Purpose: The purpose of this Essential Operations Plan is to maintain the continuity of City services while facilitating measured social distancing recommendations. It is not intended for this plan to be solidified as it is expected for essential operations to be flexible and change according to the conditions of the event. 

City Hall will be open for staff, but will be closed to the public effective the start of business Thursday, March 19, 2020 and until further notice. 

DEES/Building/Development Services Departments will be open for staff, but will be closed to the public effective the start of business Wednesday, March 18, 2020 and until further notice. 

Commission Meetings after March 18th will be postponed until further notice.

Board/DRC/Special Magistrate/P&Z, BofA Meetings are postponed until further notice. 

Administrative staffing at all City departments may be operating in limited capacity with staggered shifts, approved leave, and/or telecommuting to facilitate social distancing. Essential personnel of each department are being provided with appropriate technology so they can work from home as needed.

Normal operating hours may be adjusted and there may be limited number of staff to answer phones and address resident inquiries. Staff may be answering these calls remotely, but the intention is to maintain a line of communication between the community and City. During this time the caller may be asked to leave a message and call back number as the applicable department representative may not be immediately available. 

Open spaces and parks remain open to the public, with the exception of Andrews Field (Margate Middle) which has been closed by the BCPS. This is subject to change on very short notice.

Utility Billing will be restricted to making payments by regular mail, the parking lot drop box, online payments or at AMSCOT (assuming they remain open) We are waiving the AMSCOT fee for the duration of this event. Cash and in-person payments at the DEES building are suspended until further notice. Utility Billing administrative staff may be operating in limited capacity with staggered shifts, approved leave, and/or telecommuting to facilitate social distancing. All service disconnections will be suspended until further notice. Staff is preparing options for extended payment plans on a case by case basis.

Public Works and Parks and Recreation may be operating in limited capacity with staggered shifts, approved leave, and/or telecommuting to facilitate social distancing. 

Building and Development Services Departments may be operating in limited capacity with staggered shifts, approved leave, and/or telecommuting to facilitate social distancing. Appointments for service, permit applications, plan reviews, inspections will be required until further notice. Inspections will be limited to commercial and emergency only. 

DSD is putting together a business outreach program designed to provide guidance and resources to small businesses that are effected by COVID-19. 

Solid waste and recycling services will operate as scheduled. 

Finance, Budget and Purchasing may be operating in limited capacity with staggered shifts, approved leave, and/or telecommuting to facilitate social distancing. 

Clerk’s Office may be operating in limited capacity with staggered shifts, approved leave, and/or telecommuting to facilitate social distancing. 

Temporary Use Permits have been suspended until further notice.

Organized Sports Leagues are postponed until further notice. 

City Events are canceled/postponed until further notice.

Facility Rentals are canceled until further notice.

Restaurants and Bars: Per Governor Ron DeSantis Order 20-68 restaurants and bars shall conform to the following:

Restaurants defined as any Food Service Establishment, licensed under Chapter 500, Florida Statutes, and Public Food Service Establishment, licensed under Chapter 509, Florida Statutes shall: 

• Limit customer entry to 50% of capacity. 

• Stagger and limit seating to ensure seated parties are separated by a distance of at least 6 feet. 

• Encourage restaurants to continue and expand take-out and delivery services. 

• Screen all employees and prohibit entry for employees that answer “yes” to any of the following questions: 

o Have you returned from international travel or been on a cruise within the last 14 days? 

o Have you been in contact with anyone who has returned from international travel or been on a cruise within the last 14 days? 

o Have you been in any gathering of 50 people or more in the last 14 days? 

o Have you traveled to any area known to have high numbers of positive cases of COVID-19, including but not limited to California, Washington, New York, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.? 

o Have you experienced signs or symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath? 

Bars defined as any licensee authorized to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises that derive more than 50% of its gross revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverages shall:

• Suspend all sale of alcoholic beverages for thirty days, effective 5:00PM, March 17, 2020.