Agenda Item Name:
Title
Public Hearing-Ordinance Amending Alachua County Code, Chapter 27 (Emergencies)
End
Presenter:
County Attorney
Description:
Public hearing to consider ordinance amending Alachua County Code, Chapter 27 (Emergencies)
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve ordinance amending Chapter 27 (Emergencies), Alachua County Code, and authorize Chair to sign.
End
Prior Board Motions:
August 26, 2020: Motion to approve authorization to advertise
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
N/A
End
Background:
Alachua County has entered week 23 of the COVID-19 declaration of emergency. Prior to this emergency event, local declared emergencies rarely lasted longer than a few weeks. Some questions regarding the emergency ordinance (codified in Chapter 27, Alachua County Code) have arisen during this considerably-longer-than-average emergency event. The County Attorney suggests the following general amendments to Chapter 27, Alachua County Code:
1) Add definition of "Continuing Emergency" as designation of an emergency that lasts longer than 30 days, during which the Board of County Commissioners can meet and conduct business;
2) Require Official Authority to report to Board all actions taken since the last Board meeting and deem such action as ratified unless the Board takes action;
3) Require County Manager to produce a memorandum to Board, at least once a year, that sets forth line of succession for the County Manager's authority under the emergency ordinance;
4) Articulate County's authority to set a penalty or civil fine by emergency order;
5) Allow emergency orders to be posted to the County's webpage, instead of the headquarters of county governmental operations; and
6) Include additional articulated power regarding the Board's authority to "take such action as may be reasonably required under the circumstances."
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