Council rejects censure; manager reports budget gaps and a SLED forensic audit as police compliance problems persist

A resolution to censure Mayor Pro Tem John David failed at the Atlantic Beach Town Council meeting on March 2, 2026 after a 2–2 vote. Councilwoman Carla Taylor introduced Resolution 1-2026, which alleged that Council Member David had interfered with town administration; the motion to approve the censure received two yes votes (Campbell, Taylor) and two no votes (Gore, David) and failed.

The censure debate was contested on procedure: Mayor Pro Tem David said the resolution was retaliatory because he had requested a SLED investigation; Council members disputed whether the item had been properly noticed on the agenda after executive session. Paul Curry from the public raised a point of order questioning whether the censure was on the agenda.

Separately, Town Manager Adrian Jones gave a budget-to-actuals report through February 2026. Jones said property-tax revenue was budgeted at $410,733 and the town had received $397,451 so far (a $13,282 gap), and he said a town parking program had been budgeted for $105,267 but realized only $7,863 to date, leaving a shortfall. Jones said personnel expenditures were below budget overall but that the police department had been "out of compliance for some time, for years," producing higher insurance and operational costs; he said contracted coverage through Horry County costs about $56 per hour per officer compared with approximately $268 per hour for in‑house officers when accounting for insurance and related costs under current noncompliant conditions. Jones also said the town is undergoing a forensic audit by SLED.

Council members asked for more detail and for itemized accounting so the public can see the true costs of running a police department and the sources of budget shortfalls. Council did not take action on changing policing arrangements at the March 2 meeting.