The city of Coral Gables — which has 28 cases of COVID19 positives, including two police officers — will have its regularly scheduled commission meeting on Tuesday via Zoom, the fast-growing video conferencing platform that allows people to meet remotely, which is now allowed of governments during the state of emergency to 
contain the coronavirus.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waived the requirements for meetings to be in a “specific public place” and for quorums to be in-person during the stay-at-home orders meant to curb the community spread of COVID19.
But unlike the city of Miami’s virtual meeting last week, where residents were only allowed to leave recorded messages or send emails, Gables residents will be able to participate live vís-a-vís a television screen in chambers.
“The person wishing to submit the live remote public comment will appear live on the TV screens in Council Chambers during the meeting and will be afforded three (3) minutes to speak,” explains the instructions on the city’s website. You’ll have to have a camera and mic on your computer or phone and you still have to give your first and last name.
Read related: Miami commission approves COVID19 curfew, $2 mil in meals — barely
There will be an update on the city’s COVID19 response and services. But, also unlike the city of Miami’s meeting last week, there are a number of non-coronavirus items on the agenda, too, such as a request for an executive session with the city attorney and:
- Authorizing the purchase of almost $600,000 for furniture for the new public safety building (rendition shown).
- Awarding a contract for Pump Stations SCADA/Telemetry System Rehabilitation to Custom Controls Technology, Inc. as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in the amount of $835,180.
- Renewing the Property and Casualty Insurance Program through Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc., for almost $2.7 million to cover the city from May of this year through May, 1, 2021.
- And declaring a modular building (read: trailer), used by firefighters and personnel at Fire Station 2 while the station was renovated, as “surplus” in order to sell it for $25,000 to Advanced Modular Structures, the same company that sold the trailer to the city in May of 2016 for $182,131. Now that’s depreciation!
“Due to the approaching completion of this project, a determination was made to declare the property surplus and to determine the best method for disposition of the property,” reads the back-up memo on the agenda item. “The decision is being made due to the need to remove the temporary housing by April 22, 2020 to make way for the new canopy at the facility.”
Public Works staff researched the options, the city said, and determined that selling the modular building to the vendor that originally old the property to the city “would be the most cost-effective option.” This way, the city does not have to pay for the dismantling and removal of the 24′ X 74′ modular building. The department feels this is “an acceptable amount.”
Anyone who wants to be speak or be part of the scheduled Zoom meeting, which starts any 9 a.m., can join the meeting by clicking https://zoom.us/j/3054466800.
Coral Gables commission will meet virtually to discuss COVID19 and more added by Ladra on
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