Janelle Irwin Taylor
The Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group is cutting its Monday meetings now that businesses are beginning to get back to some level of normalcy under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Full Phase One” reopening.
The group had been meeting every Monday and Thursday since the virus began ravaging the state in March, but will now meet only on Thursdays.
Emergency meetings can still be scheduled if a need arises, officials said during what will be its final regularly scheduled Monday meeting.
“Once a week should be adequate unless something comes up that needs our attention immediately,” said Hillsborough County School Board member Melissa Snively, one of eight voting members of the group.
Hillsborough County Administrator Mike Merrill, who is a non-voting member of the group, said he is in constant communication with county health officials as well as County Attorney Christine Beck.
“[Department of Health Hillsborough County Director Doug Holt] will do that and say to me, you know, ‘it looks like we’ve got a problem.’ It’s not like we’re losing days or even hours,” Merrill said to assuage concerns that scaled back meetings could cause delays in action.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Kimberly Overman expressed concern about cutting Monday meetings because DeSantis typically issues executive orders late in the week that go into effect the following Monday, orders that sometimes require local action.
Overman ultimately voted in favor of removing Monday meetings after assurances that additional meetings could still be scheduled if the need arises.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was the only member to vote against the meeting cancellations.
Overman requested that in lieu of meeting, EPG members receive full reports from county health officials, which have been delivered at the Monday meetings.
“It was really helpful to see the age spread and the percentage of those who are in the work force who are positive cases,” she said, noting the information is particularly valuable as more people head back into the workforce.
Merrill said he expects to have an outline ready to release Wednesday or Thursday on the county’s plan for reopening amenities and services that remain closed like some parks and county offices.
“What you will see is how do we determine how we go from one phase to another,” he said.
The group meets next Thursday at 1:30 virtually. Meetings can be viewed on Hillsborough County’s website, Facebook or YouTube.
