Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009

Atlantic Beach's suspended mayor looks on at meeting

ATLANTIC BEACH -- Retha Pierce, Atlantic Beach's suspended mayor, sat at the front of the audience Monday for part of a Town Council meeting that was pretty quiet - no new business was discussed.

Town Manager William Booker did inform the council that the town is making progress toward completing its books to be audited.

The meeting was the first for the council since Gov. Mark Sanford suspended Pierce after she was indicted by an Horry County grand jury on a charge related to an April hit-and-run incident.

Pierce arrived toward the end of the meeting, and her appearance drew applause from some audience members.

She made no comments during the meeting but stated afterward that she "will go on with business as usual, which is always trying to be helpful to the citizens and the community."

Pierce is suspended until she is formally acquitted or convicted, Sanford said in an executive order issued Friday.

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