AGENDA ITEM REPORT
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A RESOLUTION RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 2020-243 AND ENACTING A NEW RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE USE OF COMMUNICATION MEDIA TECHNOLOGY FOR VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE BY USE OF SUCH TECHNOLOGY BY ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS DURING A DECLARED PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY SO LONG AS A QUORUM OF THE CITY COMMISSION, BOARD, OR COMMITTEE IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN PERSON; ADOPTING UNIFORM PROCEDURES FOR HYBRID MEETINGS FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND PROVIDING FOR ACCEPTANCE OF ADVANCED PUBLIC COMMENTS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOR CONSISTENCY WITH RECENT CHANGES TO STATE LAW AND TO ALLOW FOR GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT PUBLIC MEETINGS DURING THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
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BACKGROUND:
The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory illness that can spread quickly among humans through respiratory transmission and presents with symptoms similar to those of influenza. The City adopted Resolution No. 2020-243 on December 3, 2020, providing for procedures for virtual meetings to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the community, commission, and staff during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of the United States, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response first declared a National Public Health Emergency on January 27, 2020, and said emergency has been continuously extended every ninety days thereafter, on April 21, 2020, July 23, 2020, October 2, 2020, January 7, 2021, April 15, 2021, July 19, 2021, October 15, 2021, January 14, 2022, with the last renewal dated April 12, 2022 (“COVID-19 Pandemic”). The ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic has made the City Commission acutely aware that provisions must be made to ensure that the business of municipal governance can occur without unnecessarily exposing City officials and employees or members of the public to a risk of infection while ensuring public access and open government and that Resolution No. 2020-243 should be rescinded and a new resolution should be enacted in its place to provide for consistency with recent changes to state law and to allow for greater opportunity for public participation at public meetings during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.
DISCUSSION:
In support and recognition of Federal and CDC guidelines and recommendations, the City finds that emergency measures are necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. It is essential that the City continue to function and operate and to do so in a manner which provides ongoing public access to local government while implementing governing orders, regarding social distancing and safety guidelines. In recognition of the severe health risks during the current COVID-19 Pandemic, the fluctuating statistics of the pandemic, and the need to maintain flexibility in the City’s meeting style to ensure safety and the ability to adapt to changing threat levels, the City Commission finds that it is in the best interests of the residents and visitors of the City to rescind Resolution No. 2020-243 and enact this new Resolution No. 2022-141 that provides for uniform rules and procedures for Hybrid Meetings, involving a quorum physically present and the use of communication media technology by the commission, board, or committee members unable to be physically present and providing for a change to the deadline to submit public comments in advance of a public meeting to allow for greater opportunity for public participation at public meetings during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this resolution.
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A