The economy was one of the topics at an NAACP meeting Thursday night in Myrtle Beach.
However, the future of the May bike rallies took center stage at the almost three-hour meeting.
Mickey James, President of the Myrtle Beach branch of the NAACP said the meeting was an opportunity to inform and educate people about the city's 15 new ordinances.
James said the meeting was geared towards people he said felt left out and didn't understand the ordinances.
During the meeting, people in the audience also asked questions about jobs, the economy, and the housing crisis.
But it was the issue over the bike rallies that garnered the most attention and emotion.
The “Last Voice Round-Up” started with a representative from Conway National Bank telling people what they needed to do if they found themselves in financial trouble, but it quickly turned into a debate and sometimes a shouting match over the city's 15 ordinances designed to curtail the may bike rallies.
Myrtle Beach councilman Mike Chestnut, "All I was trying to point out to people that all of our council meetings are open to the public and I just would've loved to have some of their input actually before the laws were passed and now that they are passed, you know thanks for the comments, but you know the laws have passed."
But some people in the audience, like Rose Deason said they felt those laws targeted a specific group of people.
"I think that that's what the city has wanted to stop the memorial day weekend and but they want to keep the Harley Davidson that's why I say I apologized to the Harley-Davidson for the memorial day weekend because that what is was all about they want to stop that weekend and they didn't have the guts to just come out and say it." said Deason.
James said the NAACP brought together the panel, with Chestnut, Myrtle Beach mayor John Rhodes, Myrtle Beach police chief Warren Gall, Horry county councilman Marion Foxworth, North myrtle beach public safety director William Bailey, and Violet Lucas, with the Horry/Georgetown bikers association, to try and address people's concerns about the ordinances.
James said even though the meeting sometimes went off topic, it was time well-spent.
"I believe it was very informative uh course some people came here with agenda but I think overall we uh as an organization accomplished our goals and as a community we accomplished our goals." said James.
But Deason said, "I don't think my time was well spent because I don't think they answered my questions you know the way it should have been answered.
Myrtle Beach city manager Tom Leath, who was also on the panel said, there’s going to be a public information campaign so people know what the ordinances are, so they don't violate them.
NAACP organizers said the “Last Voice Round-Up” was a success and they plan to have more.
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