Frisco City Council will hold a special called meeting at 5:30 p.m. that same day so it can take quick action on the governor's revised plan, according to Mayor Jeff Cheney.
On April 17, Abbott announced initial steps to reopen the Texas economy, including the creation of a business strike force to work on a phased reopening of state businesses. The governor is scheduled to announce a revised plan for the state on April 27 based on the strike force’s recommendations.
“We'll look to be mirroring that just so as [Abbott] gives us the latitude to continue to loosen guidelines and open things up that we can act swiftly to do,” Cheney said of the special City Council meeting. “My expectation is there'll be additional business types that are allowed to open under certain conditions.”
Cheney said he expects the city will also soon begin discussions on reopening public facilities.
“I've been fielding calls the last couple days about the dog park and tennis courts and just all the different public facilities that people are anxious to get back to using,” Cheney said.
Frisco Director of Parks & Recreation Shannon Coates said earlier this month that playgrounds, pavilions, game fields and tennis courts as well as Ruff Range Dog Park and the skate park at Northeast Community Park are all closed. She said the department had received some early reports of people still playing basketball, so staff took down the hoops at public courts as well.
Cheney said Frisco’s efforts to reopen additional businesses and public facilities will be done in a phased approach and will be monitored day-by-day and week-by-week.
With all Texas retailers now allowed to offer to-go services, the mayor said he expects Abbott to allow small groups to be able to gather again sometime soon.
“Whether it's 10 or less or a different number, we'll see, and then that will eventually grow to 50 and then 100," Cheney said. “Then the last thing to come online is going to be these large events. I'm hopeful that by the end of May that the vast majority of things are back open.”
Cheney said City Attorney Richard Abernathy will be watching Abbott’s planned press conference live and will then work to quickly draft an ordinance that council can consider during its Monday meeting.
“We've already given advance notice that we want to be in line with whatever latitude [Abbott] gives,” Cheney said. “If we have the opportunity to put new guidelines in place [for Frisco] as early as Monday, we [are wanting to be] able to do so and not waiting any longer.”
The ordinance to amend the city's declaration of local disaster for public health emergency is the only item on the council meeting's agenda other than a closed executive session to discuss the amendment.
