Manatee County Commissioners to hold emergency meeting tomorrow to consider additional steps to protect public health
MANATEE COUNTY, FL (April 2, 2020) – Manatee County Commissioners will meet tomorrow at 2 p.m. to consider a supplemental local emergency resolution that would create a temporary local curfew and that would give law enforcement agencies the ability to enforce group gathering restrictions on private property, in conjunction with Governor DeSantis Executive Order 20-91 & 20-92.
The meeting will be streamed live at www.mymanatee.org/mga Manatee Government Access (MGA) can be seen locally on Spectrum channel 644, Verizon channel 30 and Comcast channel 20. The County will enforce social distancing guidelines inside the Patricia M. Glass Chambers for the meeting. Members of the public are strongly encouraged to watch the meeting remotely.
County, law enforcement and municipal leaders from each of the County’s municipalities discussed the curfew and private property restrictions during a virtual Emergency Policy Group meeting this morning. The group agreed that the additional measures will send a clear message to Manatee County residents that social distancing orders must be taken seriously and are not to be ignored. The proposed curfew would prohibit non-essential travel (travel that is not for food, medicine, essential supplies, employment) from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., seven days a week. An effective date will be decided during tomorrow’s meeting.
If Commissioners approve the supplemental local emergency resolution, Manatee Sheriff’s Office and municipal police department officers will have the ability to issue citations to group gatherings on private property and not in compliance with the Governor’s Executive Order 20-91 & 20-92. Under Florida Statute 252.50, those who violate the State Emergency Management Act are guilty of a second-degree misdemeanor and can be served a Notice to Appear order.
Currently the County’s COVID-19 restrictions are only enforceable on public property such as public beaches and public boat ramps. County and city officials say the public has largely heeded those restrictions, but group gatherings at private residences – such as vacation rental homes as well as recreation centers and event halls – continue to pose a public health risk.
"This Supplemental Emergency Resolution would add support to the White House and Governor’s directive to ‘Slow the Spread’ through April 30, 2020 and also helps our local law enforcement, the Department of Health, first responders and the medical community protect our citizens in a more stringent way,” said County Administrator Cheri Coryea. “If you thought you could save one life by being temporarily inconvenienced during this unprecedented COVID-19 event, wouldn’t you want to?”
MCAT Updates
MCAT riders are asked to limit trips on Transit/Trolley and Handy Bus systems to essential travel only. Riders with questions or concerns can contact MCAT at 941-749-7116.
The following changes are now in effect beginning April 4
- MCAT daily service will continue but routes will halt at 7 p.m.
- The Anna Maria Island Trolley and Route 3 serving the Manatee Avenue/State Road 64 corridor will both be reduced to 60-minute service frequency, Monday through Saturday. There will be no AMI Trolley service on Sunday until further notice.
- The Longboat Key Shuttle will cease operation until further notice.
- The Skyway ConneXion service which connects Manatee County and Pinellas County daily will now operate on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only.
Miscellaneous Updates
- The County’s public basketball courts are now closed.
- County dog parks remain open. Park officials are taking the next step to discourage social gathering by removing the fixed seating areas.
View the latest on Manatee County's community-wide effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by visiting www.mymanatee.org/COVID-19
or text ManateeReady to 888-777. For more information on Manatee County Government, visit www.mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl and on Twitter, @ManateeGov.