FAYETTEVILLE -- The City Council granted Mayor Lioneld Jordan extraordinary authority Monday during a special meeting.
The council voted 8-0 to allow Jordan to regulate or prohibit the gatherings in public places or private places serving the public, such as restaurants and bars.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday recommended a 50-person limit on gatherings. On Monday, President Donald Trump recommended people avoid group of more than 10 over the next 15 days. He also recommended avoiding eating and drinking in restaurants and bars.
The measure the council passed will have the mayor follow the guidelines of scientific or health entities.
Jordan will be able to enforce recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control, Arkansas Department of Health and other scientific or health authorities with the passage of the ordinance.
A separate proposal the council approved appropriates $3 million in emergency money to locally address the covid-19 pandemic. Chief Financial Officer Paul Becker said any expenditures more than $20,000 would go before the council.
The money could be used for testing police officers, medical equipment or overtime for emergency personnel, Becker used as examples.
The city has the power to enact ordinances which the City Council deems necessary to provide for the safety and health of residents, according to a memorandum from City Attorney Kit Williams. Cities have the power to, "prevent injury or annoyance within the limits of the municipal corporation from anything dangerous, offensive or unhealthy," Williams cited as state law in the memorandum.
"The covid-19 pandemic now striking Arkansas is certainly worthy of emergency, protective and preventative measures by the city of Fayetteville's administration," Williams said.
Members of the public who attended the meeting were asked to sit at least six feet apart. The council itself also had six feet of room between them in the chamber.
NW News on 03/17/2020