Newberry mayor calls for emergency meeting in response to “the chaos” of county’s order

The Newberry commission will hold an emergency meeting on tonight at 8 p.m. in response to the county applying more restrictions than the state in the latest executive order.

On Tuesday (May 19th) the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners initially lifted a face covering requirement from it s executive order but during a joint meeting with the City of Gainesville Commission later that same day, the county reconsidered the option at the request of the entire Gainesville Commission who considered removing the face mask requirement not in the best interest of protecting essential workers such as bus drivers and the citizens in general.

Mayor Jordan Marlowe announced the 8 p.m. meeting on his official Facebook page shortly after the county’s vote to require face coverings for all Alachua County residents and businesses when social distancing is difficult in places of business.

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“We will attempt to disentangle the chaos that happened today,” Marlowe posted.

“And we will discuss our options and ability to protect our residents from a level of chaos that has clearly become a public harm.”

A week ago, it was the Newberry City Commission that executed a “flip-flop” maneuver when the commission voted to allow the State of Emergency to expire in an effort to make a gesture of home rule.

After they voted to do so, the commission realized that the decision tied the hands of City Manager Mike New from making some decisions without convening the commission and that the lifting of the emergency status could affect federal and state fund reimbursements if the city encountered expenses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe

Within an hour of lifting the emergency status they voted second time and reinstated it.

“People need, and have the right to expect, stability from their government,” Marlowe posted. “I do not know the outcome of the meeting tomorrow (May 20th), but I know that we will seek some solution that will provide that stability.”

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