A city commissioner in Lake Worth, Florida (a city of about 38,000 near West Palm Beach, and just a few miles from Trump's Golf Club) questioned how his city was responding to the COVID-19, wondering why they were shutting the power off for some delinquent accounts. Though not in a declared state of emergency, the City Manager was granted emergency powers to make decisions unilaterally. When Omari Hardy brought this up things got heated, the mayor told him he was out of order, and eventually the meeting was cancelled.
Source: NBC Miami
A Lake Worth city commission meeting turned into a shouting match Thursday evening after officials argued over who had emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The heated words were exchanged between City Commissioner Omari Hardy and Mayor Pam Triolo.
Hardy said City Manager Michael Bornstein was "turning people's light off during a global health pandemic," and accused Mayor Triolo of failing to act after she declined an emergency meeting the week before.
The Palm Beach Post reports that Triolo gave Bornstein emergency powers to run the city even though Lake Worth Beach has not declared a state of emergency.
During the commission meeting, Bornstein acknowledged 50 customers had their power turned off one day before the city stated shutoffs would be discontinued.
"We cut off people's utilities this week and made them pay what could have been their last check to us," Hardy yelled at Triolo after the mayor called for a recess.
