New security measures will greet visitors attending Gainesville commission meetings at City Hall following the installation of a metal detector and a new flow of traffic.
Thursday’s meeting was the first to implement the new system that has been in the works for months. New gates and lighting have also been added to the north side of City Hall.
Attendees can expect to use metal detectors for all official City Commission meetings, with General Policy Commission meetings on the second and fourth Thursdays and Gainesville City Commission meetings on the first and third Thursdays.
The city lists prohibited items in a public update. It includes pocketknives, weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol, fireworks, noisemaking devices, signs or banners, laser pointers and oversized bags.
An oversized bag is considered 12” x 6” x 12” or larger. Security personnel have the right to check all bags regardless of size, according to the public update.
Attendees must enter the commission chambers on the right side as they enter City Hall, where the metal detector is installed. Anyone leaving the meeting will come out on the left side and will need to reenter through the security side.
The School Board of Alachua County also uses a metal detector at its meetings.
In March, a vandal threw a rock with a message attached through Mayor Harvey Ward’s office window. Ward said the city had been considering City Hall security upgrades for some time and that the incident would accelerate the timeline.
The following month, the City Commission approved funding for the upgrades.
The city is also finalizing plans to remodel the plaza in front of City Hall with safety components included in the design.