Gov. Mark Sanford's communications director and Myrtle Beach
Mayor Mark McBride traded barbs Tuesday over whether coastal towns
were properly consulted about response to Hurricane Ophelia.
McBride went on TV shows Monday night and Tuesday criticizing
Sanford for not consulting with the cities, especially on evacuation
plans. Sanford issued a voluntary evacuation Monday for parts of
Horry and Georgetown counties.
McBride said Sanford called for the voluntary evacuation too
early. "All we're doing is teaching people we cried wolf," he
said.
Chris Drummond, Sanford's communications director, blasted
McBride's statements. He said they put the public safety at risk by
heightening a perception of mistrust in the government in the wake
of the Katrina controversy on how that storm was handled.
McBride told MSNBC that he had not been included in conference
calls with the governor, alluding to communication problems between
the governor of Louisiana and mayor of New Orleans during
Katrina.
McBride and the other coastal mayors had the chance participate
in conference calls and be consulted, but some did not, Drummond
said.
"If he was truly interested, [McBride] should have been involved
in the process earlier," he said.
Drummond said Pawleys Island Mayor Bill Otis participated in a
conference call, asked for extra police help for evacuation and
received it.
There have been at least 20 conference calls with local officials
that McBride could have participated in, Drummond said. The city's
staff participated in the discussions, so the city was not ignored,
he said.
McBride said he was not informed about when the calls were to
occur or how to participate in them. The city staff that attended
was not authorized to make decisions, he said.
