[Call to Order]
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>> I CALLED TO ORDER THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TODAY, APRIL 7, 2020. AS A PRELIMINARY TTER, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE OUR COMMISSIONERS ON THE LINE. COMMISSIONER BLOCKER, ARE YOU
THERE? >> MR. BLOCKER: YES SIR, I'M HERE.
>> MR. SMITH: COMMISSIONER DEAN, ARE YOU THERE? >> MR. DEAN: YES, SIR.
>> MR. SMITH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING TO YOU AS WELL.
MR. MACCORMACK DO YOU HAVE ANY STAFF THAT WILL BE CALLING IN FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING?
>> YES, SIR. MR. LIBBY WILL BE CALLING IN FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
THANK YOU >> ANYTHING FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING?
>> I DO NOT BELIEVE SO >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS THEY HELP WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 20 Ã69 SUSPENDING THE REQUIREMENT OF A VISIBLE QUORUM AND PROVIDING A VIRTUAL CORM DUE TO THE CURRENT STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE STATE RESULTING FROM THE SPREAD OF NOVEL CORONAVIRUS COVID-19. IN ORDER TO FURTHER MITIGATE THE TRANSMISSION OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND REDUCE RISK OF COVID-19 ILLNESS, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAS ADOPTED PROCEDURES TO CONDUCT MEETINGS USING REMOTE PARTICIPATION IN AN EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION NUMBER 2020 Ã THREE SO THE PUBLIC HAS A MEANS TO COMMENT DURING THE MEETING WITHOUT PHYSICALLY ÃEMAIL THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO COMMENT BY TELEPHONE WHILE WATCHING THE MEETING THE IGTV. BY STREAMING POSTED ON THE COUNTIESWEBSITE.
STUDENTS ARE ADVISED AS PERSONS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES PLEASE NOTE THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED FOR THOSE OF YOU ARE CALLING INTO, IF YOU RECEIVE A BUSY SIGNAL, PLEASE CALL BACK. IN ADDITION TO CONTINUED Ã THERE'S A THREE-MINUTE TIMER THAT WILL BE VISIBLE TO YOU. MUTE YOUR PHONE WHILE YOU'RE WAITING TO COMMENT.
PLEASE BE AWARE THERE MAY BE A 5 TO 9 SEOND DELAY AND VISUAL PRESENTATION PERHAPS UP TO 1/32 DELAY AND PROBABLE RESPONSE TIMES. WE TRY TO MITIGATE THAT.
IF WE EXPERIENCE ANY TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WE MAY RECESS AND GET THOSE RESOLVED AND THEN RESUME THE MEETING. FOR THOSE THAT ARE ALSO NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT, THE MATERIALS FOR THIS MEETING ARE AVAILABLE ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE UNDER AGENDAS AND MINUTES.
ONCE YOU FIND THE MEETING AGENDA YOU CAN CLICK ON THE AGENDA ITEM TO ACCESS ALL OF THE SUPPORTING MATERIALS. LIEWISE, THIS MEETING BECAUSE OF THE BOARD PARTICIPATING REMOTELY, EACH BOAT WILL BE DONE VIA ROLL CALL MANICOKE, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
CHURCH. TEXT WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU WOULD BE PART OF THIS MEETING THAT YOU WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION-MAKING THAT WE PRAY THIS MORNING AS PEOPLE BLOG ONLINE GOD THAT YOU WOULD PROVIDE COMFORT AND ALL PEACE TO OUR LATEST LEADERS AND OUR COMMISSIONERS THE CHAIRMAN TO YOU AND WE ASK IN JESUS NAME YOU WOULD BLESS THEM WITH WISDOM AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE COURAGEOUS DECISIONS THAT
BENEFIT YOUR PEOPLE. >> IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
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I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
[Item 1]
THIS AGENDA IS PUBLISHED AND PRESENT WE HAVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE WHICH IS EMERGENCYMANAGEMENT UPDATE. MR. CONRAD >> REHAB 143 POSITIVE OR OF HIS RESIDENCE WITH COVID-19 FOR NONRESIDENTS, 23 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND TWO DEATHS TO THIS POINT. WE HAVE SEEN A SMALL DECREASE IN THE POSITIVE CASES OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS. A LOT OF SCIENTISTS AND I'M NOT AN ECONOMIST CAN'T TELL YOU IF THAT'S GOING TO TREND BUT FROM TUESDAY TO SATURDAY AND YESTERDAY WE HAVE ÃOBVIOUSLY AS YOU HAVE HEARD IT MAY BE LATE APRIL AND IT'S KIND OF ALL OVER THE AIR.
BY MAXIMIZING BUT A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS AND I WANT TO SHARE THAT FOR YOU. PLEASE STATE AVERAGE WERE TESTING POSITIVE IS JUST ABOUT 11 PERCENT. THE COUNTIES POSITIVE TEST IS AT THREE PERCENT.
WE ARE DOING A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE WERE TESTING POSITIVE.
I KNOW THREE AND FIVE OF YOU ARE AWARE STILL HAVE THE FOUR SITES AVAILABLE FOR TESTING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WE HAVE FLAGLER HEALTH EACH SITE HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS AS TO WHO THEY ARE SEEING AND HOW THEY ARE SEEING IN THE TIMES A DAY THEY ARE BEING SEEN.ORE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE FROM PRIVATE CITIZEN OF 300 OF THE RAPID TEST KITS WILL GO INTO THE EFFICACY OF THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT. AT THIS POINT THEY ARE NOT FDA APPROVED SO WE ARE NOT DISTRIBUTING THEM OUT YET TO USE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE GOING TO GET FDA APPROVAL. WE ASSUME AND HAVE HEARD THEY ARE GOING TO GET APPROVED. WE HAVE GIVEN THEM TO FLAGLER HEALTH FOR THEM TO TEST BUT THE ÃWE HAVE THOSE ON SITE AND WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WILL GET FDA APPROVED AND WE WILL DISTRIBUTE THOSE TO THE PROVIDER FOR THEM TO DETERMINE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO USE THEM.
>> AND IN THE LAST THING I WANT TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT IN THE MEDIA.HERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT BED SPACE AROUND THE STATE LOCALLY.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE WHERE FLAGLER HEALTH IS AS OF YESTERDAY.
WE DON'T SEE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM YESTERDAY UNTIL TODAY.
A QUICK UPDATE. FLAGLER HEALTH HAS 330 BEDS CURRENTLY THEY HAVE 200 BEDS AVAILABLE. THOSE 130 BEING USED ARE NOT ALL FOR COEVID.
THAT'S FOR EVERYTHING IN THE HOSPITAL. HER CURRENT BED SPACE LEFT AS OF TODAY IS 200 BEDS.N REGARDS TO COVID-19 THERE PREPARED A SECOND AND A AS FAR AS BED SPACE IS A GOOD AMOUNT IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND I WILL STAND BY FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE OF ME.
>> GOOD MORNING. REGARDING OUR STAY AT HOME ORDER, SINCE I LAST SPOKE WITH YOU LAST WEEK OUR GOVERNOR DID ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER 29 TO 1 AS MR. CONRAD SHARED THE
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INFORMATION ON THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE POSITIVE OUR POSITIVITY DATE IS LESS THAN THE STATE RATE. OUR HOSPITALIZATION RATE IS HIGHER THAN THE STATE RATE.THE REALITY IS THESE ARE ALL DATA POINTS AND AS MR. CONRAD SHARED, THIS IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THE PEAK MAYBE SOMEWHERE TOWARDS THE END OF APRIL.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT. EARLY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT UP TO 25 PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO BECOME INFECTED WITH COVID-19 MAY NEVER HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS. AND THOSE WHO DEVELOP SYMPTOMS MAY NOT DO SO UNTIL 48 HOURS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY BECOME INFECTED.
THIS IS IMPORTANT WHY? BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY DO CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRANSMISSION.
AND THEN WE HAVE ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMITTERS AND WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TRANSMITTING 48 HOURS BEFORE THEY BECOME SYMPTOMATIC, AND THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD OF THE SCIENCE PRIOR TO ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO. COMMISSIONER SMITH, YOU ASK ABOUT VIRUS ACTIVITY IN WARMER WEATHER LAST WEEK. MOST RESPIRATORY VIRUSES HAVE SEASONALITY TO THEM. SO IT'S BEEN HYPOTHESIZED MOVING INTO THE SUMMER SEASON WE MAY SEEK TRANSMISSION DECREASE. AS A VIRUS THEN MOVES INTO THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. AS WE USUALLY SEE WITH THE FLU VIRUS.
THIS WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE MANY MITIGATION STRATEGIES TO GET READY IN THE EVENT WE HAVE A SECOND WAVE IN THE FALL, WINTER OF THE UPCOMING YEAR.
MITIGATION STRATEGY, SOCIAL DISTANCING. THIS IS ACTUALLY A VERY PSIGNIFICANT TOOL IN OUR ARSENA WHICH EVEN CAN LEAD TO OPTIMAL DECREASE IN VIRAL TRANSMISSION.
THIS VIRUS CANNOT ACTUALLY GO FROM PERSON TO PERSON. IT NEEDS US TO BE CLOSE TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND IT NEEDS US TO BE WITHIN SIX FEET OF EACH OTHER.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE OUR SET UP HERE BECAUSE IT GIVES ONE THE UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL DISTANCING. SO IF WE JUST DISTANCE OURSELVES FROM EACH OTHER THE VIRUS CANNOT SUSTAIN ITSELF AND WILL PETER OUT. HALTING THE SPREAD.
THERE IS A GRAPHIC THAT I SAW ON YOUTUBE AND IT'S A VIRAL MATCH VIDEO.
THEY LINED UP MATCHES AND THEY LET THEM AND THEY JUST KEPT ON LIGHTING AND THEN THEY TOOK ONE OUT. IT DEFUSED. IT'S A SIMILAR PICTURE WITH THE VIRUS SO SOCIAL DISTANCING IS A MUST. THE CDC HAS HAD SOME DISCUSSION OR A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT MASK RECOMMENDATIONS. THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT MASKS. AS THE MASK SOMETHING THAT PROTECTS ME, OR IF I WEAR A MASK, IS IT SOMETHING THAT PROTECT OTHERS FROM THE?HOSE ARE THE CONSIDERATIONS WITH MASKS. OBVIOUSLY IN THE HEALTHCARE SETTING, WE ARE WORKING SOMETIMES WITH CLIENTS AND WE ARE WORKING WITH PEOPLE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S RECOMMENDED IN A HEALTHCARE SETTING. MONITORING.
WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RECEIVES NOTIFICATION A PERSON TEST POSITIVE WE CONDUCT AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION, DISEASE CONTROL TYPE PICTURE BASED ON CDC GUIDANCE TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY HAVE HAD CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE VIRUS.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE INSTRUCTED TO SELF ISOLATE PORT 14 DAYS AFTER THEIR EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS AND TO CONTACT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER COULD MOST IMPORTANTLY WHAT WE DO IN PUBLIC HEALTH IS FOCUSED ON EARLY CASE IDENTIFICATION, ISOLATION, AND CONTACT TRACY ATTEMPTING TO CURB THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS. LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES LAST WEEK WHEN I SPOKE WITH YOU I SHARED IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL AREAS WE MONITOR DAILY TRYING TO LIMIT THE OUTBREAKS JUST A HANDFUL COULD CREATE. QUITE A SITUATION IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
SO WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE ELDERLY AND THOSE WITH SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL CONDITIONS. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND WE CAN IMPACT THOSE 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS OLD. THEY CAN GET REALLY SICK AS WELL SO WE ARE INTERESTED IN ALL OF OUR POPULATION, BUT THE POPULATION IN TERMS OF THE ELDERLY AND COMORBID DISORDERS, WE OBVIOUSLY WRITE IN A WAY TO STRATIFY AND APPROPRIATELY GET TO THOSE THAT ARE CRITICAL FIRST. ON A SOFTER NOTE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, MOST OF US WILL RECOVER. EVERYONE PLAYS A ROLE IN LOWERING THE IMPACT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES THAT REPLACE US TAKING EVERYDAY PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS HELPS TO IMPEDE THE SPREAD OF RESPIRATORY DISEASES. THE BEST AND MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT
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WWW.FLHEALTH.COM/COVID19. IT'S UPDATED TWICE DAILY AND I NEED TO REITERATE ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING COFFIN TO YOUR ARM AND SLEEP ENSURING AT ALL TIMES WE WASH OUR HANDS AND USE AN ALCOHOL TYPE OF SANITIZER THAT HAS 60 PERCENT ALCOHOL. WITH THAT IN MIND STAY HOME IFYOU ARE SICK. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. >> DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ST. JOHNS COUNTY 100 ADOC DRIVE. WE REMAIN AVAILABLE TO AND WE ARE MANY OF OUR EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS WERE ALSO USING WITHOUT HAVING TO BRING LARGE GROUPS OF EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. WHILE IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A SMALL GROUP INSIDE THERE'S A LARGER GROUP ON THE OUTSIDE THAT IS FEEDING INFORMATION INTO THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. ONE OF OUR OTHER BASE OPERATIONS THIS WEEK WAS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER 2091 WITH THE NONESSENTIAL AND ESSENTIAL.
MANY, MANY CALLS THAT CAME INTO THE CITIZEN'S INFORMATION CENTER, BOTH AT THE EEOC, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HOW TO INTERPRET THAT.
WE TRIED TO GET TOOLS. THE STATE SENT DOWN SOME TOOLS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION. MR. CONRAD'S GROUP TRIED TO GET THOSE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS OUT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANT TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT WAS A HEAVY LIFT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS TRYING TO PEEL THAT BACK AND MAKE SURE WE ON THE LOGISTICS SIDE, WE HAVE STARTED PUSHING SMALL-SCALE AMOUNT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS OF SHELF STABLE MEALS AND WE HAVE RECEIVED CALLS OF THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER FOR SOME RESIDENTS THAT NEED FOOD. SO WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE AND DISASTERS TO PROVIDE THEM SHELF STABLE MEALS WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA SO THAT THEY CAN HELP WITH THIS WITH OUR RESIDENTS. WE WANT THEM TO HAVE FOOD TO CONTINUE AT THEIR HOMES TO MAINLY THE PEOPLE OVER 65 THAT ARE NOT MOVING AROUND INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS WEEK, TOGO, THROUGHOUT THE DISASTER, WE HAVE RECEIVED 126 CASES OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND 298 BOXES OF DIFFERENT SUPPLIES COMING INTO THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THEY ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO RECEIVE A SHIPMENT TOMORROW.
THOSE SUPPLIES BECOME AND ARE DISTRIBUTED TO FIRST RESPONDERS, FLAGLER HOSPITAL AND OUR HEALTHCARE FACILITIS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. ALSO WITH OPERATIONS WITHIN ST.
JOHNS COUNTY AND ANY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES SUCH AS COUNCIL ON AGING THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND THOSE TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS NEED THOSE TO CONTINUE THEIR OPERATIONS.
SO WE CONTINUE TO ROLL THAT STOCK OUT AS QUICKLY AS IT COMES IN TO THE LOGISTICAL STAGING AREA PUSHING IT OUT FOR USE. ON THE PLANNING SIDE, WE PUSH OUT SITUAION REPORTS. WE HAVE GOTTEN POSITIVE FEEDBACKAND SUGGESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER WALDRON GAVE US A GREAT SUGGESTION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND WE IMPLEMENTED THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET SUGGESTIONS ON HOW THAT WILL PBETTER SERVE OUR AUDIENCE.
SO IF PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME SO WE CAN MAKE THAT A USEFUL TOOL FOR YOU. WE CONTINUE WITH CONTINGENCY PLANNING.
FLAGLER HOSPITAL DOES A LOT OF INTERIOR MODELING FOR US AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL AND HOW THAT RELATES TO THE DIFFERENT MODELS GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
I HAVE A BIG BOARD SET UP IN THE EEOC THAT THEY SHARE WITH EVERYBODY INSIDE THE EEOC THAT FEEDS INTO OUR CONTINGENCY PLANNING. AT THIS POINT WE ARE NOT READY TO DESCRIBE THOSE PLANS TO YOU, BUT WE WILL IN THE FUTURE. BUT NOTE THAT IF THE NUMBERS DO CHANGE AND GROW THAT WE ARE PLANNING IN THE EEOC TO ACCOMMODATE THAT INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT KIND OF BOILS DOWN TO IS MONITORING THE TRENDS, SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT FLORIDA AND WHAT THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE GOING TO BE. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS. >> >> AS OF YESTERDAY A CONFERENCE CALL WE HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVES AND DUBOIS COUNTY AND AT THIS TIME THEY ARE NOT DISCUSSING LIFTING RESTRICTIONS ON THE JACKSONVILLE BEACH AND NEPTUNE BEACH AT THIS TIME.
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HOWEVER THEY ARE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION AFTER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND.WE WENT TO RELAY THAT MESSAGE TO YOU FROM JACKSONVILLE BEACH AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE REMAIN IN CONTACT. >> NINE. >> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE REPORTS AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING YOUR EFFORTS IN THE LONG HOURS AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. WE ARE OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> AT THIS TIME THE BOARD WILL HEAR MATTERS THAT ARE NOT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
OR WITH BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ANY DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATION AND APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY COMMENTS. FINALLY, I WOULD ASK THAT ANY SPEAKER ÃPRESENTS ANY OVERHEAD MATERIAL PLEASE PRESENT THAT MATERIAL TO THE STAFF OF THE CLERK OF THE COURT TO BE ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU.
WE HAVE TWO MICROPHONES AND IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE COME FORWARD IF YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING LEADERS IN THIS TOUGH TIME. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> WE NEED YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS >> CHRISTOPHER MILLER 503 IN ST. AUGUSTINE. I'M COMING TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS TODAY BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERVALUE THE SITUATION WE ARE ALL IN. IT'S SCARY IT'S UNCHARTERED TERRITORY. BUT I AM UNEMPLOYED THROUGH THE SITUATION.
I'VE LOST BOTH MY JOBS. I HAD AN AIRBNB AND IT'S CLOSE. I'VE TALKED TO FIRST RESPONDER OFFICIALS. THIS THING IS SERIOUS. IT SCARES ME.
AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN I GO HOME AND OUR BEACHES ARE CLOSED IT MAKES A SITUATION A LOT MORE OPPRESSIVE AND INTENSE AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO GO AND EXERCISE OR WALK ON THE BEACH AND GET IN THE WATER IS A FACTOR AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN LOUDLY THEY FEEL THE SAME WAY AND WANTED TO GIVE VOICE TO THEM TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO YOU AND IF WE COULD CREATE SOME KIND OF OPTION EVEN IF IT'S A SMALL WINDOW IN THE MORNINGS WERE SUNRISES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO PRACTICE ACTIVE SOCIAL DISTANCING, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
KEEPING THE PARKING CLOSE AND JUST TRYING TO FIND A WAY FOR IT JUST TO BE LOCAL TRAFFIC TO BE ABLE TO GET OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES AND WALK ON THE BEACH IN THE SAFE AND ACTIVE MANNER WOULD BE SOMETHING I HOPE WE COULD THINK ABOUT AND CONSIDER AND I HOPE THAT NO ONE TAKES THE NURSES AND ALL THE DOCTORS LOOKING HARD WITH THIS SITUATION, THAT THEY DON'T THINK THAT I DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY THE SITUATION, BUT I THINK THAT FINDING A BALANCE.
WE HAVE A BEACH COMMUNITY AND NOT HAVING TO BEACH HAS REALLY CHANGED AS A COMMUNITY.
IF WE COULD FIND A BETTER BALANCE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I THINK HVING IT COMPLETELY CLOSED IS MAYBE NOT OKAY, BUT HAVING IT COMPLETELY OPEN IS NOT OKAY EITHER.
SO IF WE COULD CONSIDER THAT AND IF I COULD PLAY A ROLE IN THE AND BE HELPFUL, I WOULD LOVE TO. AND THANK YOU GUYS, AGAIN, FOR ALL YOU GUYS ARE DOING IN THIS
TOUGH TIME. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I LIVE ON 9 EUGENE PLACE ON THE ISLAND. THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THESE LAST FEW WEEKS. I TALKED TO COMMISSIONER WALDRON LAST WEEK AND HE SAID YOU GUYS WORKED 21 DAYS STRAIGHT AND WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR OUR COUNTY AND COMMUNITIES HERE. I SAT DOWN AND WROTE UP THE PETITION LAST SUNDAY HOPING TO GET 500 SIGNATURES ON IT AND IT WAS OVER 11,000 THIS MORNING.
OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE BEACHES REOPENING WERE HAVING SOME SORT OF ACCESS TO THE BEACH, AND WHEN WE FIRST WROTE IT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW Ã I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD
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ABOUT IT AND LOOKED IT OVER, BUT WE ORIGINALLY WERE ASKING FOR SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOT REALLY PRACTICAL AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. AFTER TALKING WITH SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, OUR STANCE EVOLVED TO ASKING FOR ÃOR WHAT WE THINK MIGHT BE A POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER. IT IS TO OPEN THE BEACHES FOR MOVEMENT. NO CHAIRS, NO TOWELS, WALKING, JOGGING, SWIMMING, SURFING.YOU HAVE TO BE MOVING. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT WE TALKED TO FELT LIKE THIS WOULD BE FAIRLY EASY TO ENFORCE. THEY ARE ALREADY OUT THERE ENFORCING THE CLOSURES.
SO THAT'S ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION. AND WHAT REALLY ÃWE ALL WANT THE SAME THING. WE ARE ALL TRYING TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AT THIS TIME, TRYING TO DO IS BEST FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.
AND THERE IS A LARGE PORTION OF THE POPULATION THAT BELIEVES THE TOTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT.
MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT, TO BE ABLE TO GET OUTSIDE AND BREATHE FRESH AIR AND GET SOME EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT. AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON A1A AND LIVE ON THE ISLAND, AND SEEING ALL OF THESE ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT THAT'S PART OF THE ROUTINE.
THEY GET UP AND WALK THE BEACH EVERY MORNING AND GO FOR A WALK AT SUNSET.
JUST SEEING THEM WALKING UP AND DOWN A1A ON THE SIDEWALKS IS SAD.
THAT'S JUST PART OF THEIR LIVES AND HOW THEY GET A BETTER PIECE AND DEAL WITH A LOT OF THEIR STRESS AND TENSION IN THESE TIMES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND PLEASE CONSIDER THIS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO A LOT
OF OUR CITIZENS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, ERIC.
>> GOOD MORNING. I SEE WE ARE ON NUMBER ONE. I WAS WONDERING IF THE SHERIFF SPOKE TODAY IN REGARDS ÃI GOT IN HERE LITTLE BIT LATE IN REGARDS TO THE MEN AND WOMEN AND HE'S GOT ENOUGH PROTECTION FOR THEM. ARE YOU COMMISSIONERS ALREADY SPEAKING WITH HIM AND THE PUBLIC IS UNAWARE IF HE NEEDS ANY FURTHER EQUIPMENT OR ANYTHING? ALSO, ARE WE GOING TO BE GETTING ANY UPDATES FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TODAY OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO HELP THE BUSINESSES? ALSO LEGAL AID, BUT THEY ARE HOPING TO DO FOR THE RENTERS? WILL WE BE GETTING ANY UPDATE TODAY FROM COUNCIL ON AGING, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LETTING US KNOW HOW THE ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE DOING AND WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT? AND AS FAR AS FOR THE BEACH, WE ÃARE YOU TAKING COMMENT ON THAT RIGHT NOW? OPENING THE BEACH, THE BEACH BELONGS TO EVERYBODY. $60 MILLION WAS SPENT. DON'T OPEN IT UP FOR ONE CLASS OF PEOPLE. IF YOU ARE GOING TO OPEN IT UP, IT'S A TOUGH DECISION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO RIGHT NOW IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES.
BUT JUST MOVING FORWARD I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT REAL HEALTH IS ALSO JUST AS IMPORTANT. AND THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE IF YOU DECIDE TO OPEN THAT BEACH UP, IT COULD COST SOMEBODY THEIR LIFE.
SO I HOPE YOU STUDIED THE ISSUE. I HOPE IF YOU MAKE THAT DECISION TO OPEN THE BEACH UP IT'S ALL OR NONE. OPEN THE PARKING LOT OR KEEPING THE BEACHES CLOSE. OPENING THE PARKING LOT IS REALLY ONLY HURTING PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME TO THE BEACH, AND THAT BEACH IS GOING TO NEED RE-NOURISHMENT VERY SOON.
YOU'VE HAD ABOUT 18 MONTHS OF THE BEACH DEPLETING. IT'S GOING TO NEED 60, 80, $100 MILLION MORE. COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT JUST GOT DONE PAYING FOR.
THERE'S PEOPLE ALL OVER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE? MR. CHAIRMAN, I SEE NOBODY ELSE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ON THE TELEPHONE? >> WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM
CALLERS. >> HELLO? >> YES, SIR.
CAN WE GET YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS? >> MY NAME IS JOHN.
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CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, SIR. I LIVE AT 548 DOMENICO CIRCLE
AND ST. AUGUSTINE SHORES. ARE YOU HEARING ME? >> YES, SIR.
>> OKAY. I HAVE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE BEEN SEEING IN THE PAPER THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN THERE. I HAVE BEEN TRACKING THIS THING FOR A WHILE, AND MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN COMMENT ON THIS BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE ST. JOHNS IS OUT OF PROPORTION TO THE SURROUNDING AREAS. TODAY'S MEMBERS, FOR EXAMPLE, ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS 146 CASES. CLAY COUNTY, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR IN SIZE TO ST. JOHNS HAS ONLY 81 CASES. AND THEN IF WE LOOK AT DEVOL WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES THE SIZE OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, THEY HAVE 475 CASES. AND IF I TAKE A FOURTH OF THAT WHICH WOULD BE WHAT ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHOULD HAVE, THAT NUMBER IS 119.
THEY HAVE 146 AND IT LOOKS LIKE IF WE WERE ANYWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF DEVOL WE SHOULD HAVE 119. SO I'VE BEEN TRACKING THIS FOR DAYS.
AND IN ALL OF MY NUMBERS ST. JOHNS COUNTY LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONE STRAIGHT UP ON THE CHART AND IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE THAT WE ARE PROPORTIONATELY HIGHER THAN OUR SURROUNDING AREAS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY CAN COMMENT ON THAT. >> YES, SIR.
>> I DON'T SEE ANYBODY WITH AN ANSWER TO THAT. >> I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THE COUNTY MANAGER FOR CLOSING THE BEACHES. I THINK THEY HAVE SAVED LIVES DURING THIS PANDEMIC AND THE BEACHES ARE CLOSED TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF US.
PLEASE DON'T JEOPARDIZE OUR POPULATION OF ALMOST 1/2 BILLION PEOPLE BECAUSE FIVE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION HAS SIGNED A PETITION TO REOPEN THE BEACHES.
THERE'S NO WAY TO ENFORCE WHAT THE SURFING COMMUNITY IS SUGGESTING AND THIS WILL PUT AN UNDUE HARDSHIP ON THE ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH POLICE IN THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. UNDUE HARDSHIP ON THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY WHO ARE BEGGING PEOPLE TO STAY AT HOME. I THINK IT'S VERY SELFISH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR HOBBIES FOR A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS.
SCIENTISTS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE SAYING THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS IS TO STAY AT HOME AND WASH HER HANDS. IF YOU MUST GO OUT, WEAR A MASK AND STAY AT LEAST SIX FEET AWAY FROM PEOPLE. I DON'T SEE HOW PLAYING AT THE BEACH ADHERES TO ANY OF THE GUIDANCE WE HAVE RECEIVED. PERHAPS THE SERVERS ARE NOT AWARE THAT 30 PERCENT OF THE DEATHS OR PEOPLE UNDER 40. THIS VIRUS KILLS YOUNG PEOPLE TOO, AND IT MAKES YOU VERY SICK, REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION AND LEAVE YOU WITH LIFELONG HEALTH ISSUES WHEN YOU RECOVER. MY HUSBAND AND I USED TO WALK THE BEACH EVERY DAY, BUT WE ARE WILLING TO MAKE THIS PERSONAL SACRIFICE BECAUSE YOU KNOW STAYING AT HOME WILL HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS AND DEADLY VIRUS. IT'S A SACRIFICE WE ARE WILLING TO MAKE TO SAVE LIVES. THE SURGEON GENERAL AND THE PRESIDENT AND THE GOVERNOR HAVE ALL SAID TO BRACE YOURSELF OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO SEE OVER 250,000 DEATHS. BUT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS RECOMMENDING EVERYONE MUST WEAR MASKS IF THEY MUST GO OUTSIDE FOR AN EMERGENCY OR A LIFE ESSENTIAL AARON. OUR GOVERNOR HAS ORDERED A STAY-AT-HOME ORDER FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH. OPENING THE BEACHES JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE.
TO ME, IT WOULD VIOLATE THE GOVERNOR'S STAY-AT-HOME ORDER. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY AT THIS TIME ANYBODY WOULD SIGN A PETITION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FLORIDA RESIDENTS WHO ARE INFECTED AND DYING. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER OPENING THE
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BEACHES, BUT PLEASE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND THE CDC AND KEEP OUR BEACHES AND COMMUNITY POLLS CLOSED BECAUSE THE LIFE YOU SAVE MAYBE YOUR OWN. THANK YOU. >> YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. >> MY NAME IS CARL GUILD I LIVE AT 58 ON ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH.
AND I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE BEACH OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO AND MOST RECENTLY THEY HAVE BEEN PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING. SO I CAN UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. RON DESANTIS SAID WE SHOULD EXERCISE AND KEEP FIT, AND I THINK OPENING THE BEACH FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS WOULD HELP THAT.
AND THE LAST THING IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHEN THE BEACH IS CLOSED IS TO WALK DOWN A1A, THE SIDEWALK THERE WHICH IS VERY NARROW AND REALLY GOES AGAINST CDC RULES.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALONG WITH 11,000 OTHER PEOPLE TO OPEN THAT BEACH AS SOON AS WE CAN JUST TO LIMIT THE TIMES UP TO MAYBE SUNRISE UNTIL SUNSET WOULD WORK REALLY WELL.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? >> I THOUGHT I HAD ALREADY DONE
THAT. MY NAME IS CARL GUILD. >> YES, SIR.
WE RECEIVED YOUR COMMENT. >> THAT'S GOOD. IT JUST CAME UP AGAIN.
>> JUST HANG UP, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE. >> COULD WE GET YOUR NAME AN
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? >> COULD WE GET YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE?
>> I LIVE IN CRESCENT BEACH. >> YES, MA'AM. >> IT'S DARBY MOORE, CRESCENT
BEACH. >> GO AHEAD. WHAT'S YOUR COMMENT?
>> I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH. I HAVE WORKED AND CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COMMUNITY SINCE I WAS 15 YEARS OLD, WHICH IS A VERY LONG TIME AGO.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN PUTTING IN. NOBODY ENVIES BEING IN YOUR POSITION RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW IT'S A TOUGH POSITION. MENTAL HEALTH IS WEALTH. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT, FIRST AND FOREMOST. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH ARE NO DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE TWO. BY OPENING THE BEACH TO MOVEMENT, YOU ARE PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE JOBLESS WHO ARE RELATIVELY HOPELESS RIGHT NOW.
I'VE LOST BOH OF MY JOBS RIGHT NOW. I'VE WORKED TWO JOBS FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. BY NOT HAVING THE TIME TO FILL, SURFING IS A REFUGE FOR PEOPLE.
AND IT'S NOT TRUE TO SAY THAT COUNTIES NORTH AND SOUTH OF US ARE CLOSING THEIR BEACHES.
TO THE CONTRARY, VOLUSIA COUNTY HAS WORKED OUT A SITUATION TO WHERE THEY ARE ALLOWING BEACHES
[00:40:01]
FOR MOVEMENT. THERE ARE SERVERS, THERE ARE BEACH WALKERS ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WITHIN A LIMITED NUMBER OF HOURS. THE PRACTICES THAT MAKE THEM FEEL BEST THAT GIVES THEM HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT IN THIS TIME, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S KEY TO THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE ABILITY OF THE CITY TO THRIVE WHEN THE BEACHES ARE AVAILABLE TO USE AND WHEN THEY ARE OPEN.WE AORT OF CONSIDERATION OF A MIDDLE GROUND.
11,000 PEOPLE ARE IN NEED OF THIS REFUGE AND LIMITED HOURS PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCING IT'S RIGHT FOR CONGREGATION I THINK IS THE MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN THOSE TWO SOLUTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US PLATFORMS TO SHARE OUR POPINIONS.
>> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS SHERRY BADGER. >> GOOD MORNING. JUST ONE SECOND, PLEASE.
>> GIVE US ONE SECOND, PLEASE. >> NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD
>> GOOD MORNING. THIS IS SHERRY CARMICHAEL AND I AM A RESIDENT AND I LIVE ON 213
THIRD STREET AND ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH. >> GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING OUR SUGGESTIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
I AM AN AVID DOG WALKER, AND I SEE MANY PEOPLE THAT DO WALK THEIR DOGS IN THE MORNING.
I AM IN THE EARLY CROWD, AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE BEACHES TO BE OPEN BECAUSE WE ARE ALL CROWDED ON A1A. I SEE IT EVERY MORNING AND WE ARE ONLY SUGGESTING FOR THE BEACHES TO BE OPEN FROM DAWN UNTIL 11:00 JUST FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR EXERCISE.
I HAVE TO AGREE WITH THE ONE CALLER THAT SINCE THERE ARE MANY OLDER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO WALK AND GET THEIR EXERCISE, AND IT SEEMS THAT IT MAKES SENSE THAT IF THE BEACHES ARE OPEN WE WOULD HAVE MORE ROOM SPREAD OUT. RIGHT NOW, WE REALLY ARE CROWDED. THERE'S BIKERS, THERE'S WALKERS, AND THEY DO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING INDOORS FOR MOST OF THE TIME. BUT THE PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO WANT TO EXERCISE AND STILL WANT TO GET OUTSIDE. AND I THINK THAT IS JUST IMPORTANT FOR MENTAL HEALTH, FOR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, TO BE OUTSIDE AND THE BEACH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACES TO GET THAT. AND IT IS OPEN SPACE.
SO THAT IS JUST HOW A LOT OF US FEEL IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE CAN KEEP OUR SOCIAL DISTANCING MUCH BETTER BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE ROOM. ON THE SIDEWALKS, WE ARE CROWDED AND THERE'S PEOPLE JUMPING INTO THE BIPLANES TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.
AND I FEEL THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO OUR SOCIAL DISTANCING ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND SO I DID SIGN THE PETITION, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT AND MAYBE FIND A WAY TO HAVE OPEN SPACE FOR US, FOR THE RESIDENTS. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR ALL DAY.
WE ARE JUST ASKING FOR RESIDENTS JUST FOR THAT PART TIME IN THE MORNING, GET OUT AND GET THAT FRESH AIR AND BE ABLE TO HAVE OPEN SPACE. SO THANK YOU.
>> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE BOND AT 537 NINE ATLANTIC VIEW. THAT'S 32080.
>> GO AHEAD. >> I AM SURE LIKE MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING ÃI'M CALLING IN REGARDS TO REOPENING THE BEACHES 4 AT LEAST LOCAL RESIDENTS, NOT JUST THE ISLAND,
[00:45:01]
BUT WE LIVE HERE AND HAVE Ã THIS PART OF THE COUNTY IS NOT LIKE MCCLURE AND NOT LIKE THE REST OF THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY. WE WERE PRETTY MUCH GOING BY THE SOCIAL DISTANCING PRIOR TO THE CLOSING. BUT RIGHT NOW WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF RETIRED PEOPLE, AND I HAVE THE ONLY CHILDREN SO WE ARE THE ONLY ONES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE DON'T HAVE A YARD. WE HAVE A STREET WHICH THE COUNTY REFUSES TO PUT SPEED BUMPS ON AND THAT'S FINE AND WE'VE IGNORED IT.BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE FOR THEM TO GO. THEIR LIFE IS ALREADY REALLY DIFFERENT RIGHT NOW IS NOT GOING TO SCHOOL AND HOME SCHOOLING AND THEN NOT ONLY THAT WE HAVE A POLICE OFFICER SITTING THERE WE VIEW FROM OUR THIRD FLOOR EVERY DAY WITH THEIR LIGHTS ON. AND THAT'S DISCONCERTING FOR CHILDREN.
SO FOR US TO ÃJUST BEING ABLE TO GO OUT AND LET THEM RUN AROUND WOULD BE REALLY NICE.
WHAT HAPPENED IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE TRAFFIC IN THE STREET WITH PEOPLE IN A MORE CONDENSED AREA BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL ÃNOW THEY ARE NOT ON THE BEACH, THEY ARE ON THE STREET WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE EVERYONE IS TALKING BUT THEY ARE CLOSER TOGETHER THAN THEY WERE WHEN THE BEACH WAS OPEN.'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW THAT BENEFITS. HAVING A POLICE CAR SITTING THERE AND NOTHING AGAINST THE POLICE AT ALL. THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO DO. BUT I HAVE A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD WHO IS WALKING AROUND OUT BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY SINGLE MORNING YOU LOOK UP AND THERE IS A COP WITH LIGHTS ON.
CHILDREN EQUATE THAT TO SOMETHING IS WRONG. VERITY KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG.
NOTHING IS NORMAL. NEIGHBORS WALK AROUND WITH MASKS.
THEY ARE NOT IN SCHOOL AND THEY CAN'T SEE THEIR FRIENDS.HEY KNOW EVERYTHING IS NOT RIGHT AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, MY KIDS CANNOT GO TO THE BEACH WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN GOING EVER SINCE THEY WERE LITERALLY BORN HERE IN THIS HOUSE. AND THERE IS NOTHING NORMAL FOR US, THERE'S NOTHING NORMAL FOR OUR CHILDREN, THERE'S NOTHING NORMAL FOR OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE ALL RETIRED. YOU SEE THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH THE SAME JOB IN THE SAME PEOPLE. THEY ARE OUT EXERCISING FOR THEIR OWN MENTAL HEALTH.OR US TO NOT BE ABLE TO GO ON AND JUST WALK AND BE ON THE ONLY OPEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. OTHER PEOPLE MAY HAVE YARDS. GOOD FOR THEM.
WE PAY A LOT OF TAXES AND WE DID THIS ON PURPOSE TO LIVE NEAR A BEACH THAT NOW WE CAN LOOK AT AND NOT GO TO. SO THAT'S MY ONLY POINT. ONE WAS THE LIGHTS BECAUSE DO THEY REALLY NEED TO BE ON? AND CAN WE JUST USE IT FOR RECREATION? WE WILL NOT CAMP AND PUT BEACH UMBRELLAS UP. WE DID BEFORE HAVE HUGE CROWDS OF PEOPLE. BUT RIGHT NOW, OTHER COUNTIES HAVE DONE AND DONE IT SUCCESSFULLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH I HOPE YOU HAVE A VERY BLESSED DAY AND I'M SURE IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE HEARD ANY OF THIS. THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANTED TO
SAY. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU.AVE A BLESSED
DAY. >> YOU TOO. >> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> MICHAEL CROSBY. 1169 NECK RD. IN PONTE VEDRE.
AND CAN I GO AHEAD AND START TALKING? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I LOVE THE BEACH AND I MISS IT LIKE EVERYBODY SAYS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY I CAN BE WALKING ON IT AGAIN AND ENJOYING IT.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE THERE YET EVEN IN A PARTIAL REOPENING WAY.
I DON'T THINK WE ARE THERE YET. I WANT TO CAUTION YOU ABOUT NUMBERS COMING FROM CHANGE.ORG.
PETITIONS ARE A WONDERFUL TOOL BUT THEY HAVE TO BE USED VERY CAREFULLY.
I KNOW MY ONLY EXPERIENCE WITH CHANGE.ORG IF SOMETHING Ã SOMEBODY MAKES A DONATION, IT BOOSTS THAT PETITIONER NATIONWIDE SO YOU HAVE SIGNERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY OR PLACES CERTAINLY WILL BE ON ST. JOHNS COUNTY. UNLESS THE ORIGINATOR OF THE PETITION IS SENDING YOU THE NUMBER OF SIGNERS IN THE ZIP CODE AS ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS I HAVE DONE WITH YOU BEFORE ON ANOTHER PETITION, YOU DON'T HAVE AN ACCURATE NUMBER OF HOW MANY SIGNERS THERE ARE. SO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT, HOW MANY OF THE SIGNERS LIVE IN ST.
JOHNS COUNTY. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IS THE PETITION ADVOCATED FOR GETTING IDS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.
I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S LOGISTICALLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY ENTRY POINTS JUST IN PONTE VEDRE ALONE MUCH LESS COUNTYWIDE. TO STATION OFFICERS OR PERSONNEL AT ALL OF THOSE ENTRY POINTS, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S REALISTIC.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH IT MAY SEEM NOT SO EASY TO TRANSMIT THE DISEASE IN
[00:50:01]
THE OPEN AIR OF THE BEACH, I THINK THE BIG CONCERN IS GOING TO AND FROM THE BEACH.IT'S ENCOURAGING MORE PEOPLE TO CARPOOL TO THE BEACH BECAUSE PARKING SPACES ARE GOING TO BE TIGHT AND THEN YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE DRIVING 1/2 AN HOUR MAYBE ONE HOUR ROUND-TRIP TICKET TO THE BEACH AND THE ENCLOSED CAR. AND I JUST SAW ON MAINSTREAM NEWS TELEVISION BULLETIN THIS MORNING THAT THEY ARE NOW CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY THAT COVID-19 COULD BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH SPEECH, JUST THROUGH SPEECH.
IN OTHER WORDS YOU DON'T HAVE TO SNEEZE OR COUGH BUT JUST BE TALKING.
SO WE ARE STILL LEARNING ABOUT THIS DISEASE. WE ARE STILL LEARNING ABOUT HOW IT CAN BE TRANSMITTED. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TAKE STEPS THAT ARE GOING TO PUT PEOPLE IN CLOSE QUARTERS WITH EACH OTHER. YOUNG PEOPLE SHARING CARS AND POSSIBLY TRANSMITTING THE DISEASE TO AND FROM THE BEACH. SO THOSE ARE MY MAIN POINTS, AND I JUST WOULD REALLY ASK YOU TO NOT TAKE THAT STEP AT THIS TIME, ALTHOUGH, OF COURSE, LIKE THE OTHERS, I CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE BEACH BEING OPEN AND SYMPATHIZE WITH THE SERVERS. I'M SAD THEY ARE MISSING ALL OF THESE GREAT WAYS.UT I THINK THEY NEED TO LOOK AT THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS AND CONSIDER WHAT RISK IT CAN
BE EXPOSING THEM TO. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY
POINT OF VIEW. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU.BYE-BYE.
>> GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STAT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MIKE BRALEY. 826 A1A.
>> GO AHEAD, MIKE. >> OKAY. I AM CALLING IN THIS MORNING TO VOICE MY OPINION ON THE CURRENT CLOSURE OF THE BEACHES, WHICH I AM IN FAVOR OF, AND THE THOUGHT OF REOPENING THE BEACHES IN MY MIND AT THIS POINT IS ABSOLUTELY PREPOSTEROUS.
COMMEND ST. JOHNS COUNTY FOR ACTING AND CLOSING THEM DOWN, BUT THE IDEA THAT WE ARE GOING TO OPEN THEM UP PREMATURELY IS ÃIT'S JUST OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF LOGIC.
RIGHT NOW, OF THE 67 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, ST. JOHNS IS IN THE TOP 15 OF CASES AND DEATHS. IT IS PROJECTED THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS GOING TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS. BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, OUR NUMBER STATEWIDE IS GOING TO BE IN THE THOUSANDS. WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, THAT LOSS OF LIFE, EVERYONE IN THE ROOM IS GOING TO REFLECT AND HOPE AND WISH THAT THEY HAD DONE EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO MITIGATE THAT LOSS OF LIFE. OPENING UP THE BEACHES RIGHT NOW WOULD BE A TRAGIC MISTAKE. I UNDERSTAND AND I GET THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING A LITTLE STIR CRAZY RIGHT NOW, BUT THE PRIORITY SHOULD NOT BE A NICE WALK ON THE BEACH.
THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE KEEPING AS MANY PEOPLE SAFE AND AS MANY PEOPLE ALIVE AS POSSIBLE.
I REALLY IMPLORE THE BOARD. YOU NEED TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE NATIONAL TREND OF SOCIAL DISTANCING.
BOARDWALK TO THE BEACH ARE TOO NARROW TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW SOCIAL DISTANCING.
THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR ACCESS POINT. AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND ÃTHE IDEA THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WALKING DOWN TO THE BEACH AND ACTUALLY OBSERVED SOCIAL DISTANCING IS TOTALLY ABSURD. THIS ACTION TO TRY TO REOPEN IT WILL DIRECTLY CAUSE MORE DEATHS. I MEAN, THAT'S THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT.
AND YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO BE SITTING HERE A MONTH FROM NOW REGRETTING THIS DECISION.
THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE TO SAY. I HOPE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT
DECISION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> YES, SIR.HANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
>> EAST STATE ROAD 206, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. I THINK EVERYBODY ON THE BOARD
[00:55:03]
FOOD FOR MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS.A WAY TO KEEP THE BEACHES CLOSED EXCEPT FOR ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES SO THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. A LOT OF FOLKS ARE OUT OF WORK AND ARE NOT RECEIVING PAYCHECKS. THEY NEED TO FIND A WAY TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND FISHING IS ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS ALSO GOOD FOR MENAL HEALTH.
SO I HOPE THROUGH ALL OF THE DISCUSSION TODAY AND OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS HERE WE CAN STRIKE A BALANCE WHEN WE ARE ABLE ÃDISTANCING WHILE LIMITING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE OUT THERE JUST FOR LEISURE.
COCOA BEACH, THEY ARE STATING YOU CAN'T BRING UMBRELLAS IN BEACH CHAIRS AND TOWELS AND WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR ACTIVE ACTIVITY THAT YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE BEACH.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING SIMILAR SO THAT WE HAVE Ã
>> THANK YOU, ADAM. >> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
>> MY NAME IS MATTHEW FOOTE I LIVE AT 114 SMALLER RD., ST. AUGUSTINE.
>> GO AHEAD. >> NOTE BEACH PARTIES NO SUNBATHING, AND THE POLICE ARE DRIVING UP AND DOWN CONSTANTLY SO I FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THAT.HANK
YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD >> IT'S GAIL MORRIS. I'M AT 744 MARSH COVE.
PONTE VEDRE IN THE PONTE VEDRE LAKES AREA. >> GO AHEAD.
>> OKAY. THIS IS ABOUT THE BEACH ACCESS. I'M VERY MUCH AGAINST IT.
I THINK THAT IT ÃAFTER THEY CLOSED THE JACKSON BEACHES AND THEY LEFT THE BEACH OPEN MORE CASES CAME TO THIS AREA. WE HAVE ABOUT DOUBLED IN CASES. WE DON'T NEED TO [INDISCERNIBLE] REGARDLESS OF HOW ÃIT'S NOT THAT BIG WHEN THE TIDE COMES IN AND THEN YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF KIDS GOING DOWN THERE YOU CAN'T STOP A CHILD FROM RUNNING UP TO YOU.
SO I THINK IT'S BEST THEY REMAIN CLOSED LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO KILL ANYBODY TO WAIT A MONTH TO GO TO THE BEACH.
THERE IS GOING TO BE PLENTY OF BEACH STARTING IN MAY AND WE CAN WAIT UNTIL THEN TO HAVE IT.
I'M VERY MUCH AGAINST IT. REOPENING THE BEACHES. >> YES, MA'AM.HANK YOU.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> DENNIS LACEY, 6970 A1A
CRESCENT BEACH >> GO AHEAD, MR. DENNIS >> FIRST OFF I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. I AM A POOR RETIRED GUY FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA BUT I WAS A MAYOR IN MY VILLAGE FOR 14 YEARS.
I KNOW YOU HAVE TO GET THIS DONE. I AM HOPING YOU WILL CONSIDER
[01:00:05]
TO MAKE IT MORE POSSIBLE FOR US TO HAVE EXERCISE AND ALONG WITH SOCIAL VISITING.IT'S A DIFFICULT DECISION BUT IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER LIKE LOW TIDE WHERE IT WOULD BE EASY TO ENFORCE ÃNOT EASY. BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD APPRECIATE.
I KNOW A LOT OF THE SENIORS SUCH AS MYSELF DO NEED THAT EXERCISE WOULD APPRECIATE IT AND FEEL MUCH SAFER THAN BEING A FOOT AWAY FROM SOMEBODY ON THE SIDEWALKS OR WHILE WE ARE IN THE GROCERY STORE WHICH IS A NECESSARY EVIL. I WON'T TAKE UP ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND I THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> HELLO?
>> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD >> SEVEN 16TH ST., ST.
AUGUSTINE BEACH. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE DURING THIS TIME. I SURE WOULD NOT WANT TO BE IN YOUR SHOES.
I THANK YOU. I AGREE 100 PERCENT WITH YOU ALL CLOSING THE BEACHES.
WE LIVE 1/2 A BLOCK AWAY AND SPRING BREAK WAS OUT OF CONTROL.
SELFISHLY, WE HAVE ENJOYED THE QUIET AND NO PARKING AND NO PEOPLE BUT IN THE BIG PICTURE I DO SUPPORT OPENING THE BEACHES. I AGREE WITH LIMITING ACTIVITY AND NO BLANKETS AND CHAIRS AND TOWELS, ETC. BUT I DO THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER DOING IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR ADJOINING COUNTIES BECAUSE WE SORRY BEFORE THE BEACHES CLOSE WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM LOTS OF OTHER PLACES AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING AGAIN. WHETHER YOU LIKE TO WALK AT 9 A.M. WATCH THE MOON, I LIKE TO RUN LATE IN THE DAY. DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY.
I AGREE WITH SPREADING PEOPLE OUT ON THE BEACH WILL HELP BECAUSE I RUN.
IF YOU'VE BEEN UP AROUND THE ROAD AROUND 5:00 IT'S ABOUT A FIVE FOOT SIDEWALK AND THERE'S ONE PERSON ON EACH SIDE OF THE SIDEWALK. ONE PERSON ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WHEN IT REALLY GETS BUSY THERE'S A PERSON RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
SAME THING ON THE TRAIL, 11TH ST. AND EIGHTH STREET IT'S A MUCH NARROWER TRAIL AND YOUR BICYCLISTS PEOPLE WALKING AND IT GETS REALLY CROWDED. SO I BELIEVE YOU CAN KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCE MUCH BETTER. I AGREE WITH THE COMMENT LETTING THE KIDS PLAY AND LETTING THEM SURF. PART AND TAKE A SURFBOARD OUT. MY ONLY CONCERN IS CALLED THREE OR FOUR FRIENDS AND THEY SIT AND TALK TO EACH OTHER. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A THING ON THE BEACH LOCAL KIDS GET TOGETHER AND PARENTAL GUIDANCE. IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN.
SO GREAT. WE WALKED OUR DOG AND WE WALK OFTEN AND WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST WALKING KINDER TOWARDS THE END AND EVERYBODY DID PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING AT LEAST BEING RESPONSIBLE AND THE ADULTS I THINK IT WILL HELP SPREAD PEOPLE OUT
TELEPHONE CONNECTION] SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD LUCK. >>
>> IF I MAY BE FOR THE NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER, IF I JUST MIGHT REMIND THAT THE PUBLIC MAY WANT TO MUTE THEIR TVS OR COMPUTERS ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO THE BOARD BY PHONE AND TO MAYBE USE THE HANDSET DIRECTLY RATHER THAN THE SPEAKER FUNCTION IT JUST MAY BE A
LITTLE BETTER QUALITY. >> PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD
>> MY NAME IS HAROLD MILLER. I LIVE AT 604 C GREAT CIR., ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH.
AND I AM OF THE OPINION THAT THE BEACHES SHOULD BE CLOSED. THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE SHOWING BY A PROFESSOR AT SCRIPPS INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY IN SAN DIEGO THAT THERE AREA IS QUITE A BIT OF AIRBORNE SPREAD FURTHER THAN SIX FEET. AND THIS IS WORSE AT THE BEACH WHERE THINGS TEND TO BE AEROSOLIZED AND WITH THE BREEZE CARRYING IT MUCH FURTHER THAN
[01:05:11]
SIX FEET. 60 DOES NOT PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING IT AND THERE WAS A RECENT ARTICLE IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE STATING THAT SIX FEET IS PROBABLY FAR UNDERESTIMATING THE EXTENT OF A RESOLUTION OF THE VIRUS AND IT MAY BE AS MUCH AS 17 TO 20 FEET THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE A PART, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN.ALSO, THE FACT THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUT BIKING, SURFING, DOING STRENUOUS EXERCISE, THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY SPRAYING MORE OF THE VIRUS. THERE IS MORE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE VIRUS WHEN PEOPLE ARE EXERTING THEMSELVES.
THE FACT THAT YOU CAN GO TO THE BEACH AND LIMIT YOUR AREA IS LUDICROUS.
AS THEY SAID WITH THE BREEZE ON THE BEACH, THE VIRUS WOULD SPREAD EVEN FURTHER.
SO I AM DEFINITELY CONVINCED THAT THE BEACH NEEDS TO BE CLOSED.
AND THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE QUITE A WHILE AGO. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. >> YES, SIR.
THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. CAN WE HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE?
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MARK AND I LIVE 305 ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, FLORIDA.
I AM CALLING IN FAVOR OF OPENING BACK UP THE BEACHES. A LOT OF CALLERS HAD A LOT OF GOOD POINTS AND I DEFINITELY NOT WELL VERSED IN HOW IT SPREADS I GUESS IT COULD BE A LOT MORE. WHAT I DO NOW IS TO SAY THAT Ã THEY ARE NOT SAYING THIS STRICTLY BUT TO SAY MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT THE SAME AS PHYSICAL HEALTH IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS TO ME. THOSE THINGS GO HAND IN HAND. SICKNESS AND DISEASE CAN SPREAD FASTER WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF STRESS INVOLVED WITH THE PERSON.
AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO HAVE THE OUTLET THEY NORMALLY HAVE, ÃI AM A SURFER.
I'M NOT SAYING THIS TRYING TO BE BIASED AND WANTING TO SERVE. I'M SAYING THIS BECAUSE WALKING AND BEING OUT IN THE SUN IS EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL FOR THIS HUMAN BODY.
WHICH CAN HELP YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WHICH CAN HELP YOU FIGHT OFF DISEASE.
AGAIN, I'M NOT A MICROBIOLOGIST. I DON'T WORK IN THE FIELD.
I HAVE A REALLY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE ÃTHEY OWN A SURF SHOP. AS MANY AS ÃAS WELL IS A LOT OF OTHER BUSINESSES ALONG THAT BUSINESS BUT RELY ON THIS. WHEN SCHOOL WAS IN SESSION IT WAS BENEFICIAL FOR THEM AND I KNOW THEY ARE MISSING IT. SOCIAL DISTANCING IS EASIER WHEN YOU ARE ON THE BEACH EVEN IF IT'S HIGH TIDE. IT'S BIGGER THAN A SIDEWALK.
PEOPLE STILL GO TO GROCERY STORES AND THEY ARE STAYING RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
BEING INSIDE IS THE LAST THING THAT YOU WANT IN THIS TIME. AT LEAST FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE DAY. IT'S JUST TOO MANY, IT'S COUNTERINTUITIVE.
AND THE WHOLE IDEA ABOUT THE BEACHES BEING TOO CROWDED WAS WHEN THERE WAS SPRING BREAK GOING ON AND THAT'S NO LONGER HAPPENING. THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT MANY PEOPLE ON THE BEACH THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WE HAD. THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
WE RESPECT WHATEVER DECISION YOU MAKE. >> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. CAN WE HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD?
>> MY NAME IS ROBERT AND I AM AT 629 DEAR CARPENTER ROAD IN ST. AUGUSTINE.
>> GO AHEAD, SIR. >> FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. THE ONE THING I WANTED TO WEIGH ON IN AFTER LISTENING IS TO CAUTION YOU GUYS FROM TAKING THE NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING THROWN OUT THAT ARE NOT PARTICULARLY SCIENTIFIC OR COMING FROM A REPUTABLE PERSON THEMSELVES.
BUT I PERSONALLY AM IN FAVOR OF OPENING THE BEACHES IN A RESTRICTED SESSION.
[01:10:03]
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A PERFECT WAY TO COMBAT THIS CORONAVIRUS MOVEMENT WITHOUT LOCKING EVERYTHING DOWN BUT THE GOVERNMENT UNDERSTANDS THERE ARE ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES AND CERTAIN THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO REMAIN HEALTHY BECAUSE THE POINT OF THIS WHOLE THING IS HEALTH. AND IF YOU ARE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD YOU ARE SEEING PEOPLE OUT AND ABOUT LIVING WITH GREAT ÃTHE BEACH IS A PARTICULAR PLACE FOR A LOT OF THOSE ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES AND MOVEMENT AND IS SPREAD OUT IN AN OPEN WAY.I THINK WITH ÃCONSIDERING WHAT HAS BEEN LEFT OPEN AND WHAT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES, THE BEACH IS A REALISTIC WAY TO ALLOW THOSE THINGS TO HAPPEN.
OF COURSE, IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME MANAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO POLICE THEMSELVES AND TO BE RESPONSIBLE. BUT UNLESS WE ARE GOING TO OPEN IT TO A HARD LOCK DOWN FOR NOTHING IS ALLOWED OUTSIDE OF PURELY ESSENTIAL MEANING FOOD AND HEALTH RELATED MATTERS, I THINK THE BEACH IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW THOSE ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES IN A SAFE WAY. AND I JUST HOPE THAT THAT IS A MAJOR PART OF WHAT IS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION.
WHICH ISN'T EASIER EITHER WAY BUT IF THE GOVERNOR AND OTHER PARTIES UNDERSTAND THAT EXERCISE AND MOVEMENT ARE ESSENTIAL AS IS BY CLOSING THE BEACH YOU JUST REDUCE THE Ã THAT TAKES PLACE IT UNINTENTIONALLY ENCOURAGES CROWDING IN OTHER LOCATIONS FOR ENCOURAGED THE MOVEMENT AND DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF STRESS AND ANXIETY.
I AM NOT SAYING IT WOULD BE EASY, BUT ÃI HOPE YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT.
>> YES, SIR. THANK YOU. >> COULD BE GET YOUR NAME
>> MY NAME IS BRIAN OTT 107 15TH ST., ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH. AND I HAVE HEARD THE ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDE AND I THINK THE POINTS ARE VALID. I WOULD PROPOSE OPENING UP THE BEACH UNTIL 9:00 A.M. ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GET THEIR EXERCISE. DOWN AT THE BEACH OFTEN PRINT CLOSURE BEFORE 9:00 A.M. AND IT DOESN'T TEND TO GET CROWDED THEN.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT OPEN IN THE EVENING AS WELL BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO GET MORE PEOPLE DOING MORE ACTIVITIES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. I THINK THAT THE CURRENT AVENUES THAT WE HAVE FOR JOGGING AND BICYCLING ARE GOING ÃBY OPENING THE BEACH UP IT WILL ALLOW SOME CROWDS THAT ARE ACCUMULATING AS OTHER COLORS HAVE MADE TO SPREAD FROM THOSE AREAS ONTO THE BEACH, WHICH IS MUCH WIDER. I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WEIGHT THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR SHOULDERS WITH THIS DECISION AND WE WILL SUPPORT WHATEVER YOU DO.THANK
YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. >> YES, SIR. THANK YOU.
>> GROCERIES ARE ESSENTIAL AND THE BEACH IS NOT. I FEEL LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT THE BIGGER CITIES, THE POPULATION IS LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO STAY INDOORS AND SO BY OPENING UP THE BEACH, YOU ARE OPENING UP THE DOORS FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE TO GO THERE ON WEEKENDS OR WHATEVER BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS THIS FREE TIME AND YOU ARE NOT CONSIDERING THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS AND THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION THERE WHICH IS OLDER. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY OPINION.
I THINK IT'S HORRIBLE AND IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE AND IT SHOULD ABSOLUTELY ÃBY NO MEANS SHOULD
THAT BEACH BE OPEN. >> YES, SIR. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. COULD WE GET YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? >> MY NAME IS FRANK GASSMAN AND I LIVE ON ANDERSON STREET IN
[01:15:07]
ST. AUGUSTINE.>> GO AHEAD. >> YES, SIR. I HAVE LIVED IN THIS TOWN AND HAD THE SAND OF VILANO BEACH UNDERNEATH MY TOES 67 OF MY 69 YEARS.
I WAS AN AVID SURFER AT ONE TIME AND I'VE BEEN A FISHERMAN ALL MY LIFE.
THE BEACH. REMEMBER WE WOULD DRIVE IT BACK IN THE DAY AND THE BEACH WAS WIDE AND BROAD KNOW PEOPLE ON IT WHATSOEVER. WITH OUR OVERPOPULATION NOW, THERE'S JUST TOO MANY PEOPLE AND YOU WILL JUST ENCOURAGE SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO COME TO THE BEACH. THE BEACH IS NARROW, IT'S TOO SMALL, IT'S NOT A PRUDENT THING TO DO. AND THE BEACH IS MY LIFE. I UNDERSTAND.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS 60 YEARS AGO. I GREW UP ON VILANO BEACH.
SO I SUGGEST FOR EVERYBODY'S HEALTH THAT WE DO NOT GET AROUND PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GOING TO COMPLY. THEY WILL USE THE PUBLIX PARKING LOT AT VILANO BEACH FOR BEACH PARKING AND ALL THE SURROUNDING AREAS. YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE HOTELS.
THERE'S JUST TOO MANY PEOPLE IN TOO SMALL OF A CONFINED AREA. I COULD PROBABLY GO ON AND ON, BUT I JUST WANTED TO VENT A LITTLE BIT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> YES, SIR. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
COULD WE GET YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? >> MY NAME IS BROOKE I LIVE AT
826 A1A BEACH BOULEVARD. >> WE NEED YOUR FULL NAME, PLEASE.
>> LAST NAME IS SCHELL. >> THANK YOU. >> AND CALLINGTO VOICE MY CONCERN OVER THE REOPENING OF THE BEACHES. THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL AND CDC HAVE ADVISED THE NEXT TWO WEEKS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE THE PEARL HARBOR AND THE 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS WITH REGARD TO BOTH DEATHS AND DEVASTATION THAT IS ABOUT TO CAUSE.
NEW YORK IS CURRENTLY WHEELING BODIES OUT OF HOSPITALS IN 18 WHEELERS.
I DO NOT THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO OPEN THE BEACHES. I UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE THAT THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY FAILING TO BRING IN MONEY AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO OUT POSSIBLY FOR MENTAL HEALTH RELATED REASONS, PEOPLE ARE FEELING CLAUSTROPHOBIC AT HOME AND WANT TO GO OUT BUT IT'S JUST NOT THE TIME. WHEN YOU ARE BALANCING A DESIRE TO GO OUTSIDE VERSUS A DESIRE TO STAY SAFE. IT JUST NEEDS TO BE HELD OFF
FOR A BIT LONGER. THAT'S MY COMMENT. >> YES, MA'AM.THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. >> YOU TOO.
GOOD MORNING. COULD WE GET YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE?
>> GOOD MORNING. THIS IS FRANK O'ROURKE. 101 F ST., ST. AUGUSTINE.
I AM CALLING TO SUGGEST THEY RESTRICTED OUR ACCESS FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTS.
PERHAPS FROM 7:00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 9:00 IN THE MORNING, JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WALKING, JOGGING, BIKING, FISHING, SURFING, AND SWIMMING. IN OTHER WORDS, PROHIBITED USE WOULD BE SUNBATHING, SITTING IN CHAIRS, ANY ORGANIZED SPORTS, LAYING DOWN BLANKETS, ETC. AND WITH THIS SUGGESTION, OBVIOUSLY, APPLYING THE MINIMUM OF THE SIX FOOT SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING ORDERS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS. ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE ON THIS TYPE OF RESTRICTED ACCESS IS THAT IT'S EASILY ENFORCEABLE. WHAT IT'S DOING IS ALLOWING OUR RESIDENTS TO GO OUTSIDE AND GET THE EXERCISE THEY NEED, WALK THE DOG, AND IN AN ENVIRONMENT OTHER THAN THE HIGHWAYS AND SIDEWALKS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY OTHER AVENUE FOR THAT, ALONG WITH BIKING AND TALKING. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE OPEN AIR ENVIRONMENT IS CRUCIAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY, OBVIOUSLY ANY TIME WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW.
[01:20:04]
AND THEREFORE, I AM IN FAVOR OF A RESTRICTED ACCESS STARTING FROM 7:00 UNTIL 9:00.IF THAT GOES WELL PERHAPS EXPANDING IT LATER DOWN THE ROAD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND I HOPE EVERYONE IS HEALTHY AND SAFE.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD MORNING. COULD WE GET YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? >> GOOD MORNING. I AM LINDA KAPLAN AT 8840 OLD
A1A. >> GO AHEAD. >> ARE YOU THERE?
>> YES MA'AM. GO AHEAD. >> OKAY.
I'M CALLING IN REFERENCE TO THE BEACH ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS. I'M NOT SURE HOW THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN GOING THIS MORNING. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THIS MEETING. WE ARE RESIDENTS ÃOUR PROPERTY LINES RIGHT UP TO THE BEACH.
I'M INTERESTED IN COMPLETELY CONCERNED WITH WHAT IS GOING ON WITH CORONAVIRUS AND NOT HAVING A LOT OF PEOPLE CONGREGATING. I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH WHAT WAS HAPPENING WHEN THEY DID CLOSE FLAGLER BEACHES AND BUTLER COUNTY BEACHES AND EVERYBODY WAS CONGREGATING.
SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD GIVE EVERYONE SOME DISTANCE AND AS WELL HAVE SOME RULES AND REGULATIONS. BUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE BEACH, THIS IS OUR BACKYARD. AND FOR PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN PLIKE MYSELF, I HAVE TEENAGERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN. AND SO THIS IS THEIR BACKYARD.
THIS IS WHERE THEY LIVE AND THEY DON'T HAVE AN AREA TO RIDE A BIKE BECAUSE IT'S OUT ON OLD A1A SEMI FOREIGN HALF-YEAR-OLD CAN'T DO THAT. I WON'T BRING HIM OVER THAT BRIDGE THERE. SO FOR HIM, IT'S JUST A SMALL LITTLE AREA.
THERE'S NOT AN AREA FOR HIM TO THROW THE BALL. TWO JUST TAKE THE DOG RUNNING.
JUST TO TAKE THE DOG FOR A WALK. IT'S A LITTLE DANGEROUS TO BE UP AND OUT ON THE MAIN ROAD. EVEN JUST TO BE THERE WITH HIS TEENAGE BROTHER.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S CONCERNING FOR US, BUT I KNOW IT'S ALSO A CONCERN FOR MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE TALKED TO.
RESIDENTS WALK THEIR DOGS IN THE AFTERNOON, JUST GENERAL PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE THERE WHETHER THEY ARE THERE FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME, JUST GENERAL CONCERN OF MANY PEOPLE. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I KNOW YOU ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY. I THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I KNOW THIS IS A HARD SITUATION YOU ARE IN AND I JUST HOPE YOU GIVE THEM SOME TIME TO BE ABLE TO REFLECT AND FIND A HAPPY
MEDIUM. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.
>> COULD WE HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? >> KIM.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT EARLIER COLLARS AND PEOPLE ARE NOT EXPERTS SO I WOULD SUGGEST WE FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF THE EXPERTS, DOCTOR ANTHONY THEOLOGYIS SUGGESTING 30 DAYS AT HOME. WE DON'T NEED OTHER OPINIONS. THE OTHER THING IS YOU ARE NOT TAKING A RISK ON YOUR OWN LIFE. AS OF THIS MORNING, OVER 1000 HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN MICHIGAN HAVE BEEN INFECTED BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES TAKING THE RISK EVERY DAY, NOT US.
SO IT'S REALLY THINKING BEYOND YOURSELF AND NOT BEING SELFISH ABOUT THOSE.
THERE IS A CHURCH IN EUROPE AND THERE ARE CHURCHES WHO CLOSED DUE TO COEVID AND THE LAST TIME THEY CLOSED WAS DURING THE BLACK PLAGUE. THINK IT'S EVERYBODY ÃIF THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE BLACK PLAGUE THEY WOULDN'T BE SO INCLINED TO OPEN.
IT'S 30 DAYS ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS DOING GREAT RIGHT NOW. THE DEATHS HAVE NOT GONE UP AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT CHANGE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING ANXIOUS.
THANK YOU. >> >> PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> GOOD MORNING. MRS. HUNTER CAMP 53 LEE DOCTOR, ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, FLORIDA. AND I AM CALLING IN THIS MORNING TO STRONGLY SUPPORT A RESTRICTED ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS LET'S SAY AS THE OTHER COLORS SUGGESTED FROM 7:00 A.M. UNTIL
[01:25:12]
9:00 A.M. FOR THE EXPLICIT PURPOSES OF WALKING, SURFING, RUNNING, BIKING, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CONGREGATING AND NO SOCIAL GATHERING KEEPING IN MIND THE CDC GUIDELINES THE SIX FEET SEPARATION. AND I DO BELIEVE THIS IS EASILY ENFORCEABLE BY OUR EXCELLENT POLICE AND OUR ST. JOHNS SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND I THANK YOU FOR YOURCONSIDERATION. >> YES, SIR. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
>> 1540 M SLEEP PLACE. >> YES, MA'AM. GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. EMAILED ALL OF YOU LAST EVENING, BUT IT WAS KIND OF LATE SO I JUST WANTED TO CALL IN. FIRST, THANKS FOR TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT.
I KNOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT BUT I THINK THAT WAS A NICE WAY TO DO IT.
EVEN THOUGH I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING.
I AM OPPOSED TO OPENING THE BEACHES. I WISH WE COULD.
I MISS IT. I FEEL FOR THE SERVERS ESPECIALLY.
AND I AGREE WITH THE YOUNG MAN WHO SAID EARLIER THAT EXERCISE AND MENTAL HEALTH WERE IMPORTANT. THEY AREN'T.BUT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
PHYSICAL DISTANCE WILL. I THINK AS I SAID IN MY EMAIL IS THE PROBLEM WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING IS YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORKING BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T SEE IT WORKING
[INDISCERNIBLE] >> WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING STOPS WORKING WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE AND WE REALLY CAN'T AFFORD THAT. I WOULD ASK THAT WE AT LEAST WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE WEEKEND PASSES AND CONSIDER FOR EXERCISE.
I THINK THERE HAS TO BE RULES WHICH WAY PEOPLE WALK ON THE BEACH.
I WENT UP TO THE BEGINNING OF ALL OF THIS AND FOUND THAT I WOULD NOT GO BACK BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE NOT PAYING ATTENTION AT ALL.
>> I WISH YOUR STATE HAD DONE SOMETHING COLLECTIVELY EARLIER SAID THIS COULD BE OVER EARLIER BUT THEY DIDN'T AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU DON'T OPEN
AT THIS TIME AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING. >> YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. COULD WE GET YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? >> MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER TINCHER I LIVE AT 548 MOULTRIE
ROSE RD. IN AUGUSTINE, FL. >> YES, SIR. GO AHEAD.
>> I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.HIS IS SUCH A CHALLENGING TIME. YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN EXEMPLARY.
BEACHES.ENCE TO OPENING LOCAL I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE LIMITED LOCAL ACCESS TO THE BEACHES. I AM 100 PERCENT SUPPORT OF THE PETITION THAT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY OVER 10,000 COUNTY RESIDENTS ASKING FOR THE LIMITED ACCESS FOR MOVEMENT ON THE BEACH. I REALLY BELIEVE IN IS LIMITED ACCESS FOR MOVEMENT FOR THREE KEY REASONS. FIRST OF ALL, FOR MANY OF THE BEACH RESIDENTS, THE BEACH IS THEIR BACKYARD. THEY HAVE BEEN CUT OFF FROM BEING ABLE TO DO ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES DEEMED BY GOVERNOR DESANTIS SUCH AS JOGGING, DOG WALKING, AND OTHER FORMS OF EXERCISE IN THEIR BACKYARD. OPENING THIS TO THEM WOULD ALLOW THEM NOT TO HAVE TO DO BEACH ACTIVITIES IN THE MIDDLE OF A1A AND CROWDED STREETS WITH TRAFFIC.
NUMBER TWO, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THE SURF COMMUNITY, ACCESS FROM THE SAND RUNNING ACROSS TO THE OCEAN ALLOWS US TO HAVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT IS ALSO A MUCH-NEEDED FORM OF STRESS RELIEF AND MENTAL HEALTH. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW WAYS THAT WE AS THE SURF COMMUNITY CAN PACCESS THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT EXERCISE THAT PREROGATIVE WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW. THE THIRD REASON I AM IN SO MUCH SUPPORT OF IT IS I BELIEVE IN THE RIGHTS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY RESIDENTS TO ACT RESPONSIBLY, AND I LOVE MY COUNTY. I BELIEVE IN MY COUNTY, AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR COUNTIES RESIDENTS WILL SOCIALLY DISTANCE THEMSELVES.
THEY WILL DO THE RIGHT THING. I E MANY OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT GOT OUR VIEW TO SHUT DOWN WAS INTELLECTS FROM OTHER COUNTIES AND UNMASKING LEADERSHIP TO GIVE
[01:30:01]
THE CITIZENS MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT VOLUSIA COUNTY HAS DONE UNMASKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THANK YOU TO THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE>> >> IT SEEMS TO ME THAT BY CLOSING THE BEACH, YOU ARE FORCING EVERYONE TO WALK OUT ON A1A. WHY ARE WE NOT CLOSING THE SIDEWALKS? WHY ARE WE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GO OUTSIDE AT ALL? PEOPLE HAVE TO MAINTAIN ÃTHE GOVERNMENT CANNOT CONTROL EVERYTHING AND PEOPLE HAVE TO MAINTAIN SOME SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY. MY OTHER THOUGHT IS THAT I THINK THAT 7 TO 9 IS A LITTLE LIMITING. I THINK THAT THE HOURS FROM 7:00 UNTIL 11:00 WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE. THE OTHER THING IS I HAVE NOT HEARD AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT FEELS ABOUT THIS. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THEIR INPUT. BUT MY POINT IS PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO OUTSIDE AND IF YOU ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE BEACH, YOU HAVE TO CLOSE A1A. YOU HAVE TO CLOSE THE SIDEWALKS. WE WALKED OVER TO BUTLER PARK YESTERDAY AND HAD PEOPLE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO US. OUR PEOPLE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO OUTSIDE AT ALL OR NOT? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> COULD WE GET YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? >> GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS DEBORAH HOWEY 3960 A1A SOUTH. >> GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL. I MISS BEING ABLE TO WALK ON THE BEACH AND I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE DO AS WELL. I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO EXPECT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SUBJECT OTHER PEOPLE TO THE VIRUS AND THE ISSUES.
PEOPLE THAT GO TO THE BEACH GO TO OTHER PLACES. THEY GO TO HOME DEPOT, WINN-DIXIE, LOWE'S. SO IT IS SPREADING. WE HAVE THE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO WORRY ABOUT. I'M JUS ASKING YOU TO KEEP THE BEACHES CLOSE A LITTLE LONGER.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. COULD WE HAVE YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? >> JOANNE QUELL 25 FRANCISCAN WAY, ST. AUGUSTINE
>> YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD. I HAPPEN TO BE RIDING MY BIKE OVER ON BEACH BOULEVARD YESTERDAY AND THERE WAS VIRTUALLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE OUT WALKING AND MAYBE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE BICYCLING. I DON'T KNOW WHY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THE STREETS ARE CROWDED WITH PEOPLE WALKING. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, FIRST OF ALL.
SECOND OF ALL, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S JUST THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THE BEACH WHEN WHAT THE BEACHES OPEN FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL USE. IF YOU ARE GOING TO OPEN THE BEACH IT SHOULD BE FOR EVERY TAXPAYER. IF YOU CLOSE THE PARKING LOTS WERE THESE PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSE TO ACCESS THE BEACH. THAT DOESN'T SEEM QUITE FAIR TO ME. ALL OF OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE OUT THERE RISKING THEIR LIVES ÃPUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING SICK WITH COVID-19.
[01:35:03]
SO I THINK IT'S PRETTY SELFISH THAT PEOPLE CAN'T SACRIFICE THE BEACH FOR 30 DAYS IN ORDER TO GET OVER THIS, AND THAT'S ABOUT ALL I HAVE TO SAY FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.>> WE HAVE NO MORE CAUSE. ANYBODY ELSE THAT CAME IN HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT?
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY RESPONSES? >> GOOD MORNING.
>> MY NAME IS BILL 113 9TH ST. I AGREE WITH BOTH SIDES ON THIS.
PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO HAVE PEOPLE ON THE BEACH BUT MY THOUGHTS ARE NOBODY'S GOING TO DRIVE HERE IF WE OPEN THE BEACH FROM 7:00 A.M. TO 9:00 A.M. FROM FAR AWAY JUST FOR TWO HOURS. THIS MADE THE PEOPLE CAN'T GET OUT AND DO THEIR WALKING.
THEY ARE ALLOWING PEOPLE BOATS, 10 PEOPLE IN THE BOATS AND GOLF COURSES ARE OPEN.
THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY. I THINK IF WE LIMIT THE TIME BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE HARD ÃOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT DID A GREAT JOB ÃWE DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM IN ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH. IT WAS MORE SO ADDED NORTH AND SOUTH OF US AND I KNOW IT WOULD BE HARD TO GET EVERYBODY'S ID. IF WE LIMIT IT FOR THE VERY SHORT TIME IN THE MORING AND THIS WAY PEOPLE CAN EXERCISE AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS GOING TO DRIVE ÃTHANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. >> ANYBODY ELSE?
MR. CHAIRMAN, SEEING ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT >> THANK YOU.
WITH PUBLIC COMMENT NOW CLOSE WE WERE COME BACK TO THE BOARD. >> I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST SAY THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHEN 35 OF THE 40 COMMENTS WE HAVE RECEIVED ARE DEVOTED TO ONE LESS THAN ONE SQUARE MILE YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE ALL FIGURING OUT AS WE GO. IT'S NOT LIKE A HURRICANE WHERE YOU CAN PHYSICALLY SEE IT ON A MAP AND WE ANTICIPATED WHAT IT COULD DO BASED ON A PATH THAT IT'S TAKING. IT'S SOMETHING AS DOCTOR ALEK TODT MENTIONED 25 PERCENT OF THE CARRIERS HAVE NO SYMPTOMS. NO WAY TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE IT AND CAN TRANSMIT TO OTHERS.
SO YOU CAN'T SEE IT. IT TAKES CLOSE TO 48 HOURS FOR THOSE WHO DO HAVE IT TO HAVE SYMPTOMS. FOR THE MOST PART. THESE ARE AVERAGES.
PEOPLE CAN UNKNOWINGLY SPREAD IT. ALMOST HALF OF OUR CASES ARE IN THE 32082, PONTE VEDRE ZIP CODE AND THE 32259 CODE. THESE ARE NUMBERS.
THEY REPRESENT PEOPLE THAT ARE SICK. WITH THIS SPECIFIC VIRUS.
IT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE OTHER COMMUNICABLE VIRUS DISEASES. WE HAVE EACH AND EVERY YEAR. OUR GOAL IS YOUR HEALTH SAFETY AND WELFARE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES TO IMPLEMENT IT EFFECTIVELY AND IT'S NOT MADE Ã THE DECISIONS ARE NOT MADE BY A SINGLE PERSON. IT'S A TEAM EFFORT BY OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS TO ADMINISTRATION. STAY STATE LOCAL AND FEDERAL LEVEL ARE ENGAGED IN THIS DECISION. THEY ARE HAVING VERY REAL IMPACT ON PEOPLE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY AS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AGREES.
WE CAN FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO MITIGATE PERSONALLY DOES IMPACT THEY HAVE ON US INDIVIDUALLY.
WHETHER IT'S BY LOCATION, PHYSICAL DISTANCING, EXERCISE, PHYSICAL OR MENTAL.
ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS TEACHES YOGA OR I SHOULD SAY TAUGHT YOGA.
THIS EPIDEMIC IS HAVING A VERY REAL IMPACT ON US IN MANY WAYS. THE NEXT WAVE THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING BUT NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU IS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT.
IF THE NUMBERS I AM RECEIVING ARE EVEN REMOTELY ACCURATE, 25 PERCENT OF OUR ECONOMY IS CURRENTLY VITAL ACROSS THE ENTIRE NATION. THAT THE REDUCTION OF CLOSE TO 30 PERCENT OF OUR GDP GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT. FROM 2007 TO 2009 IF THE
[01:40:06]
NUMBERS I'VE BEEN PROVIDING MORE ACCURATE WE HAD A FOUR PERCENT DROP IN GDP.WE ARE EXPECTING ALMOST AN EIGHT PERCENT ÃEIGHT TIMES GREATER IMPACT TO OUR ECONOMY TO OUR BUSINESSES, TO OUR ABILITY TO MAKE ENDS MEET FOR FOOD AND MEDICINE.
THAT WILL HAVE A FAR GREATER IMPACT ON THIS FOR A FAR LONGER TIME.
EVERYBODY'S HEALTH IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE RIGHT NOW BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THE LONG-TERM PICTURE. AS A RESULT OF THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. I WAS INVOLVED IN A PHONE CALL LAST WEEK WITH THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR AND THE VICE PRESIDENT.
AMONG OTHERS. HE IS THE POINT PERSON FOR VICE PRESIDENT PENCE OR THE CORONAVIRUS AND I WAS EXPECTING THE MAJORITY OF THE CONVERSATION TO BE ABOUT THE VIRUS BUT IT WAS MORE ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND FACTS BACKING UP THE INFORMATION I HAVE HEARD FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES. I QUIT COUNTING AT SEVEN AND THEY SAID THEY ARE SHUTTING THEIR DOORS PERMANENTLY BECAUSE EITHER ANNOT GET EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS OR PRODUCTS, MANY OF WHICH ARE BEING DELIVERED FROM OVERSEAS TO THEIR BUSINESSES. MORE THE PLACE THEY ARE LEASING IS BEING SHUT DOWN SO THEY DO NOT HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO. THEY WERE NOT COMPLAINING.
THEY WERE JUST STATING FACTS. LOOKING FOR ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW LONG WITH THIS LAST. HOW LONG DO I NEED TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY WITH THE SAVINGS I HAVE.O I GO THROUGH THE PPP LOAN GRANT OPTION? ANOTHER OPTION FOR BORROWING MONEY. PUT MY EMPLOYEES ON UNEMPLOYMENT OR I KNOW THEY WILL HAVE SOME INCOME WEEK AFTER WEEK INSTEAD OF WONDERING WHETHER THEY HAVE A JOB WEEK AFTER WEEK. AS A RESULT OF THAT PHONE CONFERENCE, I CALLED OUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND TALKED TO ISABEL AND SAID WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM OUR SMALL BUSINESSES? WHAT ARE THEY EXPERIENCING. WHAT OTHER NEEDS AND HOW CAN WE GET CONNECTIONS AND THEY HAD A TREMENDOUS NETWORK OF RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLE FINANCE THE QUESTIONS FOR THE BUSINESSES AND THEIR PERSONAL NEEDS. AND THEY EXIST.
NOT JUST THE LOANS WE ARE HEARING ABOUT BUT INTERNALLY. OUR COUNTY AND OUR STATE INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A GROUP IS STEPPING OUT TO HELP WITH EACH OTHER'S NEEDS AND WE JUST NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM. IF YOU CALL INTO THE MAIN FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS NUMBER THAT 904-824-5550 NUMBER, THEY CAN GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH RESOURCES AND ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. THE BIGGEST ONE BEING HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST.
NOBODY CAN GIVE YOU AN HONEST ANSWER. THE STATISTICS ARE BASED ON STATISTICS.E HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE AND THE NUMBERS AND THE RESULTS WILL CHANGE HOURLY BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT'S RECEIVED. SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE DOCTOR'S INFORMATION TODAY THINGS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY FROM LAST WEEK AND THEY WILL CHANGE AGAIN WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK. WE HAVE TO BE VIGILANT AND HOW WE PROTECT OURSELVES TO SHORTEN THE DURATION AND THE IMPACT OF THIS VIRUS ON OUR PERSONAL LIVES, HEALTH, AND SAFETY AND WELFARE TO MAKE ENDS MEET. THAT MONEY FROM WELFARE OR THE UNEMPLOYMENT DOES NOT JUST GET MANUFACTURED. IT COMES FROM ALL OF US AS TAXPAYERS. WE ARE ALL AFFECTED BY WHETHER WE AGREE OR NOT.
IT'S IMPORTANT WE GET OUR NEEDS MET AND FIND RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING.
ONE OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS I HEARD IN THE CHAMBERS WAS WHY ARE NOT THE 501(C) SIX BUSINESSES SMALL BUSINESSES ABLE TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE STIMULUS PACKAGE SO I CALLED ON THE CONGRESSMAN WHO WAS TRYING TO GET IN EARLIER ON THE PHONE CONFERENCE.
HE'S BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE LAST TWO MEETINGS AND HE SAID THAT THE 501(C) SIX BUSINESSES ARE CURRENTLY IN THE NEXT STIMULUS PACKAGE THAT'S WORKING ITS WAY TO THE PROCESS.
HE CAN'T GUARANTEE IT BECAUSE IT GOES THROUGH MANY HANDS AND MANY COMMITTEES BEFORE IT BECOMES FINAL APPROVAL BUT THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE HEARING OUR CONCERNS.
NOT JUST ABOUT OUR HEALTH BUT OUR FINANCIAL WELL-BEING WHICH AFFECTS OUR MENTAL WELL-BEING.
THE SUICIDE RATES AND THE RATES THAT PEOPLE ARE CALLING IN FOR MENTAL HEALTH HAS SKYROCKETED FASTER THAN THE IMPACT OF PEOPLE AFFECTED AND INFECTED BY THE VIRUS.
NOT TO SAY IT'S ANY LESS IMPORTANT, BUT ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM IMPACTS IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND SOLE PROPRIETORS. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE SO YOU CAN GET THE HELP AND THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE THE DECISION. I HEARD MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE. WE DO HAVE THAT. ACCESS TO OUR BEACH IS ONLY ONE POINT. ACCESS TO THE BEACH AND PARKING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE ACCESS, THE ENFORCEABILITY OF DETERMINING WHETHER SOMEONE IS PHYSICALLY MOVING TYING THEIR SHOES SITTING ON THE BEACH IS FAR MORE CHALLENGING TO ENFORCE THE LOOKING THROUGH SOME
[01:45:08]
BINOCULARS DOWN MILES OF BEACH TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY ON THE BEACH AT ALL.33 PERCENT OF OUR COUNTY IS IN CONSERVATION PRESERVATION AND MUCH OF IT AS AN OPEN SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND EXERCISE TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS BUT I HAVE ASKED OUR STAFF TO LOOK AT THE 33 PAGES THAT ARE APPLICABLE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY MANY OF THEM ARE MANDATED BY THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER.
WE CAN ASK THEM TO DO FOR THEM AMASSING THEM TO LOOK AT THIS IN DETAIL LIST OF THESE CAN BE DEFERRED AND COLLECTED AT A LATER DATE. WE NEED TO GET ON OUR FEET AND THE STRAW THEY SAY WE ARE ALREADY IN ITS FASTER AND HARDER WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED 10+ YEARS AGO THEY EXPECTED TO RECOVER IF WE ENABLE SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE ABLE TO DO SO.
WE NEED TO REDUCE THE LENGTH OF THESE WITHOUT REDUCING THE QUALITY OF THE END PRODUCT IT WILL HAPPEN. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO RESULTS OF THE ANALYSIS NOT JUST OF WHAT'S BEEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT FAR DEEPER DIVE INTO WHAT CAN BE DELAYED.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A ONE-TIME CHOICE OF EXPENSES. I'M LOOKING FOR EXPENSES WHICH HAVE BEEN COLLECTED IN A LEGAL WAY AT A LATER DATE SPREAD OUT OVER TIME SO THAT OUR BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS CAN GET BACK TO WORK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT'S SAFE TO DO SO. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT OF WORK.
91 PERCENT OF THEM UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE SCARED BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL LAST NOBODY TO TELL ANYBODY WHAT THAT DATE IS WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO WORK SAFELY WITHOUT HESITATING TO SHAKE SOMEONE'S HAND OR CONDUCT BUSINESS AND PASS MONEY BACK AND FORTH WHATEVER IT MAY BE. PEOPLE WONDER HOW MANY HANDS HAVE TOUCHED A BOX TO THE MENTAL BUREAU TOUCHED LAST LONGER AND WE DON'T KNOW THE VIRUS IS BEHIND US AND WE HAVE A CURE FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT SO IT'S NOT IMPACTING ALIVE LIKE IT IS TODAY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT HAPPENS FROM CALCULATED PRODUCTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE BARTRAM PARK IS IN THAT A PRELIMINARY PIECE OF INFORMATION OUR BOARD WOULD AGREE TO THAT SO THAT WE CAN SURE PEOPLE WHEN IT'S SAFE TO GET ONTO THE BEACHES TO GET BACK TO WORK THEY HAVE ASSURANCE THEY WILL DO SO MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN WE WERE ABLE TO DO FROM THE RECESSION PROGRAM X DO EITHER OF YOU HAVE
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS CAN >> I HAVE A QUESTION. BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY PUBLIC, DEALING WITH LIMITED BEACH ACCESS I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER MY THOUGHTS BRIEFLY AND THAT IS THERE'S HARDLY ANY OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE RIGHT NOW DAN TO PROVIDE LIMITED ACCESS TO OUR
[01:50:04]
BEACHES FOR WALKING, RUNNING, SURFING, FISHING. THE ONE THING I WANT MUCH MORE THAN THAT IS IN 30 OR 60 OR 90 DAYS, WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY AS A COMMISSIONER I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I COULD POSSIBLY THINK OF TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR RESIDENTS.WITH THAT IN MIND, I AM IN A POSITION SOMEWHAT SAD TO SAY THAT I HAVE TO RECOMMEND TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN CLOSURE OF OUR BEACHES FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE AND I THINK SINCE WE ARE MEETING WEEKLY WE CAN REVISIT THIS EACH WEEK, BUT I THINK IT REALLY HIT HOME YESTERDAY WHEN I HEARD THAT THE UNITED STATES SURGEON GENERAL SAY WE ARE FACING THE COMING TWO WEEKS WITH A COMBINATION OF PEARL HARBOR AND 9/11.
I DON'T WANT TO LOOK BACK AND SAY HENRY, IF YOU WOULD HAVE JUST KEPT THE BEACHES CLOSED FOR ANOTHER MONTH OR ANOTHER WEEK WE COULD'VE PREVENTED DEATHS IN THIS COUNTY.
SO I AM RELUCTANTLY ERRING ON THE SIDE OF WHAT I CONSIDER THE BEST FOR THE HEALTH OF THE CITIZENS, THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY AND THAT'S MY GOAL TO BE IN A POSITION TO GET THE BEACHES OPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE FROM LIMITED BEACH ACCESS AND LIMITED ACTIVITY.
I JUST DON'T THINK THE NEXT WEEK IS THE TIME TO DO IT. I THINK WE NEED TO REVISIT THIS EACH WEEK AMID CRITICISM IS ON THE BEST EVIDENCE. RIGHT NOW I JUST DON'T THINK
IT'S THE TIME FOR THE REASONS I JUST LAID OUT. >> COMMISSIONER BLOCKER, DO YOU
HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? >> YES, SIR.
IF I COULD ASK MR. CONRAD IF HE IS THERE, MR. CONRAD JUST KIND OF HEARING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO FULLY EVALUATE THIS REQUEST TO MODIFY THE BEACH? I KNOW WE HAD EXCHANGED EMAILS AND HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION. HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO FULLY EVALUATE THIS OR DO YOU NEED MORE TIME TO EVALUATETHIS? OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS THAT WE WANT TO BE AWARE OF AND TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC.
HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO FULLY LOOK AT THIS? CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES. OBVIOUSLY YOU HEARD A NUMBER OF SUGGESTIONS RELATED TO.
I CAN TELL YOU EVERY DAY WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT DIFFERENT APPROACHES AS YOU ARE AWARE WE TRY TO TAKE A METHODICAL APPROACH BEFORE WE GOT TO CLOSING BEACHES AND THAT DID NOT WORK. I UNDERSTAND, BE CONCERNED. WE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDER ASIAN WOMEN SEE IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY WE'VE DONE THINGS IN THE PAST.
I WILL TELL YOU WE ARE EVALUATING AND TALKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE AGENCIES TO DETERMINE WHAT STEPS NEED TO BE TAKEN WHEN THIS APPROACH COMES TO FRUITION TALKING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO EVALUATE IT EVERY
DAY, SIR. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. IF I COULD SAY FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT AS WELL, I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING.
I THINK OUR WORK DOES NOT BEGIN AND END WITH THESE MEETINGS. WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN COMMUNICATION AS WELL AS LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK YOUR TEAM IS DOING AND ITS ONGOING BATTLE. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? >> NO, SIR. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COMMISSIONER WALDRON? >> THANK YOU. MR. CHAIRMAN.
I WANTED TO ASK LEGAL, WE HAVE A LOT OF REQUESTS TO LIMIT THE BEACH TO LOCAL RESIDENTS ONLY.
IS THAT LEGAL IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA? >> MR. CHAIR, I AM NOT AT ALL CONFIDENT THAT THAT WOULD BE LEGAL, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY IMPRACTICAL. I THINK BASED ON MY DISCUSSIONS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT ALSO,
I THINK A LOT OF THE PUBLIC INPUT THAT YOU HAD TODAY. P>> THANK YOU.
WILL WE TALK ABOUT THE BEACHES, MY BIGGEST CONCERN KIND OF IS WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER DEAN WAS SAYING. AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE OR DEATH. EVERY DECISION WE MAKE DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE BUT THIS IS A DECISION WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A STRONG DECISION ON WHETHER THE BEACH COULD BE
[01:55:01]
OPEN FOR WHETHER THAT WILL PROLONG THE CASES SO I HAVE A HUGE CONCERN AND I WILL TAKE ADVICE AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR JOB.EVEN THEN IT WILL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THEY DON'T HAVE A CLEAR-CUT ANSWER.
RIGHT NOW, TO ME IF WE DON'T COINCIDE WITH WHAT THE CHIEF SAID EARLIER WITH DUBOIS COUNTY AND FLAGLER COUNTY TO HAVE MAYBE SIMULTANEOUS SMALL OPENING TO EXERCISE AND STUFF LIKE THAT THAT WE RUN BACK TO THE SAME PROBLEM WE HAD BEFORE. WE ARE THE ONLY BEACH OPENING WITH A HUGE CITY ÃWITH A POPULATION. YOU CAN SAY SPRING BREAK IS OVER, BUT SUMMER IS ON NOW. HALF THE RESIDENCE IS OUT OF WORK AND THEY ARE OUT OF SCHOOL. THEY SAID THEY CAN GET IT DONE AND ONE DAY.
THEY ARE ALL FOUR DAYS OF THE WEEK. THEY ÃCOLLEGES OUT AND THEY ARE DOING ONLINE CLASSES BUT THAT DOESN'T TAKE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME IS LITERALLY GOING TO CLASS. AND I JUST ÃAT THIS TIME, I HAVE CONCERNS ESPECIALLY WITH THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND COMING THAT WE DRAW A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM OUT OF THE AREA TO OUR AREA THAT CAN AFFECT OUR POPULATION AND I FEEL FOR THE BUSINESSES. I FEEL FOR THE HOTELS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET OUT AND WALK. THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED TIMES THAT WE HAVE TO TRY TO MITIGATE WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND IT'S VERY HARD AND IT'S A TOUGH DECISION ON WHAT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO FISHING IT'S A TOUGH DECISION BUT I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT DECISION TO LOOK AHEAD TO SEE HOW WE ARE GETTING AHEAD OF THE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, ONE MONTH OF YOUR LIFE IS VERY LITTLE MINIMAL. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE PRECAUTIONS NOW AND BE SMART. BECAUSE IF YOU ARE NOT, THAT WILL AFFECT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
ALL REALITY MOVING FORWARD THIS WILL JUST BE A BLIP IN YOUR LIFE. YOU KNOW, IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE RIGHT NOW BUT ONE WE HAVE TO ENDURE.
AND BOTTOM AND WE WILL. I MEAN, WE'RE VERY RESILIENT PEOPLE. KIDS ARE RESTILIRESILIENT.
THEY'LL RECOVER FROM WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.
SOME OF THE REMARKS ABOUT DEPUTIES HAVING THE LIGHTS ON, MAYBE WE COULD SPEAK ABOUT NOT HAVING THE LIGHTS ON. BUT IT'S GOOD FOR THEM TO BE EDUCATED ON WHAT'S GOING ON TOO.
BECAUSE THEY'LL SEE IT IN THEIR LIFETIME AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. >> MR. CHAIR, I DID WANT TO MAKE ONE COMMENT.
ONE OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS ALLUDED TO THE ISSUE A LITTLE BIT TODAY.
AND THAT IS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE PROPERTIES BY DEED THAT GO DOWN TO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN OR SOME LANGUAGE SIMILAR TO THAT.
THAT IS ALSO AN ISSUE THAT IS PART OF THIS MIX. AND ULTIMATELY THE WEIGHING OF SORT OF THE POLICE POWER OF CLOSING THE BEACHES TO EVERYONE FOR I THINK ALL OF THE REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN ARTICULATED TODAY. BUT ALSO THE, YOU KNOW, THE PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS IS PART OF THAT MIX. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE BOARD OF THAT. SO THAT AS PART OF, AGAIN, THE WEIGHING. AS TIME GOES ON, SOME OF THIS WEIGHING MAY CHANGE. SHOULD THERE BE A CHANGE IN THE HOURS OF USAGE ON THE BEACH.
CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, DESIGNATED PERHAPS AREAS OF THE BEACH. THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ASPECT IS ALSO PART OF THAT MIX. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE BOARD.
THANK YOU. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.
ANYTHING ELSE? I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR COMING IN TODAY AS WELL. GOOD TO SEE IF YOU. WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO AGENDA ITEM
[Item 2]
NUMBER 2. MR. MCCORMACK. EXTENSION OF LOCAL STATE OFEMERGENCY >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. THE BOARD HAS ENACTED A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY AND HAS EXTENDED THAT BY SEVEN DAY INCREMENTS.
MAY I HAVE THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR UP ON THE SCREEN PLEASE?
[02:00:03]
TODAY IS JUST ONE MORE SEVEN DAY EXTENSION PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.IT DOES NOT SUBSTANTIALLY OR MATERIALLY CHANGE ANYTHING FROM YOUR PREVIOUS EXTENSIONS.
TODAY DURING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1, THE BOARD HEARD FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FROM THE COUNTY, LAW ENFOR ENFORCEMENT, AND YOUR CONSTITUENT COMMENTS.
AND AS PART OF THAT INPUT TO THE BOARD, AND ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, IF ANY, THE BOARD IS IN A POSITION TO DECIDE WHETHER TO EXTEND THE LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR ANOTHER SEVEN
DAYS. THANK YOU. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2, THE EXTENSION OF
THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION. COMMISSIONER? >> COMMISSIONER: WE'LL NOW HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2. PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I SEE NONE AT THIS TIME. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: ANY PHONE CALLS? I ASSUME THERE ARE NOT. GOOD MORNING.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE. >> PUBLIC SPEAKER: GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY INPUT. I AM DEBBIE FLAHERTY. AND I AM AT 532 FOX HOLLOW LANE PROUDLY IN ST. AUGUSTINE. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THIS MORNING REGARDING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY WE HAVE. AND THE NECESSITY THAT OUR DECISIONS BE MADE BASED UPON FACT AND NOT FEAR. AS WE KNOW, FEAR IS AN ACRONYM, FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT FEAR HAS NO PLACE IN OUR DECISION MAKING.
I AM ESPECIALLY CONCERNED THAT WE ARE LIMITING THE ABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR CONSTITUENCY TO GET APPROPRIATE EXERCISE AND OUTING. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE REGARDING THE COVID-19 AND THE IMPLICATION OF SOCIAL DIS DISTANCING. THE VIRUS IS NOT TRANSMITTED. IT IS NOT AN ENTITY THAT IS OUT TO GET US. IT IS TRANSMITTED AS WE KNOW BY PEOPLE.
AND WHEN SOCIAL DISTANCING IS APPROPRIATELY APPLIED, AS WITH BEACH EXERCISE, DOG WALKING, SURFING, REALITY IS THE VIRUS IS NOT SIMPLY GOING TO JUMP FROM PERSON TO PERSON.
AND SO WHEN YOU YOUR DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE, AGAIN, I IMPLORE YOU THAT OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES TO HAVE SENSIBILITY AND FACT BE PART OF YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND NOT FEAR.
I WANT TO END BY GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO OUR WONDERFUL ST. AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE COME HERE FROM ANOTHER LOCALITY IN FLORIDA AND THEY HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU.
>> CHAIRMAN SMITH: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
CAN I HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? >> PUBLIC SPEAKER: YES THIS IS KATHY BROWN. 49 SYLVAN DRIVE IN ST. AUGUSTINE.
WELL I'M JUST WEIGHING IN TO SAY I AM SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU AND FOR THE LEADERSHIP BEING EXERTED HERE. THESE ARE VERY TOUGH AND UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY FOR US.
AND WE IN ST. JOHNS ALWAYS THINK WE CAN GET THROUGH EVERYTHING AND WE CAN BUT WE NEED TO PAUSE A LITTLE BIT IN MY OPINION. AS YOU MAY KNOW, I USED TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE COUNCIL ON AGING AND I HAVE A REAL PASSION FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE IN THIS COUNTY.
AND THEY'RE FEARFUL. SO, YOUR CALM AND DIRECT LEADERSHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE'S MENTAL HEALTH. WE DON'T NEED CONFUSION. WE NEED CALM.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS WITH THESE NEWS CYCLES IS, AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE ISOLATED AND THEY NEED TO THINK OF OTHER THINGS TO DO RATHER THAN BE GLUED TO THE TV.
I KNOW IT'S UNNATURAL TO DO THAT. THERE WAS A TIME WE LIVED BEFORE TV. SO WHAT DID WE DO THEN. ANYWAY, I WANT TO URGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE THE MOST CONSERVATIVE APPROACH. THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT WE
[02:05:05]
DON'T NEED TO BE LEADING THE PACK ON THIS. WE NEED TO BE VERY COMPLIANT AND VERY CONSIDERATE. BECAUSE WE ARE IN A VERY UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE AS KIND OF THE BALONEY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SANDWICH. IF OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE SOUTH ARE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS. ALIGNMENT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT AT THIS STAGE IN THE GAME. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AND COMMISSIONER I PARTICULARLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP REGARDING THE PUBLIC BUS SERVICE. VITAL TRANSPORTATION LINK FOR MANY IN OUR COUNTY AND THEY'RE NOW HAVING MODIFIED ROUTES. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY USEFUL AS WELL.AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. PLEASE STAY THE COURSE. STAY THE CONSERVATIVE COURSE.
IT IS -- IT BEHOOVES ALL OF US TO BE AS THOUGHTFUL AS WE HAVE MUSTER AND TO BE AS CONSIDERATE AS WE KNOW HOW. SO, GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> CHAIRMAN SMITH: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. SEEING NO MORE ON THE PHONES.
MR. CHAIRMAN, BACK TO YOU. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: THANK YOU. PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSED.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IN REGARD TO THE EXTENSION OF THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION RA.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE EMERGENCY PRO LA MAKE 2020-6 EXTENDING THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY BY PROVIDED CHAPTER 252 PART 1. FLORIDA STATE STATUTES AND BY
ST. JOHNS COUNTY ORDINANCE 2019-40. >> COMMISSIONER: SE
>> CHAIRMAN SMITH: WE'LL NOW DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. COMMISSIONER DEAN?
>> YES. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: COMMISSIONER BLOCKER?
>> YES >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: COMMISSIONER WALDRON.
>> YES >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: COMMISSIONER JOHNS.
>> YES >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: IT WILL BE A YES AS WELL.
5-0. ANYTHING ELSE MR. MCCORMACK? >> SPEAKER: THAT WILL BE IT FOR ITEM NUMBER 2. HOWEVER IF THE BOARD WOULD ENTERTAIN OTHER BUSINESS I DO
[Item 3]
HAVE ANOTHER MATTER FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: YES, SIR.
PLEASE. >> SPEAKER: MR. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, AT THE LAST REGULAR BCC MEETING THERE HAD BEEN SOME DISCUSSION OF WHAT TO DO WITH SOME OF THE QUASI JUDICIAL ITEMS THAT HAD BEEN POSTPONED FROM THAT MEETING. AND IN MORE GENERAL THERE ARE CERTAIN APPLICATIONS COMING OUT OF GROWTH MANAGEMENT THAT ARE GOVERNED BY BOTH STATE LAW IN TERMS OF REQUIRED NOTICE AND THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. GIVEN THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE, WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION WHICH WOULD HAVE IN EFFECT THAT THE REQUIRED STATUTORY NOTICE BE OBSERVED. HOWEVER, THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE REGULATIONS, WHICH ARE MORE STRINGENT MAY BE WAIVED THROUGH THE EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION FOR THE PENDENCY OF THE STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY. AND ALONG WITH THAT, THE NOTICE OF THE HEARINGS REQUIRED BY THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE SHALL INSTEAD BE REQUIRED TO BE NOTICED IN A REASONABLE MANNER AS DETERMINED BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SO LONG AS THE NOTICE COMPLIES WITH, AGAIN, APPLICABLE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS. AS I HAD MENTIONED, I BELIEVE AT THE LAST MEETING, THERE ARE SOME APPLICATIONS THAT ARE MORE TIME SENSITIVE THAN OTHERS, AND THERE ARE SOME APPLICATIONS THAT REALLY HAVE A GREAT DEAL MORE OF, YOU KNOW, EXPECTED PUBLIC INPUT AND CONCERN. AND SO IF THE BOARD WOULD SEE TO APPROVE THIS EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION, IT WOULD PUT THE COUNTY THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATOR IN THE POSITION OF KIND OF MOVING SOME OF THE COUNTY'S BUSINESS ALONG, AGAIN, WHILE STILL PROVIDING REASONABLE
NOTICE. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER
DEAN? >> NO. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: ANY QUESTIONS
COMMISSIONER BLOCKER? >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: NO SIR. WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. COMMISSIONER WALDRON. >> COMMISSIONER: WE'LL NOW HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS DECLARATION. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT'S
[02:10:06]
CLOSED. BACK TO YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: BACK TO THE BOARD. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OR NOT.
>> COMMISSIONER: I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED BY MR. MCCORMACK.
>> COMMISSIONER: SECOND. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: >> SPEAKER: THIS WOULD BE
PROPOSED EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION NUMBER 7. >> YES.
>> CHAIRMAN SMITH: EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION NUMBER 2020-7. A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JOHNS.
A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WALDRON. COMMISSIONER DEAN?
>> YES >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: COMMISSIONER BLOCKER?
>> YES, SIR, >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: COMMISSIONER WALDRON?
>> YES >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: COMMISSIONER JOHNS?
>> YES >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: ILL IT WILL BE A YES AS WELL.
5-0 ON EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION 2020-7. IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE THIS SPECIAL MEETING TODAY? >> COMMISSIONER: I WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT AND CALLED, THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND WE'LL GET TO IT AS SOON AS WE CAN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. >> CHAIRMAN SMITH: ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, ALL HEARTS AND MINDS CLEAR WITH THIS SPECIAL
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.