Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Gym wars shaping up between county, city
Fort Lauderdale fights to reopen exercise facilities
FORT LAUDERDALE — A behind-the-scenes battle is brewing over whether gyms in Broward County can reopen today.
The county says no. Fort Lauderdale says yes.
On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said gyms and fitness centers across the state can operate at 50% capacity starting today. The move is part of the state’s phase 1 reopening that eases lockdown rules put in place amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Gyms in Fort Lauderdale are free to reopen, according to an executive order signed Saturday by Mayor Dean Trantalis. He
says other cities plan to do the same.
But that could lead to a legal showdown, Broward Vice Mayor Steve Geller warned Sunday.
Broward County has already issued an emergency order that excluded gyms from Monday’s phase 1 reopening.
“The cities simply do not have the authority to ignore a county order,” Geller said. “If cities ignore the county, we’re heading to a showdown between the cities and the county. It could end up in court.”
Or the county can always ask Sheriff Gregory Tony to send in deputies to shut down any gyms that dare to open, Geller said.
On Sunday, Trantalis accused the county of coming up with “an 11th hour order” that flies in the face of the state’s intent to reopen gyms.
“We’re just following the governor’s order,” Trantalis said.
Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Steve Glassman says he’s in favor of home rule when it comes to gyms reopening.
“It’s not like people in Tamarac are going to flood Fort Lauderdale gyms [like they would a beach],” Glassman said.
“Fort Lauderdale is doing the right thing.”
Glassman scoffed at the idea of deputies being sent in to shut down gyms that open.
“It would be absurd for the county to take it to that level,” he said. “They want to get into a gym war? If they think it’s worth their resources to send in a deputy to close down a small dance studio, what kind of leadership is that?”
Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Heather Moraitis says she feels safe going back to the gym.
“We are now at the point where we need to develop a plan with our business community for how to safely reopen,” she said. “This includes gyms. Limiting capacity, sanitizing and taking temperatures are steps I am sure business owners will happily enforce to reopen their gym.”
Geller says county officials need to come up with a list of safety guidelines before it will allow gyms to reopen.
“I don’t think the county can keep the gyms closed forever,” Geller said.
“But we have to have the guidelines before they open. I don’t want them opened without those guidelines. And it cannot be done on a city-by-city basis. It’s too confusing and they don’t have that authority.”
Fort Lauderdale has already come up with its own rules for gyms that plan to reopen.
The rules include the following:
■ Employees must wear face masks and have their temperature taken at start of shift, with sick employees sent home if their temperature exceeds 100.1 degrees.
■ Patrons and their children must have their temperature taken upon entrance and rejected if ill.
■ Hand-sanitizer stations must be provided at entrance, and all members must sanitize upon entrance and exit.
■ Social distancing markers should be placed in front of the membership desk. Hygiene signage must be present at all entrances.
■ Machines and equipment stations must be appropriately distanced to meet the six-foot social distancing requirement.
■ Staff must be on the floor at all times to constantly sanitize equipment. Patrons are required to sanitize equipment after use.
■ Fitness classes must maintain the six-foot social distancing standards between participants.
■ Basketball and racquetball courts must remain closed.
■ Sauna facilities must remain closed.
■ Showers must be closed with the exception of gyms that have pools. For those facilities, the showers must be used before entering the pool. And showers must be cleaned after every use.
■ Aquatic programs must have limits on the size of classes to meet the six-foot social distancing requirement. Lap-lane sharing is prohibited.