Janelle Irwin Taylor
Pinellas County will not reopen beaches or private pools, the County Commission decided in a Thursday virtual meeting.
The closures, which went into effect April 6, will remain in place at least for the duration of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ statewide stay-at-home order, which expires at the end of this month but may be extended.
Commissioners had previously agreed to discuss the issue after hordes of residents complained about the closures and because DeSantis’ stay-at-home order didn’t address the issue, nor did he issue a separate executive order addressing such closures statewide.
However, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri last week said he did not support reopening beaches despite having previously opposed closing them.
Conversation Thursday centered more on private pools at condominiums and apartment complexes. Residents complained by phone during public comment that such closures were unnecessary.
Some argued there were health consequences for keeping the pools closed, especially for residents who use them as a primary source of exercise because it’s low impact.
Some argued social distancing requirements would still be in place.
However, Pinellas County Administrator Barry Burton argued Gualtieri and his staff needed to be able to monitor those situations and doing so with all of those pools open would be problematic.
“The Sheriff needs to be able to respond to problems,” he said.
He described some situations where officials witnessed crowded pool decks and said applying closures in a uniformed manner helped to flatten the curve and “get a handle on what was a public health crisis.”
Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters argued in favor of reopening pools but halted comments after not receiving support from other commissioners.
The rest of the day’s discussion dealt with reassessing business closures. Commissioners heard from dozens of speakers including several representatives from dog grooming and car washing industries who argued they should be allowed to operate under the county’s order since they are able work without violating social distancing guidelines. The dog groomers said their services have already been deemed essential in several other Florida counties.
Commissioners didn’t have an appetite for making changes, but suggested a workshop to describe the rationale for closures to help increase public awareness and, they hope, reduce the flood of calls from various industries about business closures.
Gualtieri cautioned that if they began making exceptions for all those who made a case, “there would be no stay-at-home order.”
6 comments
BlueHeron
April 16, 2020 at 4:03 pm
As a resident here, I am very happy by this decision.
As painful as it is, keep it all closed indefinitely.
Chris Pencarinha
April 16, 2020 at 6:23 pm
The shutdown orders are plainly unconstitutional. They come from the wrong branch. The Legislative Branch would need to write and pass the law, and the chief Executive would sign them. The only potential justification for the Executive Branch doing this would be a time emergency. But we’ve had no shortage of time for the lawmakers to address this. Obviously, if they passed a law prohibiting the free exercise of religion or abridging the right of the people to peacably assemble, that would also be unconstitutional.
John F Daly
April 16, 2020 at 8:21 pm
As far as pools and maybe even beaches… Why couldn’t they have a person on board at the area to enforce the rules (with consequences for breaking them)? They have life guards at some places, why not have an officer?
Rick degolyer
April 17, 2020 at 3:21 pm
I live 55+ community fairway village largo FL. We have no guest, visitors, aloud our golf course, but we can’t us our pool for exercise would be no no just or visitors for use. Have start plans like Jacksonville FL. Like there beaches.
Vince
April 19, 2020 at 1:22 pm
Peters is smart, my district county commissioner is an idiot. You will not take my civil liberties away from me. Karen Seel will never receive a vote from me or my other 14 voting family members in her district. Total BS. Sun heat kill virus So let’s all stay inside. Dumb politician and she is Republican. Now how can I run against her when you County Govt has taken my right to have a petition for signature out in the public. Another lawsuit coming
marcia irish
April 28, 2020 at 12:47 pm
The ridiculous shut down has done nothing but prolong the inevitable. It is time for the younger, healthier citizens to get out and about and establish herd immunity. The Elderly and health impaired must cooperate 100% by staying out of the way.
The Fed is keeping us above water with rubber bands and glue.
The cure is far worse than the disease. The experts do not even seem to recognize how many people have already had/have this disease and do not even know it.
Very, very Political
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