Inkster council suspends meetings for 30 days

Members of the Inkster City Council have responded to the social distancing ordered by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer with a new resolution suspending public meetings for the next 30 days.
The resolution, number os-20-49-R, also permits Mayor Patrick Wimberly as the chief administrative officer to take all actions necessary to the continued operation of the City of Inkster.
The resolution was approved by a unanimous vote of the city council members during the regularly scheduled March 16 meeting.

The resolution notes that the governor has declared a state of emergency due to the public health crisis and has ordered various venues and public places closed.  It recognizes that current recommendations include the cancellation of gatherings of 10 or more people, the implementing of social distancing practices, reductions of in-person gatherings and measures designed to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease.
The resolution also mentions the requirement of the Open Meetings Act which requires governmental actions be taken at public meetings “but remains silent about taking emergency interim action where public meetings are not possible due to significant public health threats like the COVID-19 pandemic.”
To continue the operation of normal business in the city, the resolution provides the “Mayor/Chief Administrative Officer shall take all necessary and proper actions to ensure the continuity of governmental operations.”
The resolution requires that any necessary and proper actions taken by the mayor which would ordinarily require pre-approval by council members be communicated electronically to each council member within 24 hours of being taken “or as soon thereafter as is practical under the circumstances.”
The communications to the members of the city council should also be posted on the city website within 48 hours, according to the resolution.
The new rules will remain in effect until the governor declares that the state of emergency has ended or the council approves a resolution terminating these new procedures.