Second, based on the advice of health care and emergency management professionals, as well as the recent action of the County and State government, our City Manager is invoking a declaration of state of emergency that will allow him to exercise certain powers our Charter entrusts with him. This could include closures of clubs and venues, curfews, as well as other actions necessary to promote the social distancing that experts strongly recommend. Many private venues and cultural institutions have unilaterally already taken these actions, so we are grateful for their good corporate citizenship.
Third, we are affirmatively trying to reduce the volume of visitors coming to our City for large gatherings. Across the globe, governments are encouraging social distance as a means to break this pandemic. I appreciate that this poses an incredible economic hardship to so many who have invested in our hospitality industry, but we are past the point where we can encourage or sponsor large crowds. To the extent that anyone can declare Spring Break over, it is over this year.
It’s important you know that our City Manager Jimmy Morales and all our City staff are working around the clock to address this multi-faceted and forever evolving challenge. We are in constant communication with our county, state and federal partners. My hope is that we will diminish the impact of COVID-19 in our community. But optimism is not a plan, and neither is panic. We will take actions that are grounded in the best information and science available. And we will get through this.
Thanks for your patience and trust. Stay healthy.