Horry County Council unanimously backs updated strategic plan as staff begins 2027 budget work

Horry County Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution supporting an updated county strategic plan and a revised mission, vision and core values, council members announced during a fall planning retreat. The resolution (R149‑125) formalizes a plan staff said will guide the 2027 budget and near‑term program priorities.

Administrators and outside consultants told council the plan was built from staff‑led surveys, department‑head interviews and facilitated sessions with council members. The plan narrows the county’s stated values into a five‑part mnemonic the presenters called the “Horry way,” emphasizing character, collaboration, service, caring and quality. Staff said the goal is to make the values easy for employees to remember and apply day‑to‑day.

Consultant Bill Tomes summarized findings from the outreach: the county’s strengths include a committed workforce and stable budgeting practices; persistent weaknesses are recruitment and retention, inconsistent interdepartmental communication, and aging technology systems. Staff presented targeted strategies such as a middle‑manager leadership pipeline, standardized onboarding, mentorship and peer‑nomination recognition programs to reduce turnover and improve internal trust.

On community engagement, communications staff outlined a suite of outreach measures: annual countywide surveys, quarterly town halls, a mobile “gov on the go” bus for services, expanded partnerships with educational institutions and a more proactive narrative management approach to reduce misinformation and raise public participation.

The plan’s growth and quality‑of‑life section calls for a new department of behavioral services to expand mental‑health, homelessness and opioid outreach programs in partnership with school districts, higher‑education institutions and local nonprofits; staff said an RFP/RFQ for homeless shelter needs will follow a needs analysis. Fiscal responsibility strategies highlighted revenue diversification (including local option sales tax and grants), an internal budgeting scorecard, and expanded public education on how tax dollars are used.

After the presentation, the council moved and seconded Resolution R149‑125. The vote was recorded as unanimous with no ‘no’ votes. Administrator and staff said they will fold the plan’s strategies into the 2027 budget process and return with implementation milestones and metrics.

The council directed staff to report back on timelines and to present recommended budget alignments tied to the strategic plan during upcoming budget meetings.