Miami governments grapple with coronavirus by canceling or closing public meetings
Concern over the spread of COVID-19 has forced local governments to slow down as they grapple with how to keep working during a crisis that strongly discourages public gatherings — the cornerstone of government in the sunshine.
As the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases increases daily, some municipal agencies have canceled government meetings, closed facilities and deferred decisions. Public activities sponsored by municipalities also have come to a halt, such as kids camps and other recreational programs.
On Monday, the day after new restrictions and limited hours were announced for public spaces and private business across Miami-Dade, the city of Miami canceled all public meetings through April 1, including committees, boards and the second City Commission meeting of the month. The cancellation defers a docket of decisions and recommendations made at these meetings, as well as the public comments people make before votes.
The agenda items are varied and include city contracts, zoning approvals, code enforcement appeals and public hearings on allegations of police misconduct.
At Miami City Hall on Monday, municipal employees were being screened for COVID-19 symptoms at the door.
Heading into last weekend, the Miami-Dade County Commission had planned a special meeting Tuesday on the coronavirus crisis. But by Sunday, those plans were scratched and commission Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson announced that an entire week’s worth of meetings, including a Thursday session to decide the fate of a development planned for the Calusa golf course in Kendall, had been canceled.
Last Thursday, a wave of municipalities across Miami-Dade and Broward counties announced states of emergency and the cancellation of local events. But many were still hesitant to call off government meetings.
Hallandale Beach in South Broward told residents Monday that several upcoming meetings, including the State of the City address on Thursday, have been postponed. But the City Commission meeting set for Wednesday is still on the calendar for now.
“A determination will be made on Tuesday, March 17, whether to postpone,” the city’s notice said.
Still, other municipalities have begun to call off commission meetings. Opa-locka, for example, announced Monday that it was canceling its regular meeting scheduled for March 25. The Doral council’s zoning meeting on March 18 is canceled.
Doral’s parks and recreation department is closing all of its community centers, canceling spring break camps and sports programs. Parks remain open, though rentals will be postponed until further notice.
North Miami has canceled its March 24 council meeting. City officials told residents that, while administrative offices would remain open, they would only be maintained by a “rotating skeleton crew” of employees.
“We canceled all public events and meetings, in an abundance of caution, to make sure we are in line with the precautions recommended by Miami-Dade County, the Florida Department of Health and the CDC,” North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime said Friday in a statement.
Some towns are shutting down their facilities altogether. Davie Town Hall, along with its multipurpose center and fitness center, are closed until further notice. Same for Surfside Town Hall and all town facilities.
“All non-essential staff have been advised to work from home,” reads a notice on Surfside’s municipal website. “Additionally, the town administration has contracted a cleaning, sanitation and disinfectant company to deep clean Town Hall and all touch surfaces.”
In Miami Beach, elected officials will meet this week without a public audience.
The City Commission chambers are closed to the public, and Wednesday’s meeting will be streamed live on Facebook and televised on MBTV. The meeting will not offer the usual hourlong public forum or any public hearings during the meeting. Most items on the commission agenda will be referred to a future meeting, but commissioners will be voting on whether to extend the emergency powers invoked by City Manager Jimmy Morales to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Morales, who declared a state of emergency in the city Thursday, has enacted an 11 p.m. curfew on Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue, closed South Beach’s public beaches from 5th to 15th streets and forced non-essential businesses to close by 10 p.m.
The emergency measures, which typically last only 72 hours, were extended by the City Commission on Friday to last one week. The measures will expire at midnight on March 20, unless they are extended by commission action Wednesday.
The public health crisis has also impacted staffing and city-run transit in the city of Key West. City officials announced a hiring freeze effective immediately, and the city is stopping the free Duval Loop bus that picks up tourists and locals at several stops in Old Town as a way to reduce car congestion.
Monday was the first day that Miami-Dade County public schools were shut down, meaning teachers are teaching and students are learning remotely. The district’s audit and budget advisory committee meeting has been canceled, as well as bargaining with the teachers’ union. The district and the union were scheduled to discuss teachers’ pay for the first time in seven bargaining meetings.
As this year’s legislative session winds to a close in Tallahassee, this week will also deviate from business as usual.
Florida Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, said his chamber will vote on the state budget Thursday, but there will no traditional sine die hankie drop ceremony.
House Speaker José Oliva, R-Miami Springs, also said the House will vote on the budget Thursday, but unlike the Senate, his chamber’s public viewing galleries will be closed.
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Miami governments grapple with coronavirus by canceling or closing public meetings."
