Sun News, The (Myrtle Beach, SC)

August 26, 1999

Section: FRONT
Page: A1

MCBRIDE, GRAY FIGHT AT MEETING ALTERCATION WORRIES MB

COUNCIL
Clay Barbour, THE SUN NEWS
A Myrtle Beach City Council meeting turned ``ugly'' Tuesday night when
Councilman Wayne Gray and Mayor Mark McBride got into a fight during an
executive session.

No one was arrested, and no charges were filed in the late-night scuffle, but
members of the City Council are worried the fisticuffs might give them a black
eye.

``I'm real disappointed,'' said Councilwoman Rachel Broadhurst. ``These are

grown men we're talking about. Men in their 30s, not children. You'd think
they'd be able to behave.''

The incident occurred during the second executive session late Tuesday
night, called for a personnel matter.

After entering the executive session in a Law Enforcement Center meeting

room, the situation ``deteriorated from the word go,'' said Councilwoman
Judy Rodman.

Witnesses say the council's discussion quickly became a personal exchange

between McBride and Gray. After a few heated words, Gray lunged at the
mayor.

``I was scared,'' said Rodman, who was seated only 4 feet away. ``It was
strangling, ugly and mean.''
Rodman said the two men were pulled apart once but still continued to fight.

``Then someone went to get the police,'' she said.

Outside the room, people waiting for the regular meeting to continue said
they heard the muffled noise of a struggle and overturning of furniture.
Council members soon emerged, and the police showed up.

An incident report was filed Tuesday night with the Myrtle Beach Police
Department citing Gray as the subject and the mayor as the victim. Police say
there is a supplemental report, giving both sides of the altercation, but would
not release it due to the ongoing investigation.

The only details given by the report are that the mayor had red marks on his
neck and scratches on his hand.

Council members would not say what McBride and Gray were discussing
before the fight erupted due to a city policy preventing the discussion of such
matters. Nothing said while in executive session can be discussed publicly
unless the City Council takes action on it.

Broadhurst said it was a personal issue between the two men and not City
Council business.

There is a history of verbal conflict between Gray and the mayor, the latest
concerning the position of city attorney. Gray has been vocally in favor of
keeping Joe Wettlin as city attorney. The mayor has opposed the idea.

Rodman said McBride has a manner that instigates arguments, and Gray has
a short fuse.
``But you don't fight,'' she said. ``We're not children.''

Gray would only say McBride verbally attacked him.

``I approached him and told him he had crossed the line,'' Gray said.
``Unfortunately, that led to the physical altercation.''

The mayor said he does not know what led to the fight. He said he was just
doing what the people of Myrtle Beach elected him to do.

``It's a sad day for the city,'' he said. ``But I will not stop doing what I believe
is in the best interest of the city.''

The rest of the City Council agreed the incident was a sad day for the city and
for the City Council.
Each member - except for Crain Woods who refused comment - expressed
sadness at having such an incident associated with them.

``The people of Myrtle Beach deserve better,'' Councilman Charles Martino

said. ``How can people trust us to set the policy for the city if we can't control
ourselves?''

Both McBride and Gray say they can work together peacefully on council
issues.

``This will pass, and we will move on and work together to do what's right for
the city,'' Gray said.
Rodman said if the two men can't get their act together, she will resign.

``This is no way for a group of adults to act,'' she said.