Gainesville City Commission meeting canceled as three members recover from COVID

The Gainesville City Commission meeting on Thursday has been canceled after at least three commissioners recover from COVID-19.

Mayor Lauren Poe and Commissioner David Arreola tested positive for coronavirus Friday, while Commissioner Harvey Ward announced he was positive on Saturday.

All three have had COVID vaccinations, they said.

Commissioners Adrian Hayes-Santos and Reina Saco said they have since tested negative, while Cynthia Chestnut said she hasn't been tested and feels fine. Desmon Duncan-Walker's status is unknown, as she was unavailable for comment due to a family emergency.

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The commission was scheduled to address several major issues, including whether to hire a company to study a proposal for a sports complex by Citizens Field and the second and final reading on a new "zero-waste" ordinance.

The three officials who did test positive were recently attendance at a housing workshop and a gala event, tough it's unclear whether that is where they contracted the virus. A congressional candidate who attended the workshop has also since tested positive.

As other local public officials have taken off their masks at meetings as COVID cases have declined, a majority of the Gainesville commission has continued to wear them.

“Three of us are still COVID positive,” Ward said in a text message on Wednesday.

Ward said another reason the meeting was canceled is because another commissioner was unable to attend the meeting for an unrelated reason.

At least four of the seven commissioners must attend a commission meeting in person for it to be held. With Poe, Ward, Arreola and Walker absent, the commission would not have a quorum to host a meeting, as required by law.

“My symptoms are mostly gone," Ward said. "But as I’m testing positive, I’m not going to sit a few feet away from healthy people on the dais and potentially spread the virus."

Poe said he still feels ill, adding that he can only concentrate for short periods of time while sick.

"I feel OK if I don't do anything, but lose my breath with very little exertion and I am very light-headed," Poe said in the text.

Arreola said he is also trying to recover from his second bout with COVID.

"No fever for a couple days now though I've been on the mend," he said in a text message. "Not feeling well enough to test just yet. Still coughing and fatigued with massive COVID fog."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: City Commission meeting canceled as three members sick with COVID