Chairman Mark Lazarus said he was embarrassed by the way county-funded Coast RTA announced its new general manager.

Today, a press release from the transit authority announced Brian Piascik as its new “general manager/chief executive officer”.

However, Horry County Council says the announcement jeopardizes the more than $1.055 million the county pays to the authority.

Chairman Lazarus told Coast RTA representatives their disregard of county council, by announcing Piascik as the general manager thirty minutes before coast was supposed to speak directly to council only added to the list of issues and controversies the organization has faced.

“This council has to answer to the public on why we’re spending a million fifty five thousand dollars to a company that has been in the newspaper twenty two times for whatever reasons it may be. We want a forensic audit because I want to make sure the books are clean,” he said.

Representatives from Coast RTA told Lazarus that Piascik was only offered the position.

They say at this time there has been no contract signed.