A Special Meeting of the Seminole City Council met Friday afternoon to discuss the city’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The meeting took place in the Goldie Barnett room of the Seminole Public Library, which temporarily opened up a portion of the building so that the council could convene.

The Council voted to pass one resolution and three ordinances in the meeting. Each ordinance also had an Emergency Clause that was invoked by the Council to put each ordinance immediately into effect in the hopes of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Following a call to order, roll call and a petition to hear from the audience, the Council began discussion of Resolution No. 2020-03, which was passed unanimously. The resolution does not have the force of law but is rather a recommendation from the city to the residents of Seminole. The resolution “encourages restaurants, bars, theaters and convenience stores to self-impose ‘distancing’ policies and urge curbside-, delivery- and carryout-only for food.” In addition, citizens are encouraged to refrain from all private gatherings of 10 or more people, and to follow the best practices of “social distancing.”

Three ordinances were also passed unanimously that further defined a civil emergency and the powers that the Mayor of the City of Seminole would have in the event of an emergency.

Ordinance No. 1241 says that “the Mayor shall be authorized to exercise special powers by proclamation during the existence of a state of emergency in order to preserve the life, health, safety and general welfare of the public, as well as to protect property and maintain the public peace,” and later defines those powers more specifically.

Ordinance No. 1242 amends a previous city ordinance to “define the procedures to abate certain health nuisances and declaring an emergency.”

The final ordinance passed, Ordinance No. 1243, defines the enforcement powers of the Mayor. It amended an existing ordinance to further define the enforcement of emergency powers, including during “an epidemic, pandemic, or other health hazard characterized by the threat of, or transmission of sickness or disease.”

Following the passage of these ordinances, City Manager Steve Saxon updated the Council on the recommendations from a number of state and national agencies, prompting further discussion of the impacts of COVID-19 on the city of Seminole.

The Council was then adjourned, ending the Special Meeting.

These ordinances passed coincide with and further define the declaration of a Civil Emergency by Mayor Jeff Griffin on Monday, March 16.