North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By John Smithson
The City of North Myrtle Beach honored Mayor Marilyn Hatley last Thursday evening with a Final Gavel Gala to celebrate her 29 years of service to the city, the final 24 years as mayor.
This time the mayor was in city hall to meet and greet her many friends, supporters and government officials and she needed no gavel to start or finish the affair. There were tables of food to help celebrate and lots of recognition and congratulations from many dignitaries.
After time to welcome those who dropped in to wish her well, city manager Ryan Fabbri officially welcomed everyone as he thanked the mayor for her service and contributions to the city and the employees who worked for her over her career.
Following an invocation by Public Safety Chaplain Jay Ortiz, State Senator Greg Hembree spoke. He stated that it was a very special day for the city as he began to tell a story about his first meeting with Hatley.
Hembree said that when he was city attorney Hatley came to his office and wanted to know “what does a city attorney do?” He stated he toured the mayor around his department, the police department and then had a long talk with Hatley about his job. He stated that Hatley wanted him to set up more meetings to tour every department in the city.
“I was impressed with her kindness, her inquisitiveness and her dedication to her new job on council in Windy Hill. She said she didn’t know this job and wanted to learn the job and be the best person on council. No council member before or afterward had ever done that. She took the time and effort to become the best councilperson she could. A few years later she became the city’s mayor, and she served her city with generations of leadership and dedication to her city, friends and family,” Hembree said.
Following Hembree, Bradford Traywick, State Press Secretary from Senator Tim Scott’s office, read a statement from the senator to Hatley. Representative Russell Fry had a taped message to Hatley played on the monitors in city hall.
Hatley’s son Chad also spoke on his memories of his mom and also memories of her time on council and as mayor and her contributions to the city.
A letter from South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster was also read, thanking Hatley for her commitment to the state and her community.
City manager Ryan Fabbri again thanked the mayor for her commitment to the employees of the city and presented the mayor with her own iPad to replace her city-issued one. Police Chief Dana Crowell and Fire Chief Billy Floyd also presented Hatley with a gift and their thanks for her support.
Hatley then stepped to the podium for final remarks.
“I look out and see so many wonderful friends, so many people that I have depended on for years and years. Thank you all for being here tonight. I would not have been in this position if it had not been for all of you, the people of this community.”
“ There are people here tonight who talked me into running for city council.”
Hatley mentioned the NMB Woman’s Club who assisted her in that first election and she remembered meeting with people who four years later were urging her to run for mayor. “ I really had to pray on that, but I finally said okay. It was you the people that taught me and guided me through this.”
“I also thank the many people I have worked with on city councils. I owe all the council members a debt of gratitude. I also have past council members here. It was a joy working with them. We didn’t all agree, but we would put that aside once we made a decision. We didn’t worry about who voted yay or nay. When the decision was made and we were going to do something we came together and made sure it was accomplished.”
“I have loved so many of you and I want to thank each member of my family here today.” She took several moments to thank each family member.
“There are so many I could name that have been here and are still here. I want to thank you for your service and all you have done to help me be a better mayor because it takes all of us working together to be a success.”
“It is bittersweet. I’m not going to say farewell. I’m not going anywhere; I’ll always be right here. Thank you,” Hatley concluded.
