[Call to Order]
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>>> I NOW CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER MAY 26, 2020.
MAY I HAVE THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> CHAIR COMMISSIONER SMITH. >> PRESENT.
>> COMMISSIONER BLOCKER. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNS.
>> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER WALDRON.
>> HERE. >> COMMISSIONER DEAN.
>> HERE. >> NOW WE'LL HAVE THE INVOCATION. PLEASE STAND.
THANK YOU FOR COMING FROM, DEPUTY KEMP AL.
ALWAYS A BLESSING. >> AS MEMORIAL DAY WAS JUST YESTERDAY I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY WITH YOU.
JOHN 15:13, THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU AND MY JOY MAY REMAIN IN YOU. MY JOY MIGHT BE FULL.
THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU. GREATER LOVE IN NO MEN THAN THIS THAN A MAN WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.
FREEDOMS WE ENJOY TODAY ARE BECAUSE PEOPLE DID JUST THAT.
THERE WERE FOUR CHAPLAINS IN 1943 ABOARD A SHIP.
IT SANK IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC ICY WATERS CLOSE TO NEWFOUNDLAND. 902 SERVICEMEN ON BOARD.
AS IT BEGAN TO SINK THEY PASSED OUT LIFE JACKETS, THE FOUR CHAPLAINS DID. ONE WAS A METHODIST, GEORGE FOX.
ALEXANDER GOOD, A JEWISH RABBI. LIEUTENANT WASHINGTON, ROMAN CATHOLIC AND CLARK PULLING, DUTCH REFORMED.
BY THE END THEY COULD BE HEARD URGING THE FRIGHTENED TO BE BRAVE, GUIDING THE DISORIENTED TO GOING TO SAFETY. THEIR VOICES WERE THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME GOING IS WHAT ONE SERVICEMAN SAID.
THE MEN THAT BOARDED THE SHIP, 672 DIED INCLUDING THE CHAPLAINS. IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST PURE SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL ACTS A PERSON CAN MAKE.
IN DEVOTION TO THE TROOPS THESE MEN OF GOD CAPTURED THE BEST OF WHAT A MILITARY CHAPLAIN COULD BE.
THEIR HEROIC CONDUCT STUNNED AMERICA AS DID THE MAGNITUDE OF THE TRAGEDY. LET US PRAY.
HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES SO OTHERS COULD LIVE. WE KNOW WE ENJOY FREEDOM BECAUSE OF THEIR SACRIFICES. THEY HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES SO OTHERS COULD LIVE AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS.
BLESS THEIR FAMILIES AS THEY ARE WITHOUT THEIR LOVED ONE, DEAR LORD. THANK YOU FOR MEMORIAL DAY, A DAY WE CAN REMEMBER THEIR GREAT SACRIFICE.
WE LOVE YOU AND PRAISE YOU. IN JESUS'S PRECIOUS NAME, AMEN.
>> THANK YOU. WHEN YOU THINK OF THOSE WHO CURRENTLY SERVE OUR COUNTRY AS WE SAY THE PLEDGE TODAY.
YOU MAY BE SEATED. WE'LL NOW START WITH OUR AGENDA THIS MORNING. AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UPDATE
[Item 1]
BY MR. CONRAD. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN,
COMMISSIONERS. >> GOOD MORNING.
>> A QUICK UPDATE ON THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGES THAT THE TASK FORCE HAS BEEN WORKING ON, THE EMERGENCY GRANT.
21 BUSINESSES HAVE RECEIVED FUNDS THUS FAR OF THE 50 POSSIBLE 20 ARE PENDING BASED ON DOCUMENT SUBMISSION.
ON THE BACK TO BUSINESS PROGRAM, IT LAUNCHES TODAY.
THAT'S FUNDING FOR THE BUSINESS PROGRAM THAT'S PROCURED THROUGH THE CV -- THE HUD FUNDS. THE PPE CARE PACKAGES, WE HAVE 109 THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON A WAIT LIST THAT SHOULD BE READY TO BE DISTRIBUTED THIS FRIDAY. AS YOU KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THE FIRST HUNDRED, 109 BUSINESSES ARE WAITING AND THOSE SHOULD BE
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READY ON FRIDAY. A QUICK UPDATE ON THE HOTLINE WE LAUNCHED ABOUT A MONTH AGO AS WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.WE RECEIVED APPROXIMATE 250 CALLS ON THE BUSINESS HOT LINE AND APPROXIMATE 600 ON THE RESIDENCE HOT LINE.
I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
BECAUSE OF THIS THERE'S BEEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THROUGH THIS BY YOU MAKING IT POSSIBLE.
I WILL SIT DOWN AND TURN IT OVER TO DR. A AND MS. STOWTON.
BUT IF YOU WILL GIVE ME ONE MINUTE I WOULD LIKE TO THANK A FEW PEOPLE. IT'S BEEN ABOUT 75 DAYS AS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH WHEN WE FIRST STARTED OUR EMERGENCY ORDER.
MS. STOWTON IS HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK LINDA AND HER TEAM FOR ALL THEY HAVE DONE. I WANT TO STATE WHO THEY ARE.
THEY ARE UNSEEN AS YOU KNOW. THE PUBLIC MAY NOT REALIZE TIM CONNOR, KELLY WILSON, GAVIN BUTLER AND JEFF ALEXANDER HAVE BEEN IN THE EOC ALMOST SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 12, 16, 18-HOUR DAYS WORKING ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, LOGISTICS, THE MISSIONING TO GET THINGS DONE, THE PPE PACKAGES COME BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT THEY SPEND.
WE HEAR ABOUT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DURING HURRICANES.
WHO KNEW WE WOULD HEAR ABOUT THEM DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC? I WANT TO THANK THEM AND TELL MS. STOWTON HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE HER AND HER TEAM AND THOSE WHO WORK UNDER HER.
I WANT TO THANK JOY, TARA AND JENNIFER WHO WERE PART OF THE ECONOMIC TASK FORCE. MANY OF THESE EFFORTS YOU HAVE SIGNED OFF ON. THE THREE OF THEM AND OTHERS.
THOSE THREE STICK OUT WHO HAVE BEEN ON IT DAY IN, DAY OUT.
I WANT TO TELL THEM HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THEM AND THEIR EFFORTS. FIRE RESCUE, CHIEF HAS BEEN HERE. THEY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST RESPONDERS THROUGH ALL OF THIS. THEY ARE THE ONES CALLED TO THE HOUSES THAT POTENTIALLY HAD COVID AND THIS WILL CONTINUE.
IT'S NOT OVER TODAY. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE THERE RESPONDING TO THOSE WHO ARE SICK.
I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK HIM AND HIS TEAM.
DR. ALIKOK AND HER TEAM. I HAVE SEEN THEM.
THEY WERE WORKING SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
SHE IS THE ONLY DOCTOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS IN ST.
JOHNS COUNTY. SHE'S BEEN THERE SUPPORTING THE DECISION-MAKING, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SCHOOL BOARD, CITIES. EVERYBODY PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF THE AGENCIES AND SPECIFICALLY A FEW OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO SUPPORTED ME AND SUPPORTED THIS BOARD ALONG THE WAY. SO AT THIS POINT, I WILL SIT DOWN AND TURN IT OVER TO THE DOCTOR AND MS. STOWTON.
I WILL STAND BY IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS OF ME.
>> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. DIRECTOR OF HEALTH OFFICE AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR WITH THE FLORIDA DEPTH OF HEALTH AND STST. JOHNS COUNTY WITH THE STATS OF COVID. I WILL START WITH THE LOCAL COVID-19 DATA WE HAVE FROM THE STATE.
WE HAVE TESTED OVER 3% OF OUR LOCAL POPULATION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 241 POSITIVE CASES WITH A FATALITY RATE OF 2%. AS ALWAYS MY HEART REMAINS WITH THE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY COVID-19 AS THEY STRUGGLE WITH ILLNESS AND GRIEF. OUR PUBLIC HEALTH FOCUS REMAINS ON MONITORING AND CONTACT TRACING.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON FIVE PRIORITIES TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AGAINST COVID-19.
PROTECT THE VULNERABLE, INCREASE TESTING, PROMOTE SOCIAL DISTANCING, SUPPORT HOSPITALS AND PROTECT HEALTH CARE WORKERS, AND PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF DISEASE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE STATE. IN SUPPORT OF EACH OF THESE PRIORITIES, OUR FOCUS CONTINUES TO BE ON EARLY CASE IDENTIFICATION, ISOLATION, AND CONTACT TRACING AS THIS WILL CURB THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS OUR EXPERTISE AND WHAT WE DO FOR COVID-19 AND OVER 100 DISEASES BEHIND THE SCENES IN THIS AND EVERY COMMUNITY IN FLORIDA AND ACROSS THE NATION EVERY DAY.
WE ARE AVAILABLE 24/7 WITH A NURSE ON CALL AFTER HOURS AND ON WEEKENDS. IN ADDITION OVER THE PAST TEN WEEKS SINCE DON'T WE OPERATE IN HOUSE SEVEN DAYS OF THE WEEK, AT LEAST TEN HOURS PER DAY AND CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE TAKING CALLS FOR COVID-19 AND NONCOVID-19 ISSUES 24/7.
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONTINUES WITH OUR FOCUS ON LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES ALONG WITH THE AGENCY OF HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION AND WE AREWORK ING DAILY TO AV VVOID OUTBREAKS THESE FACILITIES.
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WE CONTINUE WITH THE TWO GOALS TO KEEP COVID-19 FROM ENTERING LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES AND, TWO, IDENTIFY ANY COVID-19 INFECTIONS EARLY. EARLY EDUCATION, INFECTION CONTROL AND CONTROL IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES ALLOW US TO IMPLEMENT IMMEDIATE ACTIONS TO AVOID LOSS OF LIFE.IN SUPPORT OF FLORIDA'S PRIORIT OF INCREASED TESTING FOR LONG-TERM FACILITIES WE HAVE SHIFTED OUR PRIORITIES IN SUPPORT GOVERNOR DESANTIS WHILE CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN ON SITE TESTING FOR CONTACTS OF POSITIVE CASES AND OTHER CDC HIGH PRIORITY GROUPS. UPDATES.
LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TO DISCUSS FACE MASKS.
HOW MUCH PROTECTION DO FACE MASKS OFFER? THESE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ARE ADOPTED FROM THE MAYO CLINIC.
CAN FACE MASKS ACTUALLY HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19? YES. FACE MASKS COMBINED WITH OTHER PREVENTATIVE MEASURE -- FOR EXAMPLE, FREQUENT HAND WASHING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING, CAN HELP SLOW THE SPREAD OF DISEASE.
SO WHY WERE FACE MASKS NOT RECOMMENDED INITIALLY AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC? RECOGNIZING THAT THIS IS A NEW VIRUS AND THEREFORE AN EVOLVING DISEASE WITH RAPIDLY CHANGING INFORMATION, EXPERTS WERE NOT AWARE OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH PEOPLE COULD SPREAD THE VIRUS BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEARED.
FURTHER, IT WAS NOT KNOWN THAT SOME PEOPLE CAN HAVE COVID-19 BUT NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS. IT IS NOW UNDERSTOOD THAT BOTH GROUPS OF PEOPLE -- SYMPTOMATIC AND ASYMPTOMATIC -- CAN SPREAD THE VIRUS UNWITTINGLY. THUS, ARMED WITH THE NEW INFORMATION CDC UPDATED ITS GUIDANCE TO RECOMMEND USE OF SIMPLE FACE COVERINGS TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 BY INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT KNOW THEY HAVE THE VIRUS.
LAST SUNDAY, WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE COORDINATOR DR. BIRX CONFIRMED THERE IS CLEAR SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT MASKS WORK. HOW DO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MASKS WORK? SURGICAL MASK, ALSO CALLED A MEDICAL MASK SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE HERE AND WHAT I WEAR.
IT IS A LOOSE-FITTING, DISPOSABLE MASK THAT PROTECTS THE WEARER'S NOSE AND MOUTH FROM CONTACT WITH DROPLETS, SPLASHES AND SPRAYS THAT MAY CONTAIN GERMS. A SURGICAL MASK FILTERS OUT LARGE PARTICLES ONLY IN THE AIR.
SURGICAL MASKS PROTECT OTHERS BY REDUCING EXPOSURE TO THE SALIVA AND RESPIRATORY SECRETIONS OF THE MASK WEARER.
N-95 MASK IS ACTUALLY A TYPE OF RESPIRATOR.
IT OFFERS MORE PROTECTION THAN A SURGICAL MASK DOES BECAUSE IT CAN FILTER OUT BOTH LARGE AND SMALL PARTICLES.
THE NAME INDICATES IT IS DESIGNED TO BLOCK 95% OF VERY SMALL PARTICLES IF THE WEARER IS APPROPRIATELY FIT TESTED.
THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE DISPOSABLE.
RESEARCHERS ARE TESTING WAYS TO DISINFECT N-95 MASKS SO THEY CAN BE REUSED. N-95 MASKS PROTECT THE WEARER AND OTHERS. CLOTH MASKS.
CLOTH FACE MASKS ARE READILY AVAILABLE AND SHOULD BE WORN IN PUBLIC SETTINGS WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES ARE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN. FOR EXAMPLE, GROCERY STORES, RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, NAIL SALONS.
CLOTH FACE COVERING DO NOT REPLACE OTHER PROTECTIVE MEASURES. CDC RECOMMENDS YOU REMAIN SIX FEET FROM OTHER PEOPLE, SOCIAL DISTANCING.
WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY AND AVOID TOUCHING YOUR EYES, NOSE AND MOUTH AND STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK.
CLOTH FACE COVERINGS SHOULD NOT BE PLACED ON CHILDREN UNDER 2.
CLOTH MASKS, SURGICAL MASKS, N-95 MASKS HAVE DIFFERENT PURPOSES. ALL ARE INTENDED TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. A CLOTH MASK OR SURGICAL MASK IS TO PROTECT OTHERS IN CASE THE WEARER HAS THE VIRUS.
AN N-95 MASK HELPS PROTECT THE WEARER FROM GETTING THE VIRUS FROM OTHERS. IN OTHER WORDS, MY CLOTH FACE COVERING PROTECTS YOU. YOUR CLOTH FACE COVERING PROTECTS ME AND HELPS PROTECT A 5-YEAR-OLD WHO MIGHT BE IMMUNE COMPROMISED WITH CANCER. NOW ON TO ANTI-BODY TESTING.
A ANTI-BODIES ARE PROTEINS IN THE BLOOD FOUND WHEN VIRUSES INVADE THE BODY.
WHAT DOES A TEST DO? IT CHECKS YOUR BLOOD FOR COVID-19 ANTI-BODIES. IT WILL NOT TEST WHETHER YOU
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CURRENTLY HAVE THE VIRUS OR NOT. ULTIMATELY, ANTI-BODY TESTING WILL INFORM THE STATE'S RESPONSE AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE COVID-19 HAS BEEN IN FLORIDA. CURRENTLY ANTI-BODY TESTS HAVE THREE MAJOR LIMITATIONS. ONE, FALSE POSITIVE RESULTS PARTICULARLY WHEN DISEASE PREVALENCE IS LOW.TWO, CROSS REACTIVITY WHICH OCCURS WHEN A TEST FOR ANTI-BODIES FOR SARS COVID 2 OR COVID-19 IDENTIFIES NOT ONLY ANTI-BODIES FOR THE VIRUS BUT FOR OTHER CORONAVIRUSS SUCH AS THOSE CAUSING THE COMMON COLD. WE HAVE SIX SPECIES OF THIS RNA VIRUS. THREE, IMMUNE STATUS.
ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION THERE IS NO CURRENT EVIDENCE SHOWING IMMUNITY TO COVID-19 AFTER INFECTION.
WHILE INDIVIDUALS TYPICALLY DEVELOP SOME TYPE OF IMMUNE RESPONSE AFTER EXPOSURE TO MOST VIRUSES, IT IS NOT YET CLEAR WHEN AN IMMUNE RESPONSE DEVELOPS AFTER COVID-19 INFECTION.
HOW STRONG THIS IMMUNE RESPONSE MAY BE AND HOW LONG THE IMMUNE RESPONSE MAY LAST. PER THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, ALTHOUGH MANY ARE USING THESE TESTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL HAD COVID-19, WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE ONLY THE ANTI-BODY TESTS AUTHORIZED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION FOR POPULATION STUDIES EVALUATING RECOVERED INDIVIDUALS FOR CONVALESCENT PLASMA DONATIONS OR ALONG WITH INFORMATION AS PART OF A WELL DEFINED TESTING PLAN FOR GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS. VALIDATED LABORATORY-BASED SEROLOGIC TESTS WILL BE USEFUL IN UNDERSTANDING THE PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION INFECTED WITH COVID-19.
LASTLY, NEW INFORMATION, NEW KNOWLEDGE.
COVID-19 RELATED MULTI SYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN CHILDREN. NATURALLY AS A PEDIATRICIAN BY PROFESSION, THIS REALLY DOES HIT HOME WITH ME.
WHAT DO WE KNOW? ON MAY 14, CDC ISSUED A HEALTH ADVISORY REGARDING MULTI SYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN CHILDREN ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19.
THE SYNDROME HAS BEEN SEEN ACROSS EUROPE AND 16 STATES FORMERLY. LAST NIGHT UP TO 26 STATES INCLUDING FLORIDA AND WASHINGTON, D.C.
THE CASES OCCURRED IN CHILDREN TESTING POSITIVE FOR A RECENT INFECTION OF THE VIRUS THAT CAUSES COVID-19 OR CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO HAD COVID-19. CHILDREN WITH MULTI SYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME HAD A S PERSISTENT FEVER, LOW BLOOD PRESSURE AND MULTI ORGAN ISSUES. EARLIER THIS MONTH THERE WERE REPORTS OF CHILDREN WITH MULTI SYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME.
BASED ON AVAILABLE EVIDENCE, CHILDREN DO NOT APPEAR TO BE AT HIGHER RISK FOR COVID-19 THAN ADULTS.
WHILE SOME CHILDREN AND INFANTS HAVE BEEN SICK WITH COVID-19, ADULTS MAKE UP MOST OF THE KNOWN CASES TO DATE.
THE AGE DISTRIBUTION SUGGESTS THE HIGHEST RISK IS IN THE 5 TO 14 YEARS OLD RANGE. BUT WE NEED TO EXERCISE CAUTION.
THESE ARE VERY EARLY DATA. IF YOU DO NOT THINK OF MULTI SYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME, YOU WILL NOT DIAGNOSE MULTI SYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN CHILDREN.
AS A GENTLE REMINDER, PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING, MAINTAIN AT LEAST SIX FEET FROM THOSE AROUND YOU IN SOCIAL SETTINGS AND DON'T CONGREGATE IN GROUPS OF MORE THAN TEN PEOPLE. WEAR CLOTH FACE MASKS IN SOCIAL SETTINGS WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN.
USE GOOD HYGIENE, WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER AND USE HAND SANITIZER IF SOAP AND WATER AREN'T AVAILABLE.
STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK. AT THE END OF THE DAY, PUBLIC HEALTH IS ECONOMIC VITALITY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DOCTOR. GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING. LINDA STOWTON, DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY, 100 EOC DRIVE.
GOOD MORNING. WE HAVE THREE KEY MISSIONS FOR THE EOC THIS WEEK. FIRST, WE ARE INVITED TO ST.
AUGUSTINE THIS MORNING TO HELP THEM PLAN FOR A FRESH FOOD GIVEAWAY FOR RESIDENTS. THEY ARE HELPING THEM LAY OUT THE PLAN FOR THIS AND THEY HOPE TO ANNOUNCE THE DATE AND LOCATION VERY SOON. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
OUR SECOND MISSION, MR. CONRAD MENTIONED, THE PPE BAGS.
WE ARE PUTTING THOSE TOGETHER THIS WEEK IN THE EOC AND WILL BE HANDING THEM OUT THIS WEEK TO THOSE REGISTERED BUSINESSES.
THIS IS THE SECOND PHASE. WE DID THE FIRST PHASE A COUPLE
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OF WEEKS AGO, WAITED FOR SUPPLIES.THEY WILL BE PUT TOGETHER AND HANDED OUT TO THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE READY FOR PICK-UP. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT ALSO.
LAST WEEK, WE WERE INVITED BY THE CLERK OF THE COURT, JUDGE MALTS AND JUDGE ALEXANDER TO JOIN KATIE DIAZ'S TEAM TO HELP PREPARE FOR COURT OPENINGS NEXT WEEK.
THEY LAID OUT A PLAN, ASKED THE EOC AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY FIRE RESCUE, THE CHIEF AND HIS TEAM. WE MET AT THE COURTHOUSE, WALKED THROUGH TO BE SURE THEY WERE MEETING SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES, HOW THEY COULD PREPARE EACH COURTROOM, HOW THEY COULD PREPARE WHERE THEY STAGE PEOPLE, WHO WAS GOING TO BE ALLOWED IN. THEY ARE DOING HEALTH CARE SCREENING AND TEMPERATURES AS YOU COME INTO THE COURTHOUSE.
WE WILL BE DOING A DRY RUN ON THURSDAY.
THE EOC WILL BE SUPPORTING THEM BOTH WITH PLANNING AND LOGISTICS AND JEFF AND I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO SIT IN THE COURTROOMS FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING LOOKS REALLY GOOD. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I HAVEN'T BEEN IN A COURTROOM. THIS OUGHT TO BE EXCITING.
WE WERE GLAD TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST THE JUDGES TO PREPARE.
THEY HAVE QUITE A DOCKET TO CATCH UP ON.
SO THOSE RESOURCES WE WERE ABLE TO BRING TO THE TABLE HOPEFULLY WILL MAKE THAT TRANSITION SMOOTH FOR THEM.
AS FOR LOGISTICS, WE HAVE HANDED OUT 152,556 ITEMS. WE JUST RECEIVED THE SECOND BATCH FROM FEMA OF THE CLOTH FACE COVERINGS OF 18,000. IT WAS WELL WORTH THE EFFORTS TO TELL THEM TO BRING US ANOTHER PALLET.
THOSE CONTINUE TO BE SENT OUT TO OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COMMUNITY. AS MR. CONRAD SAID, WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, FIRE RESCUE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. WE BRING THE EOC TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS A TEAM SPORT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND COMMENTS.
BIG SHOUTOUT TO MY TEAM OUT THERE WORKING HARD TODAY TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THESE MISSIONS.
LET'S PREPARE FOR HURRICANE SEASON.
STARTS NEXT WEEK, JUNE 1. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF THESE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
COMMISSIONER? >> GOOD MORNING.
THE BOARD WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS WILL HAVE THEIR OWN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD SHOULD COME TO THE PODIUM OR PHONE IN AND STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS. EACH PERSON SHALL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHALL COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RULES OF DECORUM. COMMENTS SHALL BE ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE AND NOT TO ANY INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER AND MAY NOT INCLUDE A DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM THE BOARD. NO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH ANY PERSONAL, IMPERTINENT OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE SHOULD REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OR DISAPPROVAL OF COMMENTS. FINALLY, ANY SPEAKER THAT PRESENTS OVERHEAD MATERIAL, PLEASE PRESENT IT TO THE STAFF OR THE COURT RECORDER TO BE ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD.
THANK YOU. PLEASE COME FORWARD IF YOU HAVE
PUBLIC COMMENT. >> MR. VICE CHAIR, THIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE.
>> THAT'S CORRECT. I'LL HAVE TO START CHANGING THAT. WE HAVE TWO PHONE CALLS.
>> OKAY. ARE THEY ON HOLD ALREADY? GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA DEVEAUX, 182 BLANCO STREET.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. IT'S RAINING HERE, TOO.
SO I WAS REACHING OUT TO YOU ALL BECAUSE I AM A NURSE.
I HAVE BEEN IN HEALTH CARE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
WE ARE ALL FACED WITH THE SAME ISSUE WHICH IS THE CORONAVIRUS.
OBVIOUSLY THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS TO OUR CITY AS WELL AS NATIONALLY HAVE BEEN ENORMOUS. I UNDERSTAND EPIDEMIOLOGY AND THE SPREAD OF DISEASE. SO THIS PARTICULAR DISEASE IN OUR COMMUNITY CAN HAVE VERY, VERY INTENSE EFFECTS FOR QUITE A LONG TERM. ONE WAY THAT I PROPOSE WE COULD DECREASE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS BY MAKING MASKS MANDATORY IN ALL ENCLOSED SPACES WHERE MANY PEOPLE WILL CONGLOMERATE LIKE PUBLIX, TARGET, ET CETERA. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THINKING ABOUT WHEN THERE ARE LARGE GATHERINGS OF PEOPLE, SAY AT THE AMPITHEATRE OR OTHER PLACES, THAT MASKS ARE REQUIRED.
SOCIAL DISTANCING IS A LOVELY IDEA, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS AN AIRBORNE DISEASE PROCESS THAT LIVES FOR
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UP TO SIX HOURS IN A SPACE PRIOR TO SETTLING TO THE FLOOR, IF I GO TO PUBLIX THIS MORNING AND I HAVE CORONAVIRUS AND I'M ASYMPTOMATIC AND I BREATHE AND YOU WALK THROUGH SIX HOURS LATER WITHOUT A MASK YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.NOW MY EXPOSURE TO THE DISEASE IS REDUCED BY WEARING A MASK, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I ALSO REDUCE YOUR EXPOSURE BY MY WEARING A MASK. SO IF TWO PEOPLE ARE BOTH WEARING MASKS THE OVERALLENED A THE SPREAD.
SINCE WE ARE A BUSY CITY THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESSES, DOCTOR OFFICES AND WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I THINK IT WOULD SERVE ECONOMICALLY THE IMPACT OF THE DISEASE IF THERE WAS LESS SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.
I WENT TO TARGET THE OTHER MORNING AND OVER 75% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE SHOPPING THERE DID NOT HAVE ON MASKS, THOUGH I DID. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ON A COMMUNITY LEVEL THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO ACTION BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE DISEASE WILL AFFECT THEM.
MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THE DISEASE DOESN'T REALLY EXIST.
BUT THE DISEASE MOST CERTAINLY EXISTS, AS WE CAN SEE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT NEW YORK, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO THOSE PUBLIC SPACES THAT ARE ENCLOSED, IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT -- AS WELL AS WHERE THERE IS HIGH PUBLIC CONTACT WITH VENUES SUCH AS BASEBALL GAMES, FOOTBALL GAMES, ET CETERA. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY
OPINION AS A NURSE WITH YOU ALL. >> YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. >> BECAUSE -- I JUST WANT TO REDUCE THE OVERALL IMPACT BECAUSE IT'S A PRETTY BAD VIRUS.
>> YES, MA'AM. CHRI CHRISTINA, YOUR THREE MINUTES IS UP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL.
>> GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> GOOD MORNING.
TOM REYNOLDS, 50 BRIGADEEN COURT, ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH.
COMMISSIONERS, I WANT TO THANK PEOPLE MR. CONRAD FORGOT TO THANK. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE TAXPAYERS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FIRST OF ALL.
WITHOUT ALL THESE GREAT TAXPAYERS PAYING PROPERTY TAX NONE OF YOU FOLKS COULD LIVE YOUR DREAM -- THE DREAM OF BEING A FIRST RESPONDER, A HEALTH DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL OR BEING A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL. SO WE GOT THAT OUT OF THE WAY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT HUNTER CONRAD FORGOT TO THANK -- THE CAB DRIVERS, THE RIDESHARE OPERATORS, THE FOOD DELIVERY OPERATORS -- BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, THOSE FOLKS WENT TO WORK AND THEY WERE OUT IN THE LINE OF FIRE THEMSELVES ALSO.
WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE.
THE DISHWASHERS AND THE COOKS IN THE RESTAURANTS.
IT'S NOT ALL JUST ABOUT SLAPPING EACH OTHER ON THE BACK BECAUSE WE'RE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. IT'S A COMMUNITY.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. SO ANYWAYS, GENTLEMEN, NOW THAT WE HAVE THE THANK YOUS OUT OF THE WAY, I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE BEACH SITUATION. WE HAD A VERY CROWDED BEACH HERE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. PEOPLE WERE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
PEOPLE WERE DOING A GOOD JOB. ALSO, COMMISSIONERS, YESTERDAY WAS A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER BECAUSE OF THE RAIN.
BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.
AGAIN, THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY PIER PARKING LOT -- WELL, THAT'S BECOME NOTHING MORE THAN A PARKING LOT FOR EMBASSY SUITES HOTEL EMPLOYEES, SALT LIFE EMPLOYEES, PANAMA HATTY EMPLOYEES. IT'S SAD TO ME BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPLYING THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH PARKING, BUT THEY DON'T. SO THEN WHEN FOLKS FROM THE COUNTY OR VISITORS WANT A SPOT, WELL, THEY CAN'T GET ONE.
SEE? SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THAT UPDATE.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC PROBLEMS DOWN HERE.
TO ME, THE SHERIFF, AGAIN, FAILED US.
HE COULD HAVE DEFINITELY HAD BETTER TRAFFIC SITUATION DOWN THERE AT THE PIER PARKING LOT. G TO DRIVE THROUGH THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SIGNS TO SAY "LOT FULL" I JUST WANT TO PUT A BIG F IN FRONT OF HIS PHOTO BECAUSE HE'S FAILING US AGAIN. ANYWAY, THAT'S MY BEACH UPDATE.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HOLDING ALL THESE MEETINGS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING PEOPLE TO CALL IN AND PARTICIPATE.
IT'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES.
[00:30:04]
>> GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> MAUREEN LONG, 1821 HILL STREET, MENDEZ PARK. GOOD MORNING.
I WANTED TO CALL IN AND SEND A BIG THANK YOU OUT TO PETER WYCOFF AND LAUREN FARRELL. PETER IS THE TECHNICIAN FOR MANAGEMENT SERVICES OPERATIONS DIVISION AND LAURA IS THE COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST FOR THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION.
BOTH WORKED WITH ME A FEW DAYS TO PREPARE MY MATERIAL FOR UPCOMING MEETINGS AND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING.
THEY ACCEPTED MY E-MAILS WITH THE MATERIALS THAT I WOULD PRESENT AND MADE SURE MY MATERIALS WERE SHOWN DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT TIME, FLIPPING SLIDES AS I REQUESTED AND CHANGING THEM AS I READ EACH TOPIC.
BOTH WERE PROFESSIONAL, FRIENDLY, COURTEOUS.
I BELIEVE THEY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND BY BEING EXTREMELY HELPFUL. IT'S VERY GOOD TO KNOW THAT IN A TIME LIKE THIS WHEN IT'S HARD TO GET TO A MEETING AND PRESENT YOUR MATERIALS THAT WE HAVE COUNTY STAFF TO GUIDE US THROUGH THESE TOUGH TIMES SO OUR VOICES CAN BE SEEN AS WELL AS HEARD.
I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, PETER AD LAUREN.
THEY WERE WONDERFUL AND HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I SEE NO OTHER PHONE CALLS.
ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK? MR. CHAIRMAN, I SEE NO
OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. >> PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED.
[Item 2]
WE'RE BACK TO THE BOARD AND AGENDA ITEM TWO.COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION A DRAFT EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION WHICH WOULD BE NUMBER 2020-15, SHOULD THE BOARD APPROVE IT, WHICH WOULD EXTEND THE LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR SEVEN DAYS. THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS AND UNLESS THERE IS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, IT IS PROPER TO THE
BOARD. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. MCCORMACK? SEEING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO EXTEND.
>> WE CAN DO A MOTION AS WELL FIRST.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION. PROCLAMATION EXTENDING DECLARATION OF A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY AS PROVIDED BY CHAPTER 252 PART ONE, FLORIDA STATUTE AND BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY ORDINANCE NUMBER 2019-40, THE EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION NUMBER
>> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WALDRON AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOHNS. WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> I HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO PLEASE COME FORWARD. MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON'T SEE ANY
PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED AND WE ARE BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A VOTE.
WE'LL DO THAT VIA ELECTRONICS IF WE CAN.
IT PASSES 4-0. WE'LL MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
[Item 3]
THREE. EACH OF US HAVE A DRAFT RESOLUTION CONSIDERING RELOCATION OF TESLA INCORPORATED TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY. DO WE HAVE IT WHERE WE CAN PRESENT IT? MR. MCCORMACK.IF YOU DON'T MIND, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND READ THAT.
ONE SECOND. I'LL GET BACK TO MY TABLE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, AS YOU AND THE BOARD MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY REMEMBER AT YOUR MAY 19 REGULAR MEETING, DURING COMMISSIONER COMMENTS THERE WAS AN INITIATIVE PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER JOHNS. I THINK IT WAS BRIEFLY DISCUSSED AMONGST THE BOARD MEMBERS. I THINK I REMEMBER HEARING THE DESCRIPTION OF ELECTRIFYING OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
BUT I THINK WHAT THE PURPOSE WAS A SIGNAL IN PARTICULAR TO TESLA, INCORPORATED, WHICH IS A BUSINESS.
[00:35:04]
CURRENTLY LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA AND BY NEWS ACCOUNTS, LOOKING TO RELOCATE. SO WHY NOT ST. JOHNS COUNTY? SO WHAT WE DID, THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, WE DREW HEAVILY UPON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION THAT OUR COUNTY ADMIN STAFF COMPILED THROUGH TIME AND IS ON OUR WEBSITE. I WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH THOSE AND ALSO SOME NOTES OF GENERALLY HOW THE COUNTY HAS TREATED THIS RECENT COVID-19 SCENARIO AND SOME BULLETS FRANKLY BRAGGING SOME ON THE STATE OF FLORIDA AS WELL.SO A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ST.
JOHNS COUNTY ENCOURAGING TESLA INCORPORATED TO CONSIDER RELOCATION TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY WHEREAS THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS EXPRESSLY RECOGNIZES THAT BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND A STRONG ECONOMY ARE VITAL TO THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE, AND WHEREAS WE -- THE BOARD -- WE RECOGNIZE THAT BUSINESS LEADERS AND DECISION MAKERS RIGHTLY MUST CONSIDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, BUSINESS CLIMATE, TAX FRIENDLINESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN DETERMINING THE SITING OF MANUFACTURING AND OTHER COMMERCIAL FACILITIES, AND WHEREAS ST. JOHNS COUNTY WAS RECENTLY RANKED, 2018, NUMBER ONE IN RETAIL AND BUSINESS INVESTMENT IN FLORIDA BY SMART ASSET.COM.
AND WHEREAS IN JUNE 2019, 24/7 WALL STREET RANKED ST. JOHNS COUNTY THE BEST FLORIDA COUNTY TO LIVE IN AND WHEREAS IN MARCH 19, THE ROBERT WOODS JOHNS FOUNDATION RANKED ST. JOHNS COUNTY THE HEALTHIEST COUNTY IN FLORIDA FOR THE EIGHTH STRAIGHT YEAR IN A ROW AND WHEREAS IN JANUARY 2018, MONEY RANKED ST.
AUGUSTINE AS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN FLORIDA AND WHEREAS IN JANUARY 2018 BUSINESS INSIDER RANKED THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AS THE BEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN FLORIDA AND WHEREAS ST. JOHNS COUNTY WAS RECENTLY RANKED, JULY 2019, AS THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA COUNTY IN FLORIDA, AND WHEREAS ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS LOW OVERALL COST OF LIVING DUE IN PART TO THE LACK OF STATE PERSONAL INCOME TAX AND THE FACT THAT ST. JOHNS COUNTY DOESN'T CHARGE A LOCAL GAS TAX OR UTILITY FRANCHISE TAX, WHEREAS ST. JOHNS COUNTY'S REAL ESTATE TAXES ARE AMONG THE LOWEST IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND WHEREAS BUSINESSES IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY ARE CONNECTED TO MULTI MODAL TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS THROUGH INTERSTATE 95, STATE ROAD 9 B AND U.S. HIGHWAY 1 WHICH PROVIDE CONVENIENT ACCESS TO REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION AND TRADE, ASSETS SUCH AS THE JACKSONVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND JACKS PORT AS WELL AS ASSETS LIKE THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA REGIONAL AIRPORT IN ST.
AUGUSTINE AND WHEREAS IN ITS WINTER 2019 ISSUE SOUTHERN BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT RATED ST. JOHNS COUNTY AMONG THE TOP SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED MARKET FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH. AND WHEREAS ST. JOHNS COUNTY DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO PESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS THROUGH INITIATIVES SUCH AS ITS RECYCLING PROGRAMS, THE AMPITHEATRE, GREEN HANDS INITIATIVE AND ITS CONVERSION OF THE COUNTY FLEET TO VEHICLES POWERED BY COME PRESSED NATURAL GAS AND RECOGNIZES THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT COVID-19 HAS CREATED AND HAS EXPRESSED ITS FULL SUPPORT FOR INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO PROTECT AGAINST AND MITIGATE ECONOMIC LOSSES AND WHEREAS FLORIDA'S GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS HAS INITIATED THE SAFE, SMART, STEP BY STEP PLAN FOR FLORIDA'S ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 AND WHEREAS THE STATE OF FLORIDA WAS RECENTLY RANKED NUMBER TWO NATIONALLY FOR FISCAL STABILITY BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT -- BY THE WAY, TENNESSEE WAS NUMBER ONE -- AND WHEREAS THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS THE FOURTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE 18TH LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD AND WHEREAS ST. JOHNS
[00:40:02]
COUNTY HAS A NUMBER OF INCENTIVES AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES WHICH MAY WISH TO RELOCATE OR EXPAND OPERATIONS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY INCLUDING THE BUSINESS INCENTIVE PROGRAM, FINANCING THROUGH THE COUNTY'S INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND LOCAL SUPPORT FOR STATE PROGRAMS SUCH AS FLORIDA'S QUALIFIED TARGET INDUSTRY PROGRAMS AND WHEREAS ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS HOME TO THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FOR PGA TOUR, RING POWER AND ADVANCED DISPOSAL INC. AND WHEREAS ELON MUSK, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF TESLA, INC. ANNOUNCED VIA TWITTER HE PLANS TO MOVE THE HEADQUARTERS AND FUTURE PROGRAMS OUT OF FLORIDA AND WHEREAS THE QUALITY OF LIFE PROVIDED BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY DURING COVID-19'S STATE OF EMERGENCY MAKE ST. JOHNS COUNTY AN EXCELLENT DESTINATION FOR TESLA'S RELOCATION.NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA, THAT TESLA INC.
IS HEREBY RESPECTFULLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY INVITED TO CONSIDER ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA, AS A POTENTIAL DESTINATION IN THE RELOCATION OF ITS HEADQUARTERS OR ANY FUTURE PROGRAMS PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA, THIS THE 26TH DAY OF MAY, 2020. COMMISSIONERS, THIS WAS A FAIRLY QUICK TURNAROUND. IF THERE ARE EDITS OR THAT TYPE OF THING, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THERE IS CERTAINLY NO PRIDE IN AUTHORSHIP HERE. IT IS PROFFERED BACK TO THE
BOARD. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE ARE BACK TO THE BOARD. ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS,
CRITIQUES? COMMISSIONER DEAN? >> IN MY CASE I'M THINKING ABOUT LARGE BUSINESSES LOCATED HERE. THE THIRD WHEREAS KRCLAUSE FROM THE BOTTOM. WE MAY WANT TO END NORFOLK GRUMMOND. I WOULD INCLUDE THEM IN THAT CLAUSE. THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE.
THERE ARE OTHERS WE COULD ADD. I'D HATE TO SLIGHT THEM.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S RIGHT. NORTHRUP HAS A BIG FACILITY HERE. I DON'T THINK IT IS THE HEADQUARTERS. IF THE BOARD WOULD ALLOW SORT OF ADOPTION TO FORM AND I COULD MAYBE TAILOR THAT A LITTLE BIT IF NECESSARY OR ANY OF THE OTHER WHEREASES.
THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
COMMISSIONER WALDRON? >> BACK ON THE FIRST PAGE WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION. I WOULD ALSO ADD RAIL ACCESS.
>> GOT IT. >> ANY OTHER RECOMMENDED EDITS? AMENDMENTS. ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHTY.
>> RIGHT. MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS A RESOLUTION. WHETHER THERE IS FOLLOW UP WITH AN ACTUAL ADDRESS -- YOU KNOW, BASICALLY PACKAGE OR WHATEVER SENT TO TESLA, THIS RESOLUTION ITSELF WOULD NOT BE THAT.
IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD OR ADMINISTRATION COULD DO LATER. ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE SPIRIT OF THIS IS IS THAT AT ANY TIME EVEN WITH A COVID-19 OR ANYTHING ELSE, ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS PROVIDED A STRONG ECONOMIC CLIMATE. ITS LEADERSHIP, EVEN WITH LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES OR DISASTERS EVEN WILL GET THROUGH THAT AND MARCH ON AND PROVIDE THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE AND, YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF LIVING THAT, FRANKLY, THROUGH THE WHEREASES AND THE COUNTY'S RECENT HISTORY AS THE BEST IN
[00:45:01]
FLORIDA. THANK YOU.>> COMMISSIONER JOHNS? >> THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE FOLLOWED UP WITH A SINCERE EFFORT TO ATTRACT THIS BUSINESS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M NOT ABOUT A RESOLUTION IN A PICTURE FRAME BUT SOMETHING WITH MATERIAL IMPACT TO LET THEM KNOW WE ARE SERIOUS.
ST. JOHNS WHILE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A DEVASTATING VIRUS, WE ARE STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND WE'VE GOT TO EMPLOY OUR RESIDENTS SO THEY CAN PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
WE NEED TO DO IT SAFELY OBVIOUSLY.
BUT I DEFINITELY WANT THIS FOLLOWED UP BUT PROPER PROTOCOLS TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL EFFORT TO ATTRACT THEIR BUSINESS TO OUR
COUNTY. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY FOLLOW UP ON COMMISSIONER JOHNS'S COMMENT, WHEN I WAS DRAFTING THIS IT'S TITLED AS TESLA. BUT IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, TESLA IS HEREBYRESPECTFULLY, IMPLIEDLY THROUGH THE RESOLUTION IT REALLY SHOULD BE AN INVITATION REALLY TO ANY OTHER KIND OF MANUFACTURING OR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
I THINK IT IS IMPLIED IN THERE IF THE BOARD WANTED TO IT COULD BASICALLY HAVE A PHRASE "AND ANYBODY ELSE" OR ANY OTHER MANUFACTURING ENTITY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER DEAN?
>> PATRICK, DID I HEAR IT CORRECTLY? DID YOU SAY WE ARE SENDING THIS TO TESLA OR WE ARE NOT?
>> WE CAN. THE RESOLUTION ITSELF CAN BE SENT TO TESLA. BUT THE RESOLUTION IS JUST THAT.
IF THERE IS ANY OTHER FOLLOW UP OR PACKAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ITSELF ISN'T PART OF THE RESOLUTION.
>> I FOR ONE CERTAINLY WANT IT TO BE SENT DIRECTLY TO TESLA, WHETHER IT IS A COPY OR THE ORIGINAL.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS TO ME WAS TO MAKE SURE IT GETS IN THE HANDS OF THE CEO OF TESLA. I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT WE INCLUDE COPYING BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND ENTERPRISE FLORIDA JUST TO BE CLEAR SO WE KNOW WE ARE SENDING IT TODAY OR
ABSOLUTELY. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS, FOR CLARITY ON COMMISSIONER JOHNS'S REQUEST, ON IF IT WAS LAST WEEK, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS. THE BOARD DID GIVE CONSENSUS NOT ONLY ON THE RESOLUTION BUT ASKING US TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS A LETTER AND A PACKET SENT. WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN. WE'LL HAVE A LETTER DRAFTED THIS WEEK AND MS. ANDREWS IS WORKING ON AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKET TO SEND WITH IT. COMMISSIONER DEAN, IF IT FITS YOU, WE'LL ALSO SEND THIS RESOLUTION AS PART OF THE PACKET. WE'LL COPY EACH OF YOU AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND ENTERPRISE FLORIDA.
>> COMMISSIONER JOHNS? >> THANK YOU.
THIS RESOLUTION IS TARGETED TO TESLA.
BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE BENEFITS IT CAN PROVIDE TO THE EMPLOYMENT NEEDS OF OUR COUNTY. WE ARE OPEN TO BUSINESS BUT I'M NOT OPENING THE DOOR FOR ANY AND EVERY INDUSTRY.
THERE ARE INDUSTRIES THAT QUITE FRANKLY WOULD NOT FIT WELL IN OUR COUNTY. WHILE WE WANT TO PROPERLY ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES THAT WOULD EMPLOY OUR RESIDENTS AND MEET OUR NEEDS, WE ARE NOT A GOOD FIT FOR EVERY INDUSTRY HERE.
TESLA INCORPORATED IS AN INDUSTRY THAT WOULD FIT THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES AND OTHER RESOURCES IDENTIFIED HERE. WHILE WE ARE OBVIOUSLY OPEN TO BUSINESS FROM EVERYBODY THIS IS TARGETED TO A SPECIFIC BUSINESS
FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. >> YES, SIR.
GOT IT. >> ANYTHING ELSE? WE'LL OPEN IT
UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. >> WE'LL NOW HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE TESLA RESOLUTION. SEEING NONE IN THE AUDIENCE, I THINK WE HAVE A CALL. WE DID HAVE.
GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND
ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS ED SLAVIN. I LISTENED TO WHAT PATRICK WROTE AND I THINK IT IS THINLY RESEARCHED AND POORLY WRITTEN AND DOESN'T REFLECT WELL ON THE COUNTY.
THE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF MARKETING THAT OUGHT TO BE IN OUR MINDS NOW IS WHO IS ELON MUSK AND WHAT ARE HIS VALUES? I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF REACHING HIM WITH THIS RESOLUTION. I WISH YOU WOULD SEND IT BACK FOR REDRAFTING AND MAYBE SEND MR. MCCORMACK BACK TO LAW SCHOOL. ONE THING THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DO
[00:50:01]
IF YOU WANT TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS HERE AND I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS SINCE 2008, ST. JOHNS COUNTY STILL DOESN'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC POLICY REFLECTING NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY.THAT WAS AN ISSUE IN 2008 WHEN THE PEOPLE TWICE DEFEATED A COUNTY CHARTER WHICH HAD A SECTION 10.08 WHICH SAID NONDISCRIMINATION BUT LEFT US OUT.
LEFT GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE OUT OF ANY PUBLIC POLICY CONSIDERATION OR PROTECTION WHATSOEVER.
NOW THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE AND ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH HAVE ADOPTED PUBLIC POLICIES DOING THAT STARTING IN 2010 AND 2011.
BOTH ON FAIR HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND THEN ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH WENT FURTHER AND COVERED EMPLOYMENT.
BUT EVEN JACKSONVILLE NOW SAYS WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND OUR HEARTS ARE OPEN. ST. JOHNS COUNTY STILL HASTEN DONE THIS. I HAVE DISCUSSED IT WITH INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS, TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. I'M GLAD WE HAVE A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THANK YOU FOR FIRING MICHAEL DAVID WANCHIK WHO WAS A SEXIST, MISOGYNIST, RACIST AND A HOMOPHOBE.
HE NEVER ONCE RETURNED ONE OF MY PHONE CALLS IN 12 YEARS.
HE NEEDED A CHARISMA BYPASS AND I'M GLAD AS WE FACE THE CORONAVIRUS TODAY WE HAVE MR. CONRAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO SIGN -- ALL FIVE OF Y'ALL TO SIGN A WELL DRAFTED LETTER IN PLAIN ENGLISH, PLEASE.
NO WHEREAS CLAUSES. THIS IS NOT A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RESOLUTION. FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND THE VERY MUCH AND THE -- VICE CHAIRMAN T INVITING HIM TO COME HERE ON HIS JET AND SEE THE COUNTY AND PUTTING PERSONALITY IN IT AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIP. YOU ARE ASKING A CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS TO MOVE FROM CALIFORNIA TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY.
FINE. TELL THEM WHY THEY'D LIKE IT HERE AND WHY THEY WOULD BE COMFORTABLE HERE AND WHY THEIR EMPLOYEES WOULD BE IN A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT RATHER THAN IN A HOSTILE WORKING ENVIRONMENT LIKE THE ONE MR. WANCHICK CREATED FOR HIS EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY.
MR. MCCORMACK SHOULD NOT BE DRAFTING THE LAWYER.
IT IS NOT IN HIS WHEELHOUSE, NOT HIS SKILL SET.
YOU SHOULD HAVE MR. CONRAD AND HIS STAFF AND THE CORPORATE
RECRUITMENT FOLKS WORK ON IT. >> THANK YOU.
>> FOR GOD'S SAKE DO SOME RESEARCH ON ELON MUSK.
DON'T BLOW THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU FOR RAISING THIS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR DISCUSSING IT. PATRICK, IT'S NOT ANY KIND OF DRAFTSMANSHIP. IT'S JUST POOR WRITING.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I SEE NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSED. WE ARE NOW BACK TO THE BOARD.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR OTHER DISCUSSION.
>> SHOULD WE WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE RECEIVED THE REVISED RESOLUTION OR APPROVE IT PENDING MODIFICATIONS REQUESTED BY THE
BOARD? >> I THINK I WOULD GO AHEAD AND MOVE AHEAD WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR AMENDMENTS
POSED. >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO
APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020. >> 187.
>> THE RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ST.
JOHNS COUNTY FLORIDA ENCOURAGING TESLA TO CONSIDER RELOCATING TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY INCLUDING AMENDMENTS MADE BY THE BOARD.
>> SECOND. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. IT PASSES 4-0.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY? >> CAN I MAKE A COMMENT?
>> ABSOLUTELY, YES, SIR. >> REFLECTING ON THE PRESENTATIONS FROM HUNTER AND LINDA AND DR. A, YOU NEVER WANT TO DECLARE VICTORY AT HALFTIME. YOU ALWAYS TELL THE TEAM WE HAVE ANOTHER FULL HOUSE TO PLAY. BUT IF THE COVID-19, WE MAY OR MAY NOT YET BE TO HALFTIME. BUT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
THERE IS MORE TO DO. BUT THERE IS ONE STAT I WANT TO MENTION. IT REFLECTS WELL ON THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY, I THINK, THE COOPERATION OF THE RESIDENTS. OUR PERCENTAGE -- ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS ABOUT ONE AND A QUARTER PERCENT OF THE STATE POPULATION. ONE AND A QUARTER PERCENT.
THE DEATHS THAT WE HAVE INCURRED, ANY DEATH IS UNFORTUNATE, BUT FIVE DEATHS REPRESENT ABOUT 1/4 OF 1% OF THE NUMBER OF DEATHS STATEWIDE. FIVE TIMES LESS THAN THE STATE
[00:55:05]
NUMBER. THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED. IT SURE REFLECTS NOT ONLY ON OUR STAFF BUT THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY THAT I THINK EARLY ON STARTED TAKING PRECAUTIONS AND IMPLEMENTING THE CDC GUIDELINES.TO ME, THAT'S A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE NUMBER.
>> YES, SIR. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DEAN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I JUST WANT TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD I THINK AS ALL THE COMMISSIONERS KNOW AND I THINK PROBABLY OUR LISTENING PUBLIC KNOWS THAT COMMISSIONER BLOCKER IS ON MILITARY ORDERS. AS PART OF THAT IF THERE IS A TIME IN HIS DUTIES THAT HE'S ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND AS THE BOARD KNOWS HE PARTICIPATES IF THERE ARE OTHER TIMES HE'S ON HIS ORDERS AND UNABLE TO THAN NOT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THE NOTE FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER ITEMS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD? ALL HEARTS AND MINDS CLEAR? WE ARE HEREBY ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.