sell part of a city-owned tract to Horry County.
- What it does
- Passed on second reading, this authorizes the interim administrator to sign a contract conveying 5.75 ac ± of city land (PIN 186-00-00-0024, portion) to Horry County for $315,000.00, for the county to build and operate public facilities.
AI-written from the sourced items above, a convenience, not the official record.
Potential purchase of a new knuckleboom loader truck for the street department leaf and limb pickup
Mayor Suggs explained the knuckleboom loader truck used to pick up leaf and limb debris has had several issues, and it has become time to think about buying a replacement. Administrator Neighbours has been researching available truck options; Attorney Zilinsky suggested a notice also be placed on the city's website for proposals of any other options, over a 15-day period. After the 15-day notice, proposals will be brought back before council for consideration. Council authorized the administrator and attorney to move forward with a request for proposals.
- What it is
- The street department's knuckleboom loader truck, used to pick up leaf and limb debris, has had repeated issues, and the city is looking at a replacement.
- What it does
- Council authorized the administrator and attorney to open a request for proposals, with a 15-day notice posted on the city's website, before any purchase decision comes back to council.
AI-written from the sourced items above, a convenience, not the official record.
Executive session — contractual matter
Mayor Suggs stated that one contractual matter needed to be discussed in executive session. Council entered executive session at 6:23 pm and reconvened in open session at 6:35 pm. Mayor Suggs announced that in executive session council got an update on a contractual matter; no action or votes were taken in executive session.
Beyond the votes
Reports, announcements, and public comment from the same meeting, also drawn verbatim from the minutes.
Reports & announcements
- Lions International. Mayor Suggs reported that Lions International, a worldwide service club whose motto is “We Serve,” is committed to helping local communities. A newly organized Loris Regional Lions Club held its presentation ceremony on Thursday, March 19; the city looks forward to having them in the community.
- Community forum on utility rates. A community forum will be held Tuesday, April 21 at 6:00 pm at Santino's Pizza. Santee Cooper and Horry Electric will be in attendance to explain the peak-hour rate adjustment, why it is implemented, and the strategies to reduce energy usage to lower power bills. Everyone is invited to attend.
- Emergency preparedness meeting. Mayor Suggs and Fire Chief Hardee attended a meeting on March 16 at the county emergency room preparedness center with Horry County officials. The main topic was the advancing radio technology and how departments are addressing the constant need to upgrade communication equipment; the city should be able to remain technologically current for the future by working with the county as they upgrade equipment.
- City code updating. During the March council meeting, city code updating was discussed. Two companies — Civic Plus and International Code Council Innovation — have expressed interest in the project. A video meeting was scheduled with Civic Plus but was rescheduled due to a personal conflict for Mr. Marcy representing Civic Plus. International Code Council Innovation has requested to review the current code and number of ordinances added since the last codification before making a proposal, per Mr. Strickland, ICC's representative. Both companies have worked with cities within Horry County.
- Loris Volunteer Fire Department — Safe South Community designation. Loris Volunteer Fire Department received the 2025 Fire Safe South Community Designation, which displays the department's fire safety and risk reduction programs. The official award presentation will be held in June; Fire Marshal Robert Rudelitch will give more details later in the meeting.
- Chamber of Commerce. Loris Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Samantha Norris was not in attendance.
- Administrator's report — trees and basketball goals. Administrator Neighbours reported the Oak Trees have been trimmed and the buildings downtown are more visible now; a plan is in place for the Elm Trees and Crepe Myrtles to be trimmed in the fall. Neighbours informed council that a grant paid for Watson Park basketball goals, and quotes are being taken to replace basketball goals and playground equipment, which should have all quotes in by the end of April. The project will be approximately $40,000.00. The flags discussed at the last meeting have been ordered and should be displayed soon.
- Code Enforcement & Planning. Planning and Zoning Director Meredith Holmes stated she has statistical reports for February and March which has been given to council. One significant item is that the city received comments back from FEMA on its Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, which the city has been working on with the county; there are a few revisions to be made through several jurisdictions that are under way. Holmes briefed council on a Flood Mitigation Grant Application that would implement drainage improvements in the upper Pleasant Meadow Branches; engineers did studies back in 1991 and 1999 on what drainage work would need to be done to improve the flooding. The project would be completed in three phases if the grant is approved. Mayor Suggs questioned rather engineering costs would be included in the grant; Holmes stated it could be used as much for the grant and let the grant pay for materials and construction.
- Fire Department. Fire Marshal Robert Rudelitch presented highlights from his written report. He stated the award presentation for the 2025 Fire Safe South Carolina Community Designation will be held in June at the City's Firefighters Associations Annual Conference — the second year the Loris Volunteer Fire Department has received the designation. Rudelitch thanked the partnership of the Chamber of Commerce, the City, the American Red Cross, and the County Retrodiction Team in receiving this honor. The department was pleased to receive its new US Department of Interior funded skid unit for Brush 425, delivered March 31, 2026.
- Police. No written or verbal report.
- Public Works. Administrator Neighbours reported the public works department have been doing hydrant and value testing, and have been cleaning out the public works building and the surrounding grounds for possible storage. Pipe upgrading research is also under way for future work.
- Recreation. No written or verbal report.
- Homestead tax exemption (state). Before adjournment, Councilman Padgett shared an informational item: the state is trying to increase the property homestead tax exemption for people over 65 up to $150,000.00.
- SCDOT road responsibility. Councilman Padgett shared a second informational item: the state is modernizing SCDOT, shifting responsibility for some roads to local governments; however, the City does not have any roads to which it would be responsible.