The Village of Royal Palm Beach recently posted an operations update on its web site regarding COVID-19 issues. The update included information on limited park openings, May activities and an answer to questions regarding a possible COVID-19 testing site.
According to the village, public spaces in all village buildings remain closed. Online and phone services are available to all residents who need them. The village encourages residents to use online services during this time.
All village parks opened starting Wednesday, April 29 from sunrise to sunset, with the exception of Royal Palm Beach Commons Park, which opened April 29 at 1 p.m., following the weekly food distribution event.
All sports fields, playgrounds, pavilions and dog parks remain closed. All indoor activities at village facilities remain canceled.
As for May scheduled events: The Citizen Summit has been postponed, the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting has been canceled, and the Education Advisory Board meeting on Monday, May 4 and the Royal Palm Beach Village Council meeting on Thursday, May 21 will be conducted with GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar, respectively.
Village essential services and functions continue without interruption during regular business hours. Building and code enforcement inspections remain uninterrupted. However, if an inspector comes to your property, residents are asked to practice responsible social distancing.
The village boat ramp is open. Use of the ramp is limited to residents with a boat ramp permit.
Conversations regarding what can open and when are currently ongoing. Until the population is safe from the virus, openings will be based on the activities’ influence on the rate of new infections and the ability to follow CDC guidelines while participating in the activity with a goal of protecting at-risk populations and preventing hospitals from being overwhelmed.
The village also released a statement regarding a proposed testing COVID-19 testing site at the Walmart store on State Road 7. That testing site did not happen when the village and test site organizers did not come to an agreement on terms.
The village statement is as follows:
Why was the testing site at Walmart denied when testing is of the utmost importance?
Walmart choose not to continue with the testing site because the village asked Walmart not to hold the residents of Royal Palm Beach liable for any negligent and intentional acts of Walmart, its employees or its agents as it related to the operation of the testing site.
The Walmart testing site was a joint venture with Quest Labs. The site was being set up to test up to 84 people per day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., pre-registered by Quest Labs after providing the necessary insurance information. Billing by Quest Labs to the insurance company was going to be consistent with the Public Emergency and Readiness Preparedness Act approved by Congress.
All other details of the testing site were agreed to by both parties.
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