COUNCIL entrusts mayor with extended authority.

A measure from Smith that would have had the City Council review any new policies from Jordan, after enactment, failed 6-2.

FAYETTEVILLE — The City Council extended Mayor Lioneld Jordan’s authority in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The council voted 7-1, with Kyle Smith voting no, to continue Jordan’s ability to regulate gatherings through June 2. The measure would have expired April 29.

Jordan has enacted a handful of policies since the council granted him emergency authority March 16. They include some measures the state adopted shortly thereafter, including relegating restaurants to curbside pickup and delivery service only and limiting attendance at funerals, theaters and auditoriums.

Jordan’s policies also lift some city regulations. Restaurants can function as grocery stores, and social distancing is required at parks. A planned ban on single-use expanded polystyrene foam products won’t go into effect until July 1. Also, meetings can be held online because City Hall is closed to the public.

Tuesday’s meeting was held via the Zoom app. Members of the public could raise a “virtual hand” to speak, call in or send written comments beforehand.

Jordan said he would be the first one to want to rescind his extra authority if conditions allow.

“With some of the numbers we saw today, it could go on a while,” he said. “I don’t know how long that will be.”

Gov. Asa Hutchinson set a target date of May 4 to open a limited number of services in the state. He referenced the White House’s phased approach that requires meeting certain criteria before moving on to another phase. The guidelines call for a downward trajectory of positive test results each day or of the percentage of tests that are positive for two weeks before restrictions start to be lifted.

The first phase would still restrict gatherings of more than 10 and that residents practice social distancing. Restaurants could open to indoor dining, and movie theaters, fitness clubs and other businesses could open as long as they took precautions such as allowing customers to maintain adequate distance from each other. Schools would remain closed and nursing homes off-limits to visitors.

A measure from Smith that would have had the City Council review any new policies from Jordan, after enactment, failed 6-2. Sarah Marsh joined Smith in supporting the measure.

In other business, the council established the rules for pedal carriages to operate in the city. Devin Howland, the city’s economic vitality director, said anyone wanting to operate such a vehicle would still have to seek approval from the council.

Pedal carriages are powered by passengers with a driver who steers and operates the brakes. They’re most often associated with tourist towns and often the passengers can drink beer or wine while working together to pedal.

A separate measure establishing an entertainment district in the city would be required to allow consumption of alcohol on a pedal carriage, and only within the zone of the approved district, Howland said.

An associated measure to limit amplified sound coming from a pedal carriage or bicycle on streets, sidewalks or trails was held until the next meeting May 5 to give the public more time to weigh in.

The council also accepted $436,285 from the CARES Act to assist residents with needs during the covid-19 pandemic. Community Resources Director Yolanda Fields proposed the money be divided among rental and utility assistance, unsheltered homeless assistance and health services.

Don Bennett, founder of Tri Cycle Farms, appealed to the city to include food security among uses of the money. Fields said the categories are intentionally broad. The uses just have to be directly related to an impact from covid-19, she said.

Fields also said she’s looking to free up an additional $100,000 from of the city’s Community Development Block Grant budget to further aid residents during the pandemic.

Stacy Ryburn can be reached by email at sryburn@nwadg.com or on Twitter @stacyryburn.