Georgetown Hires Former Horry County Spokeswoman as PR Contractor

The City of Georgetown recently brought on Mikayla Moskov, a former spokeswoman for Horry County government and the Horry County Police Department, as a part-time public relations contractor to assist local leadership with social media content development and public engagement.

The contracting arrangement was finalized in late July 2026, just days after Moskov refiled a civil lawsuit against Horry County, Horry County Police Chief Kris Leonhardt, and Horry County Administrator Barry Spivey. Her court filing alleges First Amendment retaliation, Title VII sexual harassment, invasion of privacy, and gross negligence following her November 2025 resignation during a county internal affairs investigation.

Georgetown Mayor Jay Doyle confirmed in writing that he was unaware of the specific circumstances surrounding Moskov's departure from Horry County before she was brought on. Doyle defended the hire by pointing to her roughly ten years of experience in local government public information and broadcast journalism.

The personnel move coincided with shifts inside Georgetown City Hall. Cindy Thompson, who served as Georgetown's Public Information Officer for 14 years, resigned from her role, publicly stating that she felt pushed out by the decision to contract with Moskov and did not want her work confused with the new contractor's duties. Thompson noted that Moskov was recruited by Georgetown Human Resources Director Katie Badgett, a former Horry County employee who is herself named in a separate federal lawsuit filed by a former county procurement specialist.

For residents and business owners across Horry and Georgetown counties, the hire connects ongoing regional legal disputes and public safety governance across county lines. Georgetown's full-time Public Information Officer post remains vacant, with standard media and public notice duties temporarily distributed among existing city personnel while Moskov handles social media outreach. Residents seeking official communications or updates from Georgetown City Hall can continue to reach out through established city channels during the ongoing staffing transition.