VIDEO: A large salary increase comes in with the new year after Myrtle Beach City Council approved a $4.9 million budget adjustment.
It was approved on first reading in November. Since then, they approved a second and final reading. City workers — full or part-time, received their first 2024 paycheck last weekend.
City council says after reviewing comparable cities and counties, Myrtle Beach’s compensation was at or below market rates. Capt. Jonathan Evans with Myrtle Beach Fire Department says the new adjustment allows the fire service and police to be competitive and one of the top paid in the state. He says they were given another $5,000 across the board, making the new minimum starting salary for firefighters more than $50,000. Evans says the department currently has around 180 people, but they’re hoping to recruit more.