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>> GOOD MORNING. IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
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>> HI. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS STEVEN MILL, THE
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PRESIDENT OF FLORIDA ELITE SOCCER ACADEMY, BASED AT VETERANS PARK IN ST. JOHNSCOUNTY. >> YES, SIR. GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU FIRST OF ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE WOULD BE FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES THAT YOU POSTED.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR KIDS PLAYING SEPARATELY IN TEN SQUARE FEET BOXES AND SIX FEET AROUND. AND THAT HAS BEEN WORKING WELL. UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THE OTHER SPORTS HAVE NOW GONE TO WHERE THEY'RE PLAYING GAMES. SO A NUMBER OF OUR PARENTS ARE WONDERING WHY WE'RE FOLLOWING YOUR GUIDELINES AND NOT FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR'S GUIDELINES, WHICH WERE MORE OPEN. I'M LOOKING FOR AN EXPLANATION ON THAT AND IF YOU'VE GOT ANY GUIDANCE ON WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THOSE GUIDELINES.
I THINK PARTICULARLY IT SEEMS TO BE PARENTS WHO HAVE GOT KIDS IN BASEBALL OR BASKETBALL, AND THEY'RE LOOKING WONDERING WHY WE'RE NOT HAVING THEM. AND THEN THE SECOND THING THAT
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I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WORKED ON THE GRASS FIELDS, SO WE ASKED FOR A FEW WEEKS GRACE PERIOD. WE WANTED TO EXTEND OUR SEASON BY SIX WEEKS.CERTAINLY A MONTH. AND WE WANTED TO GET IN A FEW WEEKS FOR A LOT OF OUR PARENTS.
BUT WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED DIGGING UP THE GRASS FIELDS FOR THE GRASS FIELDS AND THAT HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC IN TERMS OF GETTING PLAYERS OUT THERE. WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT ON THAT. WE'RE PLANNING TO RUN SUMMER CAMPS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. AND I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR
FEEDBACK ON THESE TWO POINTS. THANK YOU. >> TOM REYNOLDS.
TODAY COMMISSIONER, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING WHAT THE EMERGENCY OPERATION MANAGER SAID ABOUT FEMA AND THE FACT THAT, IT WAS INTERESTING WHAT SHE SAID. BUT WHEN SHE SAID THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT THE DASHBOARD, YOU HAVE TO BE ESTIMATING FOR THE FIGURES TO BE WAY HIGHER.
WE ALL KNOW THE FIGURES ARE NOT CORRECT. THERE IS A WHOLE BUNCH MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PNEUMONIA RELATED DEATH. IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART THAT I SENT YOU, IT'S THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS. AND I WANT TO SAY IT AGAIN THAT YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE PANDEMICS, THE NUMBERS ARE ALWAYS A LOT HIGHER.
SO I URGE YOU YES TO CONTINUE TO VOTE AND KEEP THIS EMERGENCY IN PLACE LIKE THE EMERGENCY OPERATION MANAGER SAID, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY. BUT STILL OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO YOU KNOW, TAKE UP. ARE YOU GOING TO CANCEL THE THINGS AT THE PIER? I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO WAIT FOR ANY GUIDANCE, TO USE COMMON SENSE, HEY WE DON'T NEED ANY UNNEEDED CROWDS, REALLY FOR A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF. THE VIRUS IS NOT GOING AWAY.
I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION HERE THAT WE'RE IN FLORIDA AND IT IS HOT.
I READ THAT WHOLE STUDY. WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION. BY I TELL YOU, GETTING AROUND CROWDS, GETTING AROUND MOISTURE, RAIN, ALL OF THAT STUFF CAN TRANSFORM.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SECOND OR THIRD WAVE OF THIS PANDEMIC.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF THESE EMERGENCY MEETINGS. ONE LAST THING, ARE YOU TAKING
CALLS ON THE REGULAR AGENDA TODAY OR NOT? >> YES, WE ARE.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH COMMISSIONERS.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND ALL OF THE HARD WORK AND ALL OF THE READING AND STUDYING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS. I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU. >> HEY, MY NAME IS DAVID SMITH. 323 SOUTHERN BRANCH LANE.
ST. JOHNS FLORIDA, 32259. >> GO AHEAD, MR. DAVID. >> GOOD MORNING.
I'M CALLING IN RELATED TO THE FLORIDA ELITE SOCCER PROGRAM THAT GOES ON HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. MY DAUGHTER PLAYS. AND THEY SEEM TO BE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT I GUESS YOU GUYS ARE NOT ALLOWING THE KIDS TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR GAMES AND THEIR SEASON. WHICH I WOULD LIKE THAT CHANGE. ESPECIALLY WITH THE BASEBALL AND THE BASKETBALL PROGRAMS ALREADY, YOU KNOW, INTO THEIR SEASONS.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT IS WORKING. I'M JUST TOLD YOU GUYS WERE IN CONTROL OF THAT. I WOULD LIKE THAT CHANGED. AND THAT IS REALLY ALL I HAVE.
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I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SEASON CONTINUED AS MY SON'S BASEBALL PROGRAM HAS.>> WE'LL GET STAFF TO LOOK INTO THAT AND GET BACK WITH THE LEAGUE.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. MR. CHAIRMAN, I SEE NO OTHER
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PHONE CALLS. >> NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'RE BACK TO THE BOARD.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. CONRAD >> YES, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER BLOCKER. >> COMMISSIONER BLOCKER, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. MR. CONRAD, WE HAD A COUPLE OF CALLS TODAY, I RECEIVED A FEW E-MAILS ABOUT THE YOUTH ATHLETICS. CAN YOU ENLIGHTEN US A LITTLE BIT WHERE WE STAND WITH THAT. I KNOW THERE IS A LIGHT OF INTEREST AND WHERE WE ARE.
CAN YOU ENLIGHTEN US WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE ANTICIPATE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE COMING
WEEKS. GETTING BACK ON TRACK HERE. >> YOUTH ATHLETIC LEAGUES HAVE BEGUN PLAYING AGAIN. WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE SOCCER PROGRAM.
AT THIS POINT BASED ON THE GOVERNOR'S GUIDANCE, THEY SUBMIT A PLAN AS TO HOW THEY COMPLY WITH HIS ORDERS, BUT EVERYTHING IS UP AND RUNNING AGAIN.
AS FAR AS SPECIFICALLY, AS TO FLORIDA ELITE SOCCER, I'LL CHECK WITH PARKS AND RECREATION
AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS GOING AS WELL. >> COMMISSIONER BLOCKER, DOES
THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> IT DOES. >> COMMISSIONER JOHNS.
>> I THINK COMMISSIONER BLOCKER AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE IS AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ANY ORGANIZED SPORTS TO USE OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES.
WE ARE THE CONDUIT, BUT WE'RE NOT THE INITIATORS OF THE REGULATIONS THAT ARE CONTROLLING THESE SPORTING EVENTS. WE'RE STILL IN PHASE ONE COMPLETE I THINK THEY'RE CALLING IT, NOT YET PHASE TWO, WHERE WE'RE STILL AT TEN PEOPLE WITH SIX FEET APART FROM EACH GROUP OF TEN. WE'RE NOT AT 50.
SOME SPORTS CAN COMPLY WITH THAT. SOME CANNOT.
SO THAT IS WHY YOU'LL SEE SOME SPORTING EVENTS OCCURRING BEFORE OTHERS, BECAUS OF THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HEALTH AT THIS POINT.
WE ARE THE DISTRIBUTORS OF THAT INFORMATION BUT WE'RE NOT THE CREATORS OF IT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> ALL RIGHT. WE'RE BACK TO THE BOARD.
ENTERTAIN A MOTION IF SOMEBODY SO DESIRES TO MAKE IT IN REGARD TO THE DECLARATION OF THE STATE
OF EMERGENCY. >> MR. CHAIR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION 2020-16. EXTENDING THE DECLARATION OF STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY AS PROVIDED BY CHAPTER 252, PART 1, FLORIDA STATUTES AND BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY ORDINANCE, NUMBER
2019-40. >> SECOND. >> MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JOHNS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WALDRON. ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS?
>> YES, SIR, PLEASE. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS MR. BLOCKER.
JUST QUICK QUESTION, IF I COULD ASK OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, IS THERE ANY LEGAL BARRIER FOR US DOING THIS FOR A LONGER EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE COMING BACK EVERY WEEK VOTING ON THIS. IS THERE ANY LEGAL BARRIER ON THIS SETTING THIS FOR A MONTH
AT A TIME. >> COMMISSIONER BLOCKER, YOU BRING UP A GREAT POINT.
UNFORTUNATELY, CHAPTER 252 FLORIDA STATUTES, WHICH AUTHORIZED THE LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCIES LIMIT THEM TO SEVEN-DAY INCREMENTS. I WILL TELL YOU THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THE STATE PERTAINING TO HAVING THAT CHANGED.
THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS REQUESTED, I THINK THROUGH OUR LOCAL LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
SO COMMISSIONER BLOCKER, YOU BRING UP A GREAT POINT. I THINK THERE IS A REMEDY, BUT IT'S NOT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. THE STATE WOULD NEED TO CHANGE THAT STATUTE.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WE'LL PROCEED WITH A ROLL CALL VOTE. COMMISSIONER BLOCKER.
>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER DEAN. >> YES.
>> COMMISSIONER WALDRON. >> YES. >> COMMISSIONER YOUR HONOR
>> YES. >> I'LL BE A YES AS WELL. PASSES 5-0.
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ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS BOARD DURING THIS SPECIAL MEETING?[00:25:06]
>> MR. CHAIR, I WANTED TO MAYBE AMEND MY EARLIER COMMENT ABOUT THE STATUTE.
IT IS IN THE STATUTE, THERE COULD BE A MOVE TO CHANGE THAT. IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE GOVERNOR BY EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PERHAPS YOU KNOW, RELAX THAT SEVEN-DAY THING.
I HAVEN'T THOUGHT THROUGH SORT OF THE LEGALITY OF THAT. THAT WOULD BE THE GOVERNOR'S TEAM WHO WOULD HAVE TO THINK THROUGH THAT AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THE COUNTY CANNOT DO IT ON ITS OWN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WITH NO OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS BOARD DURING THE SPECIAL MEETING, WE WILL ADJOURN THIS SPECIAL MEETING AND WE WILL COME B
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.