Business at Anna Maria City Hall was anything but usual Jan. 26 after an employee notified Mayor Dan Murphy of a positive COVID-19 test.
The employee, who had been out of work for five days, notified Murphy the evening of Jan. 25, the mayor said Jan. 27 during a phone call with The Islander. To protect the employee’s privacy, Murphy declined to release identifying information.
The mayor instructed employees who had been in contact with the virus-infected employee not to return to city hall without proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
Included among the contacts at city hall was Murphy. All tested negative and returned to work between late-morning and early-afternoon Jan. 26, the mayor reported.
“I think we took the appropriate actions quickly,” Murphy said.
Additionally, a historic preservation board meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 26 was canceled as a precaution. That meeting had not been rescheduled by The Islander press time.
This was the first known case of an employee at city hall testing positive and Murphy said he’s certain the virus was not contracted at work.
“We have kept vigilance up and that’s probably why this was the first case,” the mayor said.
City hall remains open for business by appointment only and for scheduled meetings. The doors are locked, requiring a visitor to be let in by an employee — and then only after a temperature screening.
Additionally, all areas of the building are sanitized daily and, in compliance with a city mandate, face masks are required to be worn at all times.
Anna Maria City Hall is at 10005 Gulf Drive.