BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – West Melbourne Mayor Hal Rose and Satellite Beach Vice Mayor Dominick Montanaro have tested positive for COVID-19 after attending last week’s Florida League of Cities conference in Orlando, reports News 6 partner Florida Today.
“It felt like a Mack truck hit me,” said Rose, who felt the symptoms strike Sunday night while he was watching television at home.
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“All of a sudden, it just felt like everything was coming at me from every direction, and I went to bed. Everything was hurting. I mean, when I coughed my lungs were hurting,” Rose said.
“It was not fun for 36 hours. I did have the (vaccination) shot back in January and February, and so the real discomfort only lasted 36 hours,” he said.
Rose and Montanaro both said they are fully vaccinated and were feeling better by Thursday morning. Both are quarantining at home, and they said their wives — who are also vaccinated — have tested negative for the virus.
Rose attended Tuesday’s West Melbourne City Council workshop remotely, while Montanaro did not attend Wednesday’s Satellite Beach City Council meeting.
A number of city officials across Brevard County were potentially exposed to COVID-19 during the FLC annual conference, which took place from Aug. 12-14 at Orlando World Center Marriott. The event agenda included breakout sessions, committee meetings, keynote presentations, awards and other activities.
By Thursday morning, FLC officials were aware of eight confirmed coronavirus cases from the conference, spokesperson Brittni Johnsen said.
Total conference participation was more than 1,000 people, and the FLC does not distribute the list of attendees, Johnsen said. The group conducted its August 2020 board and business meetings virtually, citing the pandemic.
On Saturday night, conference registrants received an email alert that an attendee and guest had reported a positive COVID-19 test after attending conference events, including those held by the Florida League of Mayors and Florida Black Caucus.
The email included a link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on testing after potential coronavirus exposure. Because of the size, scale and nature of the conference, detailed contact tracing is not practical, FLC Meetings Manager Melanie Howe said in the email.
Montanaro said he knew he wasn’t feeling well Sunday morning, and he tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. He said he experienced three days of sweats, fever and body aches, but he is on the rebound.
“Getting the vaccine definitely protects you from this being worse than it could have been, as far as hospitalization. But getting this disease after having been vaccinated also lets me know that just because you’ve had a vaccine doesn’t mean you’re totally protected, either,” Montanaro said.
“And this (delta) variant is proof,” he said.
Montanaro said he lost his senses of taste and smell, and he remained congested Thursday. He and Rose said they wore masks throughout the conference, except while eating.
Montanaro and Rose commended the FLC for promoting social distancing during the event, and they said far fewer people attended than during previous years.
“The meeting rooms were the largest rooms I had ever been in. There was one room I was in for at least three meetings that was the size of a football field,” Montanaro said.
Wednesday, the Bonita Springs City Council postponed its meeting after at least three council members attended the FLC conference, the Naples Daily News reported.
West Melbourne City Manager Scott Morgan said Council Members Daniel McDow and Andrea Young also attended the conference, while Deputy Mayor John Dittmore and Council Members Pat Bentley and Stephen Phrampus canceled and did not attend.
Satellite Beach City Manager Courtney Barker said she attended the conference, along with Mayor Steve Osmer, Council Members Mindy Gibson and David Vigliotti, Assistant City Manager Liz Alward and Support Services Director Brittany Jumper.
Morgan and Barker said no attendees from their respective cities have showed signs of COVID-19 infection, save Rose and Montanaro.
Palm Bay, Brevard’s largest city, sent a contingent to the conference:
- Mayor Rob Medina
- Deputy Mayor Kenny Johnson
- Councilman Donny Felix
- Councilman Randy Foster
- City Manager Suzanne Sherman
- Deputy City Manager Joan Junkala-Brown
- Special Projects Manager Britta Kellner
“We have not had any reports of city of Palm Bay representatives falling ill following the conference,” city spokesperson Keely Leggett said.
Rose, who received his COVID-19 positive test result Wednesday, said he feels fortunate that he is vaccinated.
“I’m just glad I got the shot. I didn’t know it was preventative, but I’m thinking it made all the difference in the world,” Rose said of his recovery from the virus.
Montanaro concurred, citing the contagious nature of the delta variant.
“It’s scary. People need to understand it’s scary. You think you’re safe — but you could get this going out to any one of the restaurants in Brevard County and sitting down at a table. And you could be exposed to it and not even know it,” Montanaro said.
Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1