With beaches closed for the Fourth of July weekend and alcohol sales limited, communities are waiting for the day that things will open back up.
And so are municipalities.
Broward County conducted phase one of reopening in May, and cities and towns cannot be any more lax than the regulations set by the county.
One resident in Pompano Beach recently contacted The New Pelican to express her frustration that city hall was still closed.
“Cities cannot take action that is less restrictive than the county’s emergency orders. As such, it is up to Broward County to decide when and what can reopen,” said Scott Wyman, chief of staff to Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis. “And, their decisions are based on what Gov. Ron DeSantis allows the county to consider.”
The closures and restrictions not only impact businesses, but also public buildings. City hall, libraries and more are closed to the public, although some staff are working on site. But there are online options for residents to pay utility bills or for businesses to apply for permits and licenses. Summer camps are also open to smaller groups of children, and some libraries offer walk-up and drive-up services.
Residents registered to vote have also received cards from the Broward County Supervisor of Elections to sign up for mail-in ballots.
“The safety and well-being of our community remains our top priority and therefore, to help disrupt the spread of COVID-19, the City of Wilton Manors’ buildings remain closed to the public,” the city of Wilton Manors said in a statement.
Visit broward.org/coronavirus/pages/emergencyorders.aspx for more information on the county’s emergency orders and openings.