City leaders in Broward County are expressing frustrations over other cities when it comes to heeding COVID-19 safety rules.
Broward’s new mayor, Steve Geller, hosted a call Friday with mayors and representatives from about 20 cities in the county, and some expressed their concerns over a lack of continuity. They say some local cities are permitting large gatherings, and are slack in enforcing facial coverings and social distancing.
"Something is being done that is not helping the cause," Pompano Beach Mayor Rex Hardin said. "It is disappointing when my community gets pushed aside so to speak because we are taking a conservative approach to keep people safe and other communities open their arms and say 'come on in.'"
Hardin said he is seeing businesses suffer, many in the hospitality industry, because other cities are permitting party-like environments.
"If there’s a lack of cooperation, a lack of unity, now that does not bode well for the future," Hardin said. "I would hope that all communities will take a critical look at the way they conduct their business."
In the interest of not pitting one city against the other, the mayors didn’t identify which of their fellow mayors are contributing to the problem.
On the vaccine front, a spokeswoman for Memorial Healthcare System said they’re expecting 20,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, although it’s unclear whether that’s one dose for 20,000 people, or two inoculations for 10,000 people.
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The mayors' call also emphasized the basics, including wearing masks and social distancing.
