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>> WELCOME TO A SPECIALLY CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO TONIGHT.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'VE HAD ABOUT TWO HOURS NOTICE OF THIS CALLED MEETING, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE MAKING YOURSELVES AVAILABLE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE CITY STAFF THAT SCRAMBLED IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS MEETING HAPPEN.
THE MEETING HAS BEEN CALLED AS A RESULT OF SOME CHANGES THAT THE GOVERNOR PUT OUT THIS MORNING TO HIS EXECUTIVE EMERGENCY ORDER.
WE HAVE SOME PRESENTATIONS, SO THAT THE FIVE OF US CAN GET UP TO SPEED ON WHAT HAS CHANGED.
THEN WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO HAVE ABOUT HOW THE CITY OF AMARILLO MOVES FORWARD IN IMPLEMENTING THESE CHANGES, BUT ALSO JUST IN HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S NEEDED TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE RIGHT NOW.
SO, JARED, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO YOU FOR STAFF PRESENTATIONS.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STAFF THAT ARE GOING TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONVERSATION.
[1. DISCUSSION OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER GA-28 BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.]
TO START, I THINK WE HAVE KEVIN STARBUCK, TO JUST GIVE US A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE GOVERNOR'S NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER GA-28.WE'LL HAVE ANTHONY SPANEL, WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHO IS GOING TO BE PRIMARILY IN CHARGE OF COMPLIANCE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH REGARD TO THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER.
WE ALSO HAVE CASIE STOUGHTON, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INPUT AND ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND THEN I AND A NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF ARE AVAILABLE ANSWERING QUESTIONS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.
KEVIN, ARE YOU READY TO JUMP IN AND GO WITH A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF GA-28?
>> YES, SIR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR THIS MORNING ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER GA-28, AND IT INCLUDED SOME FAIRLY SWEEPING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE REOPENING OF TEXAS.
IT IS BASED ON THAT, THAT STAFF HAS BEEN REVIEWING AND LOOKING DILIGENTLY THROUGH THE DOCUMENT TO TRY TO IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE IMPACTS WERE, AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO ADJUST AS FAR AS OPERATIONS TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.
IT IS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE YOU A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN GA-28.
GA-28 CONTINUES AND SUPERSEDES GA-26.
IT ESTABLISHES OPERATING RESTRICTIONS FOR BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS IN TEXAS.
SOME OF THE MAJOR IMPACTS INCLUDE: BARS ARE CLOSED EFFECTIVE AT NOON TODAY, AND THEY MAY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TAKE-OUT OR DELIVERY OF FOOD AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, IF AUTHORIZED BY THE TABC.
RESTAURANTS WILL BE MOVED FROM A 75 PERCENT OCCUPANCY BACK TO A 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY STARTING ON MONDAY, JUNE 29TH, OUTDOOR PATIOS ARE NOT SEPARATELY DEFINED IN GA-28, RAFTING AND TUBING SERVICES ARE CLOSED EFFECTIVE AT NOON TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE IN THE AMARILLO AREA, BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, THIS IS AN ACTIVITY THAT WAS SUSPENDED.
ONE OF THE MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THIS THAT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON A LOT OF EVENTS HERE LOCALLY ARE GATHERINGS IN EXCESS OF 100 PEOPLE ARE PROHIBITED UNLESS APPROVED BY LOCAL AUTHORITY, EITHER THE MAYOR OR A COUNTY JUDGE.
SUCH APPROVAL MAY BE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND CONDITIONS, THAT ARE NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED.
THERE ARE SOME EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE CARVED OUT INCLUDING: RELIGIOUS SERVICES THAT CAN BE CONDUCTED AT FULL OCCUPANCY, YOUTH CAMPS THAT CAN BE CONDUCTED AT FULL OCCUPANCY, YOUTH AND ADULT RECREATIONAL SPORTS ACTIVITY PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE CONDUCTED AT FULL OCCUPANCY, PROFESSIONAL OR COLLEGIATE SPORTING EVENTS, WHICH CAN BE CONDUCTED AT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY, SWIMMING POOLS CAN BE OPENED AT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY, WATER PARKS AT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY, MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES AT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY, ZOOS, AQUARIUMS, AND NATURAL CAVERNS AT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY, RODEOS AND EQUESTRIAN EVENTS AT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY, AND AMUSEMENT PARKS AT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY.
PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE IN GROUPS LARGER THAN 10, AND SHOULD REMAINS SIX FEET OF SOCIAL DISTANCING FROM THOSE NOT IN THEIR GROUP.
PEOPLE OVER 65 CONTINUE TO BE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO STAY HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE DISTANCES FROM MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD WHO HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE HOUSE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
IF LEAVING THE HOUSE, TO IMPLEMENT SOCIAL DISTANCING AND PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE.
EVERY PERSON SHOULD FOLLOW MINIMUM STANDARD HEALTH PROTOCOLS RECOMMENDED BY DSHS,
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WHEN PROVIDING OR OBTAINING SERVICES.PEOPLE SHALL NOT VISIT NURSING HOMES, STATE SUPPORTED LIVING CENTERS, [NOISE] ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, OR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
SCHOOLS MAY RESUME OPERATION FOR SUMMER UNDER MINIMUM STANDARDS ISSUED BY TEA, AND AS HAS BEEN THE CASE, FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ISSUED DURING COVID-19, IS PUNISHABLE BY A FINE UP TO $1,000 AND POSSIBLE REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT.
AS WITH THE PREVIOUS EXECUTIVE ORDERS, CONFINEMENT IN JAIL HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY REMOVED AS A PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.
I KNOW THAT IS A LOT TO COVER AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL PROVIDE A BASIC SUMMARY OF THE PROVISIONS OF GA-28, THAT THE GOVERNOR ISSUED THIS MORNING.
>> SOME OF THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS, JUST TO BOIL THINGS DOWN.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF REDUCTIONS IN OCCUPANCY, VERSUS WHERE WE WERE ON GA-26.
IT ALSO DIRECTS THE MAYOR AND COUNTY JUDGE FOR ANY AREA TO APPROVE ANY GATHERING OVER 100 PEOPLE, IN EFFECT, AN APPROVAL OR A BLANKET APPROVAL OF SOME KIND THROUGH AN ORDER.
ANY EVENTS OVER 100 PEOPLE IS PROHIBITED, OR GATHERINGS OVER 100 PEOPLE ARE PROHIBITED.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT SOUND POTENTIALLY CONTRADICTORY LIKE, DON'T GATHER IN GROUPS MORE THAN 10, BUT ALSO IF IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN 100, NEEDS APPROVAL, ETC.
WE WILL WORK THROUGH THOSE DURING THIS CONVERSATION, AND THAT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, IS THE MAIN THRUST OF THIS CONVERSATION.
WE DO HAVE SOME ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WEAR MASKS, BUT IN A BLANKET WAY, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
WE CAN ONLY DO THAT AS A CONDITION OF APPROVING AN EVENT MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE.
AS KEVIN SAID, WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GOT RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANTED TO BOLT SOME THINGS DOWN VERY SIMPLY.
>> COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING NEW OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER OR ANYTHING KEVIN SAID? KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE HAVE ANTHONY ON DECK, TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON SOME ENFORCEMENT PIECES, AS WELL AS EVENTS THAT THEY'RE ISSUING PERMITS FOR THAT WILL FALL OVER THIS 100 PERSON EXCLUSION THAT THE GOVERNOR JUST PUT OUT.
SO ANTHONY'S ON DECK TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND GIVE US MORE INFORMATION, AND THEN FOLLOWING HIM IS CASIE, WHO'S GOING TO GIVE US A VERY UP-TO-DATE, WHERE WE ARE WITH CASES, HOSPITALIZATIONS, SO REALLY THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS.
>> FOR ME, MOST OF MY QUESTIONS, I NEED TO HEAR FROM ANTHONY AND FROM CASIE.
BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO REALLY MODIFY, AND THEY MAY ANSWER MY QUESTIONS FOR ME, REALLY.
>> MS MAYOR, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THE STATEMENT ON THE OUTDOOR PATIOS NOT BEING SEPARATE.
WHAT IS THAT REFERENCING? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DIRECTIVE IS ON THAT.
>> COUNCILMAN HAYS, THAT PARTICULAR DIRECTIVE WAS TRYING TO CLARIFY THE INCLUSION OF OUTDOOR PATIOS SPACE AS PART OF OCCUPANCY FOR A RESTAURANT, SO IT WAS SPECIFIC TO THAT.
IF YOU GIVE ME JUST A SECOND, I'LL LOOK UP THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT THE GOVERNOR INCLUDED.
>> BUT I THINK WHAT YOU STATED, KEVIN, WAS RESTAURANTS HAVE REVERTED FROM 75 PERCENT TO 50 PERCENT, SO I'M GUESSING THAT MEANS THAT THE OUTDOOR PATIOS ARE ALSO 50 PERCENT IS PART OF THE WHOLE OCCUPANCY, I'M WONDERING IF THAT WAS IN THERE PARTLY, IF IT'S IN THE PAST.
SOMETIMES IF IT WAS AN OUTDOOR EVENT, SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS WERE LESS BECAUSE IT WAS FRESH AIR, AND SO JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO.
THAT THEY ARE ALSO NOW AT 50 PERCENT.
>> YES, MA'AM. PART OF THAT IS I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY IN ANY FACILITY IS A MAXIMUM.
IT TIES BACK TO YOU STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS.
IF YOUR BUSINESS CAN ACCOMMODATE A 100 PEOPLE UNDER YOUR CO, AND 50 PERCENT CAPACITY IS 50, BUT WITH SIX-FOOT DISTANCING, YOU CAN ONLY ACCOMMODATE 25.
THEN IN EFFECT, YOUR LIMIT IS 25.
IT IS NOT THE 50 PERCENT CAPACITY.
THERE'S MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF THAT,
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THAT A BUSINESS MUST EVALUATE FROM THE FUNCTION OF NOT ONLY OCCUPANCY, BUT ALSO CAPACITY TO ADHERE TO THE REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO SOCIAL DISTANCING.>> MY SECOND QUESTION IS RELATED TO THE MAXIMUM 100, IS THAT INSIDE AND OUTSIDE GATHERINGS?
>> THAT IS SPECIFIC TO OUTDOOR GATHERINGS.
IT DOES NOT ADDRESS INDOOR GATHERINGS IN THAT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE OF THE ORDER.
>> [NOISE] I GUESS INDOOR GOES BACK TO THE PREVIOUS.
YOU'VE GOT 50 PERCENT MAXIMUM AS LONG AS YOU CAN SPACE OUT SIX FEET APART.
THE OTHER, THE OUTDOOR, IT'S JUST RESTRICTING IT TO A 100, EVEN IF YOU'RE OUTDOOR, AND YOU ARE ABLE TO SPACE FARTHER THAN THAT?
>> EXACTLY. THE GATHERINGS OVER A 100 IS VERY SPECIFIC TO OUTDOOR GATHERINGS WHERE THE GOVERNOR IS PROVIDED THE AUTHORITY FOR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO PLACE RESTRICTIONS FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE EVENTS.
>> DO WE ALREADY HAVE SOME EVENTS SCHEDULED IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO THAT WE'RE AWARE OF OUTDOOR EVENTS THAT WOULD BE OVER 100 THAT WOULD NOW CANCEL?
>> WILL WE BE GOING OVER THAT LIST AT SOME POINT?
>> ANTHONY HAS ALL THAT INFORMATION, SO HE CAN GO ALL OF THAT WITH COUNCIL WHEN STARTS TALKING, OR HE CAN JUMP ON NOW.
>> WE CAN WAIT AND COVER THAT WITH ANTHONYS' AND THEN MY [INAUDIBLE] WITH SWIMMING POOL, WATER PARK, MUSEUMS ARE NOW 50 PERCENT, OR WE AT 75 PERCENT ON THOSE? MY SAME QUESTION GOES FOR THAT WITH WONDERLAND PARK.
WERE THEY PLANNING ON RE-OPENING AT 75 PERCENT, AND NOW THEY'RE BACK AT 50 PERCENT?
>> I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK SPECIFICALLY, BUT I BELIEVE THAT AMUSEMENT PARK [INAUDIBLE] 50 PERCENT PERCENT ALREADY THAT THERE REALLY WAS NO CHANGE WITH THAT.
I THINK IT IS JUST CONFIRMING JUST THEY CAN'T BE OPENING ABOUT 50 PERCENT.
IN MANY OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES, WE ARE EITHER AT 75 OR REDUCED TO 50.
>> AT THE WARFORD, IS OUR POOL AT 50 PERCENT CURRENTLY?
>> NONE OF THOSE THINGS CHANGED?
>> REALLY HAD NO IMPACT ON AS FAR AS AN ADJUSTMENT TO THAT PARTICULAR OPERATION.
>> THANK YOU. MAYOR, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT.
>> HOWARD, FREDA, QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW?
IN FOUR DAYS, HODGETOWN SPOKE TO BASEBALL GAMES, MAYBE AS MANY AS 3,200, 3,300 PEOPLE THERE, DOES THIS AFFECT THAT?
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
ONCE AGAIN, AND I KNOW WE RATTLED THROUGH A LAUNDRY LIST OF CHANGES OR SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THAT WERE CALLED OUT.
BUT UNDER ITEM 2 OF THE ORDER, IT BASICALLY PROVIDES FOR 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY LIMIT FOR PROFESSIONAL, COLLEGIATE, OR SIMILAR SPORTING EVENTS.
HODGETOWN ONCE AGAIN, CAN ADHERE TO THAT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY THRESHOLD.
KEEPING IN MIND THE OTHER RESTRICTIONS OF THE DISTANCING, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THEM TO, IF THEY MANAGE IT PROPERLY, TO ACCOMMODATE THAT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY.
>> KEVIN, WHICH I'M GUESSING THEY HAVE ALREADY TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THEIR PLANS FOR RE-OPENING OR HAVE [OVERLAPPING]
>> CORRECT. THAT 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY, AND THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS HAVE REALLY NOT CHANGED RELATED TO THAT.
I BELIEVE ONCE AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR WAS SPECIFICALLY CALLING THOSE OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS NO AMBIGUITIES THAT THIS DID NOT CHANGE THAT FROM PREVIOUS ORDERS.
>> LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION THEN.
ANTHONY, ARE YOU UP AND READY?
>> YES, MA'AM. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME ON TONIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL INTO WHAT THIS WILL IMPACT GA-28, WE ASKED ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS, OUTDOOR EVENTS OVER A 100.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 35 PLAN TO THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS REQUIREMENT.
KEEP IN MIND, THAT STARTS AS EARLY AS TOMORROW.
WE HAVE 3, 4, 5 EVENTS FOR TOMORROW, AND THAT'S GOING ALL THE WAY UNTIL NOVEMBER 1ST.
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MAJOR EVENTS OVER A 100, SOME OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY.THEY WILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO REVIEW PROCESS.
SOME OF WHICH HAVE 500S, SOME OF WHICH HAVE 5,000.
IT'S A BIG SWATHS OF PARTICIPANTS THERE.
BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE EVENTS WILL HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT AND HAVE AN APPROVAL BY THE CITY AT SOME POINT.
AS FAR AS THE BAR SITUATION, GA-28 SPECIFICALLY DOES NOT ALLOW BARS TO CONTINUE OPERATION, OUTSIDE OF IT TO-GO, CURBSIDE, THE PICKUP MANNER.
I WILL TELL YOU MANY OF OUR BARS, IF NOT 95 PERCENT OF THEM WILL MOST LIKELY CLOSED AGAIN.
WE HAVE ROUGHLY 90 BARS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY JUST AMARILLO ALONE.
KEEP IN MIND, THAT'S NOT THE DISTRICT, THAT'S JUST AMARILLO, 90 BARS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED FOR A SECOND TIME ON THIS.
I HAVE COMMUNICATED OUT TO ALL OF OUR PERMANENT HOLDERS OR LICENSE HOLDERS WITHIN THE CITY, ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR GA-28, THEY ARE ALL WELL AWARE.
WE WERE ON THE NEWS A LITTLE BIT THIS AFTERNOON, SO HOPEFULLY THAT MESSAGE IS OUT.
I CAN TELL YOU, MY PHONE HASN'T STOPPED RINGING THE ENTIRE DAY WITH QUESTIONS.
I DO HAVE NINE PEOPLE OUT MAKING JUST COURTESY STOPS THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THOSE REQUIREMENTS, AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER.
AS FAR AS A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAD, THERE WAS ON A LOT OF DRAW BACK ON THE PERCENTAGE OUTSIDE OF RESTAURANTS.
RESTAURANTS, WE'RE 75 PERCENT, THEY ARE PULLING BACK TO 50 PERCENT.
IN REGARDS TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT OUTDOOR PATIOS AND PREVIOUS ORDERS, OUTDOOR PATIOS WERE SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT AS NOT BEING ON THE TOTAL OCCUPANCY.
THIS 50 PERCENT OF THE OCCUPANCY LEVEL, THE FACILITY OUTDOOR PATIOS DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS THAT.
IN GA-28, THAT LANGUAGE WAS REMOVED, AND IT JUST SAYS 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY LOAD.
IT DOES NOT MENTION OUTDOOR PATIOS AS BEING EXCLUDED, IT JUST SAYS 50 PERCENT, THAT WOULD BE THAT CHANGE.
ADDITIONALLY WITH HODGETOWN, 50 PERCENT WAS THE AREA IN WHICH IT WAS SET PRIOR, SO NOTHING REALLY CHANGED THERE.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM OVER AT HODGETOWN, AND HAVE ADJUSTED BACK ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD PLANNED ON, MOVING FORWARD IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS.
THEY ARE WELL AWARE, AND WE'RE WORKING THOSE ITEMS OUT AS WE SPEAK.
UNLESS YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR ME, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING.
>> QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? GREAT. HOLD ON, ANTHONY.
>> JARED, ARE WE READY FOR MS. [INAUDIBLE]
>> GOOD EVENING. WE'LL RUN THROUGH THE NUMBERS AND THEN WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MASK POLICIES.
AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 3,683 CASES IN AMARILLO COUNTY, 2,838 IN POTTER COUNTY, 825 IN RANDALL COUNTY.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 2,509 RECOVERIES, 45 DEATHS REPORTED IN OUR COUNTIES LEAVES US WITH 1,129 ACTIVE CASES.
AGAIN, EACH CASE IS A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL.
OUR HOSPITALIZATION DATA CONTINUES TO CREEP UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
TODAY WE'RE AT 1.54 PERCENT FOR OUR HOSPITALIZATION RATES, OUR TOTAL ADULT BED UTILIZATION IS AT 71 PERCENT, VENTILATOR USE IS AT 27 PERCENT, AND OUR TOTAL ICU UTILIZATION IS AT 81 PERCENT.
CURRENTLY IN AMARILLO, WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING OUR PLATEAU OF CASES, OUR ACTIVE CASES ARE TRENDING DOWN.
THOSE ARE DECREASING RAPIDLY BASED ON PREVIOUS MASS TESTING.
SO WE HAD A DAY OF 700 POSITIVE CASES AND SO AS THOSE CASES ARE PEELING OFF AND THOSE MANY, MANY RECOVERIES, AND WE'RE REALLY GLAD ABOUT THOSE OUR ACTIVE CASES ARE GOING DOWN DRASTICALLY.
THE ACTIVE CASES ARE IMPORTED, BUT WE NEED TO CURRENTLY BE FOCUSED ON NEW CASES AS A REAL TIME INDICATOR OF OUR SITUATION IN RELATION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING STATEWIDE.
NEW CASES SINCE JUNE 19, DO INDICATE AN UPTICK IN NEW CASES.
STARTING JUNE 19, WE HAD SEVEN NEW CASES THAT DAY, WE HAD 23 NEW CASES YESTERDAY, WE DID HAVE EIGHT NEW CASES TODAY, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT TREND LINE DOES INDICATE AN UPTICK SINCE JUNE 19.
I HAVE AN ANECDOTAL SUMMARY OF SOME OF OUR CLUSTERS.
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SO WE HAVE A FACTORY, THERE'S 10 POSITIVES IN THIS FACTORY, FOUR ARE FROM ONE AREA, THERE WERE 22 CONTACTS QUARANTINED FROM THAT ONE FACTORY.THERE WAS A PLAYER WHO PLAYED SICK AT THAT YOUTH SPORTS EVENT, ONE OF THE COACHES IS NOW POSITIVE AS WELL.
THERE ARE THREE TEAMS QUARANTINED.
THERE WERE NO MASKS IN THE STANDS, AND SO WE'LL BE ON THE ALERT AS POTENTIAL NEW CASES DEVELOP OUT OF THOSE EXPOSURES.
WE HAD A GROCERY STORE EMPLOYEE WHO WAS NOT WEARING A MASK.
AT THE TIME, THAT BUSINESS WAS NOT REQUIRING MASKS, I BELIEVE NOW THEY ARE.
SIXTEEN EMPLOYEES WERE CONTACTED DUE TO POTENTIAL EXPOSURE.
TWO EMPLOYEES BECAME POSITIVE OUT OF THAT EXPOSURE AND THAT WAS BECAUSE ONE EMPLOYEE WORKED SICK.
WE'VE HAD DAYCARE, SO COUPLE OF DAYCARE, I TRIED TO HIGHLIGHT ACROSS THE AGE SPECTRUM.
SO DAYCARES, WE'VE HAD TWO DAYCARES WITH CHILDREN WHO ATTENDED WHILE THEY WERE ILL, 30-50 CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED THIS WEEK AT DAYCARES.
WE'VE HAD CHURCHES AND CHURCHES RUN THE GAMUT RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS WHERE WE MAY HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS ILL, AND THEY WERE TESTED, THEY WENT TO CHURCH BEFORE THEY RECEIVED THEIR TEST RESULTS, OR THEY BECAME SICK JUST A DAY OR SO AFTER THEY WENT TO CHURCH AND THEY WERE POSITIVE.
SO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, WE HAVE LITTLE TO NO SOCIAL DISTANCING, NO MASK WEARING, POTLUCK SERVICES AFTER CHURCH, AND THOSE THINGS ARE ALL NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEARTS.
SO WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT THOSE ARE JUST PLACES WHERE WE'RE VULNERABLE.
WE DO HAVE FOUR POSITIVES FROM THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE.
SO YOU CAN SEE, AT ONE POINT, WHEN WE HAD LARGE NUMBERS, THOSE WERE FROM MASS TESTING.
NOW WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE COMPLICATED CONTACT INVESTIGATIONS AND MORE COMMUNITY SPREAD, NOT NECESSARILY MORE COMMUNITY SPREAD, BUT THE CONTACT INVESTIGATIONS ARE CERTAINLY MORE COMPLICATED AND PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF MORE LIKE THE WORKPLACE ARE BEING EXPOSED.
I DID WANT TO COMMENT THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER PREVENTION EFFORTS BEFORE WE SEE THOSE NUMBERS RISE DRASTICALLY, AND IT'S LIKE AN ICEBERG.
SO ONCE WE SEE THE NUMBERS RISE DRASTICALLY, WHAT'S UNDER THE SURFACE OF THAT ICEBERG IS GOING TO BE HARD TO MANAGE.
SO THE TIME IS TO ACT NOW SO THAT WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
MASKS ARE GOING TO BE A GREAT WAY FOR US TO KEEP OUR ECONOMY OPEN, TO KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY, TO PROTECT OUR HOSPITAL CAPACITY AND PROTECT HEALTHCARE WORKERS.
I DO HAVE A LIST OF CITIES AND COUNTIES WHO HAVE MASK ORDERS JUST FOR YOUR REFERENCE.
MOST OF THOSE ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 418.104(B).
HARRIS COUNTY ENACTED A MASK ORDER ON JUNE 19.
ALL PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 10 MUST WEAR A MASK IN PUBLIC.
ALL BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL ENTITIES ARE ORDERED TO REQUIRE EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS, AND VISITORS TO WEAR A MASK.
CAMERON COUNTY ENACTED THE SAME BASIC ORDER ON JUNE 17.
ALL PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 10, BUSINESSES, AND COMMERCIAL ENTITIES ARE REQUIRED FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS, AND VISITORS.
HIDALGO COUNTY ON JUNE 17, THEIR ORDER STATES THAT ALL PERSONS OVER THE AGE OF THREE WHERE A MASK, THEY STILL HAVE A SHELTER AT HOME ORDER AND THEY HAVE A CURFEW AND THEIR CURFEW FOR 17 AND UNDER IS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10:00 PM AND 6:00 AM AND FOR 18 AND OLDER IS 11:00 PM TO 5:00 AM, UNLESS IT'S FOR AN EMERGENCY OR A COVERED SERVICE, AND THEY HAVE THESE COVERED SERVICES DEFINED IN THEIR ORDER.
EL PASO COUNTY ENACTED A MASK ORDER ON JUNE 18.
ALL PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF TWO MUST WEAR A MASK IN PUBLIC.
DALLAS COUNTY ON JUNE 19, ALL PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 10 WEAR A MASK IN PUBLIC.
BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL ENTITIES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THEIR EMPLOYEES,
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CUSTOMERS, AND VISITORS WEAR A MASK.HAYS COUNTY ON JUNE 22, AGAIN, ALL PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 10, AND THEY ADDRESSED BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL ENTITIES.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON JUNE 25, ALL PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF SIX ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY AND FACILITIES, AND ALL BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL ENTITIES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THEIR EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS, AND VISITORS WEAR A MASK, AND THAT WAS ENACTED BY THE MAYOR IN AUSTIN.
THEN THERE'S A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER THAT WAS ENACTED BY THE HEALTH AUTHORITY.
SO THEIRS WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT APPROACH.
TARRANT COUNTY ALSO ENACTED AN ORDER ON JUNE 25, ALL BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL ENTITIES ARE URGED, TO REQUIRE THEIR EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS, AND VISITORS TO WEAR A MASK.
THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS AND I TRIED TO GATHER THE EXCEPTIONS FOR MOST OF THE ORDERS IN A SMALL LIST.
SO THE EXCEPTIONS TO WEARING A MASK IN MOST OF THE ORDERS ARE: WHEN EXERCISING OUTDOORS OR ENGAGING IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE.
WHILE DRIVING ALONE, OR WITH PASSENGERS WHO ARE PARTY OF THE SAME HOUSEHOLD AS THE DRIVER.
WHEN DOING SO POSES A GREATER MENTAL OR PHYSICAL HEALTH, SAFETY OR SECURITY RISKS.
WHILE PUMPING GAS OR OPERATING OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT.
WHILE IN A BUILDING OR ACTIVITY THAT REQUIRES SECURITY SURVEILLANCE OR SCREENING FOR EXAMPLE BANKS, AND WHEN CONSUMING FOOD OR DRINK.
IT IS HARD TO WEAR A MASK WHILE YOU ARE DRINKING A DRINK.
THEN I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT'S THE RECOMMENDATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO ESTABLISH A ROBUST MASK POLICY FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
>> I WILL TELL YOU A FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S A NURSE FOR LABOR AND DELIVERY AND SHE TOLD ME THE OTHER DAY, SHE JUST GOT A LONG TIME, IT WAS CRAZY THERE.
SHE WAS SO HUNGRY, SHE RAN TO THE BREAK ROOM IN BETWEEN, SHE'S HAVE JUST A MINUTE TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT, GOT A BIG SPOON OF PEANUT BUTTER AND JUST SHOVED IT RIGHT INTO HER MOUTH.
SHE COMPLETELY FORGOT SHE WAS WEARING A MASK, SO SHE'S RIGHT.
>> YOU CAN'T EAT WITH THE MASK ON.
>> SOMETIMES I HAVE TO FEEL TO MAKE SURE I'VE GOT IT ON OR NOT.
>> YEAH. OKAY. COUNCIL QUESTIONS FOR CASIE ABOUT, AND I'LL SAY CASIE, I REALLY APPRECIATE JUST THE ANECDOTAL INFORMATION, THAT IS SO HELPFUL.
THE DATA IS HELPFUL, BUT JUST TRYING TO HAVE VISIBILITY ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY IS WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE DECISIONS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STORIES SURROUNDING THAT DATA.
>> SO CASIE, MY MAIN QUESTION IS, WHAT I HEARD FROM SEVERAL OF THOSE STORIES IS THAT SOMEBODY WAS SICK, AND THEY WENT ON ANYWAY.
THEY WENT ON ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, THEY DIDN'T WEAR A MASK.
THEY HAD SYMPTOMS AND GOT TESTED BUT DIDN'T WAIT AND SEE WHAT THAT RESULT WAS.
SO THOSE ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF SYMPTOMATIC SPREAD.
HAS HER CONTACT TRACING UNCOVERED SOME ASYMPTOMATIC SPREAD? [INAUDIBLE]
>> NOT A WHOLE LOT, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S A TOUGHER LEVEL.
PEOPLE DON'T GENERALLY GET TESTED IF THEY'RE ASYMPTOMATIC.
WHAT GENERALLY DRIVES PEOPLE TO BE TESTED IS BECAUSE THEY'RE SICK.
SO GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENS, THE SYMPTOMS CAN BE FAIRLY MILD AS WELL, SO IT'LL START WITH MAYBE A HEADACHE OR A STOMACH ACHE, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THESE ACTIVITIES MALICIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT A GREAT WORD.
BUT BECAUSE THE SYMPTOMS START SO MILDLY, WE'VE ALL HAD A HEADACHE AND WE'VE ALL GONE TO WORK WITH A HEADACHE.
THEN THAT HEADACHE DOESN'T GO AWAY, AND IN A DAY OR TWO LATER YOU THINK, THAT HEADACHE IS REALLY HANGING ON, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
THE SYMPTOMS START PRETTY INSIDIOUSLY, AND SO YOU JUST DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THAT IS UNTIL YOU'RE A COUPLE OF DAYS IN AND YOU'VE BEEN TO WORK, SO THAT'S WHY MASKS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
IF WE'RE ALL WEARING THEM, THEN WHEN I HAVE THAT HEADACHE AND IT LASTS FOR MORE THAN A DAY OR TWO AND I GO, "YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS LASTING LONGER THAN WHAT IT SHOULD LAST." THEN WHEN I GET CHECKED AND ITS POSITIVE, THEN I HAVE STILL PROTECTED MY COWORKERS AND FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.
>> SO LET ME REPHRASE MY QUESTION.
[00:30:02]
I END UP TESTING POSITIVE, AND OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE I WAS INFECTED.IT STILL AMAZES ME THAT YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO DO ALL THAT TRACING.
WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY ALSO IS THAT IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED RIGHT NOW.
BUT HAVE HAS IT TRACED BACK, THERE MAY BE CASES THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO TRACE, BUT HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO TRACE WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL TESTED POSITIVE AND THEY CANNOT RECALL BEING AROUND OR EXPOSED TO ANYBODY ELSE WHO DID NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS OF SOME LEVEL?
>> YES. WE'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY, "WE DON'T GO ANYWHERE.
WE JUST DON'T GO ANYWHERE." SO YES, WE HAVE HAD THOSE THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL THAT JUST CAN'T RECALL WHERE THEY GO.
>> THERE'S A PERCENTAGE OF THE TRACING THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO AND TRACK DOWN, WOULD YOU SAY IT'S MAYBE 10 PERCENT, 20 PERCENT, ONE PERCENT, WE CANNOT CLEARLY IDENTIFY WHERE THEY CONTACTED IT OR THAT THEY CONTACTED IT AROUND SOMEBODY WHO WAS SHOWING SYMPTOMS?
>> I THINK PROBABLY 10 PERCENT OR SO.
I MEAN, IF I JUST HAD TO JUST COMPLETELY OFF THE CUFF, THAT'S NOT MY FAVORITE THING TO DO.
BUT I THINK THAT IT CERTAINLY DOES HAPPEN, BUT MOST OF THE TIME, I WOULD SAY 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME, PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN AND WE CAN GENERALLY TRACE IT BACK OR WE CAN AT LEAST TRACE THE NEXT STEP.
WE MAY NOT NECESSARILY TRACE EVERY ENCOUNTER, BUT WE CAN TRACE THE SECONDARY TRANSMISSION.
>> EDDY, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
>> SO CASIE, CAN I ADD A LITTLE BIT TO YOUR DEAL ABOUT ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS.
SO WE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT A HALF DOZEN AT MY OFFICE THAT HAVE WALKED IN AND THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE COMPLETELY HEALTHY, AND WE TAKE A TEMPERATURE AND THEIR TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 100.4.
WE TURNED THEM AWAY AND THEY HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE.
SO ARE THEY SYMPTOMATIC, THAT PERSON IS SYMPTOMATIC FOR A FEVER, THEY DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS AT ALL.
SO THIS WHOLE DEAL ABOUT ASYMPTOMATIC IS GOING TO BE HARD TO QUANTIFY, IS GOING TO BE HARD TO QUALIFY.
YOU GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF A HEADACHE, WELL, THAT'S A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE.
BUT EVEN A BETTER EXAMPLE IS SOMEBODY COMING IN, THEY DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A TEMPERATURE AND THEY DO HAVE A TEMPERATURE THAT IS A SYMPTOM, THEY DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A SYMPTOM?
>> SO I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF THAT SYMPTOMOLOGY THAT IS SOMEWHAT, EVERY PERSON CAN BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO THAT WHOLE THING ABOUT, YOU CAN'T JUST LAY OUT THIS SYMPTOMS AND THINK EVERYBODY CAN FIT WITHIN THOSE SYMPTOMS BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE HAVING SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE THE SYMPTOMS. SO IT'S REALLY A LOT MORE DIFFICULT, I THINK YOUR JOB IS A LOT MORE DIFFICULT THAN PEOPLE ARE GIVING YOU CREDIT FOR.
>> I'VE GIVEN HER A LOT OF CREDIT EDDY. [LAUGHTER]
>> YEAH, WE GIVE YOU A LOT OF CREDIT.
>> WE GIVE YOU A LOT OF CREDIT.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO ADD SOMETHING IF YOU PERMIT ME TO.
>> IT IS NOT UNCOMMON IN THE INDUSTRY THAT WE REGULATE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO STILL GO TO WORK SICK.
I MEAN, HAVE SYMPTOMS, KNOW THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS, BUT GO TO WORK ANYWAYS.
I CAN TELL YOU FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOK FOR WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR INSPECTIONS, AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT IT IS DEFINITELY NOT UNCOMMON TO WALK IN AND PEOPLE JUST DON'T LOOK WELL AND YOU SEND THEM HOME.
YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY SAY, "YOU DON'T LOOK WELL, ARE YOU FEELING WELL?", "NO, I'M NOT DOING FEELING VERY WELL." YOU NEED TO LEAVE.
EVEN IN DAYS OF COVID, I HELP OUT WITH CONTACT INVESTIGATION WITH CASIE'S GROUP ALL THE TIME, AND JUST ABOUT EVERYONE I GET INVOLVED WITH, SOMEBODY'S WORKED FOUR DAYS WHILE THEY WERE SICK.
IT IS AMAZING, IN THE DAY OF COVID.
BUT IT HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THINKING ABOUT,
[00:35:05]
KIND OF ECHOING BACK TO WHAT CASIE SAID, IF WE HAVE PEOPLE WEARING MASKS AND WEARING THEM APPROPRIATELY, THAT RISK, IT JUST DROPS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR.BUT THE POINT IS IS THAT, PEOPLE DON'T DO THAT AND THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT, AND WE'RE HAVING THAT SPREAD WITHIN THOSE FACILITIES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MAKING A BAD DECISION TO GO TO WORK WHILE THEY'RE ILL. YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY COMMON SENSE AND WOULD BE ABLE TO CATCH IT RIGHT OFF THE BAT, WE'RE JUST NOT.
IT'S JUST BASIC HUMAN BEHAVIOR, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE MONEY AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THOSE BAD CHOICES EVERYDAY.
>> WELL, WE DON'T HAVE STRONG SICK LEAVE POLICIES, FAMILIES ARE SINGLE MOMS, LIKE WE JUST HAVE LOTS OF INEQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND IN OUR COUNTRY.
SO WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE JUST HAVE TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES, AND IT'S REALLY HARD.
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON.
THAT EXAMPLE EDDY IS LIKE, I CONSIDERED THAT IS SYMPTOMATIC.
SOMEONE WHO HAS A FEVER, THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT, BUT IT WAS DISPLAYED SOMEHOW.
THE TEMPERATURE CHECKS THAT BUSINESSES ARE DOING WOULD EXPOSE IT EVEN IF THAT PERSON FELT.
WELL, I DON'T PUT THEM IN THE ASYMPTOMATIC CATEGORY, I DO PUT THEM IN THE CATEGORY THAT THEY'RE SICK AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT.
>> THEY GO TO A CHURCH AND THEY'RE NOT TAKING TEMPERATURE AT CHURCH?
>> THEY THINK THEY'RE ASYMPTOMATIC, BUT THEY'RE NOT.
>> THEN AND TO BE SURE, AS WE CIRCLE BACK AROUND THAT WE'RE THINKING TO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
RIGHT NOW, BUSINESSES REQUIRING THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES TO WEAR A MASK IS DIFFERENT THAN, THERE'S REALLY EVEN THREE CATEGORIES.
BUSINESSES REQUIRING THEIR OWN CUSTOMERS TO WEAR A MASK, THEY HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT NOW.
BUSINESSES CAN REQUIRE THEIR EMPLOYEES, THEY CAN REQUIRE THEIR CUSTOMERS, AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A THIRD LANE OF WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING ARE MAKING THOSE MANDATORY AS WELL.
SO JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THERE, AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT [INAUDIBLE].
>> WELL, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
I WANT TO HEAR THOSE QUESTIONS, I WANT TO HEAR YOUR INSIGHTS ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE WE'RE GOING NEXT, AS SOON AS WE ARE DONE ASKING QUESTIONS TO CASIE.
SO MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST TRANSITION TO THE NEXT PART OF THE MEETING AND CASIE ANTHONY, KEVIN, YOU ARE ALL HANGING AROUND IN CASE.
I THINK ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT JOBS OUT OF TODAY AND OUT OF THIS MEETING IS TO CLARIFY WHAT WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO OUR CITY.
WHEN YOU READ THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER, HE'S INTENDING TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR, BUT IT'S JUST HARD THE WAY THINGS ARE CHANGING QUICKLY AND THEY PUT THESE ORDERS TOGETHER AND THEY STACK ON TOP OF EACH OTHER.
AS A LAWYER, I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, DON'T DO A CAUSAL, DO A BRAND NEW WILL BECAUSE IT'S LESS CONFUSING.
SO WHAT WE HAVE OUT THERE IS THE GOVERNOR SAYING PEOPLE SHOULD NOT GATHER IN GROUPS LARGER THAN 10.
THEN HE ALSO SAYS IN HIS ORDER, "GATHERINGS OF A 100 PEOPLE OR MORE ARE PROHIBITED." SO THAT SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT ACTUALLY THERE IS ROOM FOR THERE TO BE A GATHERING BETWEEN THE SIZE OF 10 AND 100, THAT'S A GRAY AREA FOR ME AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE REALLY HAVE GOT ON THAT OTHER THAN WHAT HE HAS SAID IN THE OPEN TEXAS GUIDELINES OF RESTAURANTS AT 50 PERCENT, IT'S GIVING THE 50 PERCENT MARK AND MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THAT GRAY AREA IS FOR.
NOW, EVENTS OVER A 100 PEOPLE OUTDOORS, HE IS NOW GIVING THE AUTHORITY BACK TO US AS LOCAL OFFICIALS TO APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO DO THOSE EVENTS.
STEPHANIE, DO YOU MIND PUTTING THE FLOW CHART UP AND LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT IT.
I THINK WE AS A CITY, AND I HOPE WE AS A COUNCIL WILL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE INTERPRET THE ORDERS TO SAY SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT STAFF WILL BE SAYING TO CITIZENS WHO CALL AND HAVE QUESTIONS.
BUT STEPHANIE IS SHARING HER SCREEN TO SHOW YOU
[2. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER AN AMENDMENT TO THE MAYOR’S DECLARATION OF DISASTER OR OTHER ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS RELATED TO COVID-19 AND EXECUTIVE ORDER GA-28.]
A FLOWCHART THAT COMMUNICATIONS HAS PUT TOGETHER JUST THIS AFTERNOON.JESSE NELSON DOES AN AMAZING JOB AND HEAVEN AND STEPHANIE AND CASIE AND ALL THE FOLKS WHO WORKED TO PUT THE INFORMATION DOWN SO JESSE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT ACCURATELY.
>> IF YOU'LL CONFIRM THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR ME.
[00:40:02]
I HAD JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY THERE.>> THANK YOU. SO IF YOU START IN THAT TOP CORNER, IS YOUR EVENT.
THIS IS JUST A FLOWCHART THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE AT A GLANCE KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH AN EVENT THAT'S AN OUTDOOR GATHERING OVER A 100 PEOPLE.
IS YOUR EVENT AUTHORIZED IN GA 28, AND THERE'S THE SHORTLIST THERE OF WHAT'S AUTHORIZED AND AT WHAT PERCENT.
SO IF YOU'RE A WEDDING, A FUNERAL, A CHURCH, YOU'RE COVERED IN RELIGIOUS SERVICES AND YOU CAN DO THAT AT A 100 PERCENT ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT.
SO THIS JUST GIVES PEOPLE A VERY QUICK SUMMARY OF WHAT EVENTS THE GOVERNOR HAS AUTHORIZED.
IF HE'S AUTHORIZED YOUR EVENT, YES, THEN YOUR NEXT STEP IS TO FOLLOW THE OPEN TEXAS REQUIREMENTS, AND THOSE ARE PHYSICAL DISTANCING, EXTRA HAND WASHING, RECOMMENDED MASKS, AND IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE OPEN TEXAS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR TYPE OF EVENT, THEN YES, YOUR EVENT IS APPROVED BY THE STATE AND CITY APPROVAL IS NOT REQUIRED.
IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE OPEN TEXAS, THEN THE EVENT IS NOT APPROVED BY THE STATE AND YOU SHOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
ANY QUESTIONS DOWN THAT DECISION TRAIL?
>> MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED WEDDINGS AND I THOUGHT I SAW IN ONE OF THE THINGS I READ TODAY THAT THEY DIDN'T FALL UNDER RELIGIOUS.
SO IF STACK CAN JUST CLARIFY THAT ONE.
>> YEAH, RIGHT. WE DID DISCUSS THAT, BUT KEVIN, WILL YOU CHECK THAT ONE MORE TIME FOR US?
>> THANK YOU ELAINE FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
>> YES, MA'AM. WE'LL REVIEW THAT.
IT WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT IN GA 28, BUT MAY HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT IN PREVIOUS ORDERS.
>> NO, WEDDING VENUES AND RECEPTION SERVICES, 50 PERCENT, 100 PERCENT ABOUT BORES.
>> THANK YOU, EDDY. SO THERE'S AN EXTRA LIST AND EVEN MORE THOROUGH LIST OF WHAT PHASE THREE BROUGHT US TO IN GA 26.
STEPHANIE, IF YOU DON'T MIND THOUGH, GOING BACK TO THE FLOW CHART.
IF YOUR EVENT IS NOT AUTHORIZED IN GA 28, THAT'S WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO FALL INTO THIS NEW THING THAT THE GOVERNOR PUT OUT TODAY.
SO YOUR EVENT IS NOT AUTHORIZED, THAT MEANS YOU MOVE OVER AND YOU FIRST HAVE TO AGREE TO FOLLOW THE OPEN TEXAS REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS SIX FOOT PHYSICAL DISTANCING, ALL THE EXTRA SANITATION REQUIREMENTS, MASKS RECOMMENDED, AND IF YOU'RE WILLING TO FOLLOW THOSE OPEN TEXAS AND YOU HAVE A PLAN TO FOLLOW THOSE OPEN TEXAS, THEN YOU CAN DROP DOWN TO YES.
IF YOUR EVENT IS OVER A 100 PEOPLE, THEN YOU'VE GOT TO MEET SOME ADDITIONAL CITY REQUIREMENTS.
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THAT, THEN YOU NEED TO CONTACT THAT PHONE NUMBER THERE, (378)-9472 TO GET YOUR EVENT APPROVED AND TO TALK THROUGH YOUR ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
THE TRICK IS THAT EVERYBODY'S EVENT IS DIFFERENT.
SO YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THESE ARE THE REQUIREMENTS, MEET THEM AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW BIG YOUR SPACE IS, IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE OVER A 100 YOU ARE IN THAT SPACE.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOUR PLAN IS FOR PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
DO YOU HAVE AN ENCLOSED AREA WHERE YOU CAN CONTROL HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING TO YOUR EVENT, OR IS IT JUST WIDE OPEN AND YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY WAY OF KNOWING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING TO YOUR EVENT? THERE'S JUST A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED.
SO THAT'S HOW YOU WILL END UP THROUGH YOUR DECISION CHART AT GETTING THE CITY'S APPROVAL FOR AN OUTDOOR GATHERING OVER A 100 PEOPLE.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK ON WHAT SOME OF THOSE CONSIDERATIONS FOR APPROVAL SHOULD BE HERE IN A MOMENT, BUT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FLOWCHART? DO YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD COMMUNICATION TOOL? DO YOU SEE ANY WAY TO IMPROVE IT AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL?
>> MAYOR, ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY, WE PUT THIS TOGETHER VERY QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON, BUT IF YOUR EVENT REQUIRES PERMITTING THROUGH THE CITY AS A SPECIAL EVENT OR INVOLVES LEASING CITY PARK SPACE, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES,
[00:45:01]
THEN YOU MUST MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS TOO.THERE IS NO CIRCUMVENTING THOSE TYPES OF REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO AN EVENT.
THIS IS MORE STRICTLY APPLIED TO THE RESTRICTIONS THAT MIGHT BE ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19.
>> SO WE MIGHT NEED TO UPDATE IT SOMEWHERE IN THAT MEET CITY REQUIREMENTS AREA.
ALSO, YOU'RE HAVING A BLOCK PARTY, YOU STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCEDURE TO CLOSE STREETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> SO MAYOR, IS THIS GOING TO BE A STAFF UNDER THE FOLLOW-UP IN TEXAS WHERE YOU COME DOWN TO MEETING YOUR REQUIREMENTS AND THEN CONSIDERED FOR APPROVAL? WHO DOES THAT FALL TO?
>> IT FALLS UNDER THE ORDER DOING BY COUNTING JUDGE OR THE MAYOR.
SO WHAT WE PLAN TO DO THOUGH IS TO MAKE A SET GROUP OF PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS THAT STAFF WILL FOLLOW, THAT IF YOU FALL INSIDE THOSE REQUIREMENTS, STAFF CAN APPROVE YOUR EVENT.
IF YOU DON'T FALL WITHIN THOSE REQUIREMENTS AND STILL ONE OF YOUR FORWARD WITH YOUR EVENT, THEN THE MAYOR HAS TO LOOK AT IT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] BASED ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING, HE HAVE VERY CLEAR GUIDES FOR THE COUNCIL AND STAFF TO HANDLE THAT BASED ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING RIGHT NOW.
>> LET'S GIVE STAFF SOME FEEDBACK ON WHAT TYPE OF CRITERIA WE WANT TO USE IN APPROVING THOSE OUTDOOR EVENTS WITH OVER A 100 PEOPLE.
SO ESSENTIALLY, WHERE WE ARE ON THIS FLOWCHART NOW IS THEY'VE MET THE CITY REQUIREMENTS OR THEY'RE WILLING TO, SO SAY YES, AND WE'VE MOVED DOWN TO THAT BOX WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERED FOR APPROVAL.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WANT TO CONSIDER? AGAIN, ASK CASIE TO PULL INFORMATION ON WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING WITH MASKS.
AMARILLO HAS TENDED TO BE TWO TO THREE WEEKS BEHIND THE REST OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE WHOLE TIME WE'VE BEEN DOING POKER.
OUR NUMBERS, OUR SPIKES, OUR POSITIVE TESTING TENDS TO RUN TO THE THREE WEEKS BEHIND THE REST OF THE STATE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS, BUT WE SHOULD USE THAT LEARNING CURVE TO TRY AND GET OUT IN FRONT OF IT BETTER NEXT TIME.
I KNOW THAT MASKS HAVE BECOME POLITICAL STATEMENTS AND THERE ARE CONTROVERSIAL, AND THOSE WHO FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT WEARING THEM FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT WEARING THEM.
THOSE WHO FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT NOT WEARING THEM FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT NOT WEARING THEM.
BUT IN MY MIND, AND I DON'T USUALLY GO FIRST AND SHARE MY IDEAS, BUT I'M GOING TO TONIGHT, AND THEN I WANT TO ASK YOU ALL TO WEIGH IN ON THEM.
IN MY MIND, WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO THE CITY TO ASK FOR PERMISSION TO DO AN OUTDOOR GATHERING OF OVER A 100 PEOPLE, BASED ON WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH THE GOVERNORS ORDERS, IF THEY PERFECTLY SOCIAL DISTANCED, IT'S OUTDOORS, AND WE SHOULD JUST BE ABLE TO ABIDE BY THAT REQUIREMENT, SOCIAL DISTANCED, OUTDOORS.
THE EVENTS THAT I HAVE ATTENDED ARE NOWHERE CLOSE TO PERFECTLY IMPLEMENTING, EVEN WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS, PERFECT IMPLEMENTATION AT SOCIAL DISTANCING IS NOT HAPPENING.
PEOPLE ARE HUGGING, PEOPLE ARE JUST MOVING INTO EACH OTHER SPACES.
MY INCLINATION IS TO CREATE A BELT AND SUSPENDERS APPROACH TO DOING OUTDOOR GATHERINGS WITH OVER 100 PEOPLE.
THAT WOULD BE, ASK FOR A PLAN THAT IMPLEMENTS SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND THEN PUT THE SUSPENDERS ON THAT PLAN BY SAYING, "WEAR A MASK." THE OTHER OPTION IS TO SAY NO, THE OUTDOOR GATHERINGS OVER 100 PEOPLE.
WE'D SAY NO TO COMMUNITY MARKET, WE WOULD SAY NO TO FUN RUNS, AND WE WOULD SAY NO TO BLOCK PARTIES.
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE OUTDOORS, THEY ARE I THINK PART OF WHAT'S CAUSING THIS SPREAD ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE THINGS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED IN GA28.
SO THIS IS NOT GOING TO TOUCH AN ADULT RECREATIONAL SPORT PROGRAM, THIS IS NOT GOING TO TOUCH THE SOD POODLES, THIS IS NOT GOING TO TOUCH ANYTHING IN THAT LIST.
[00:50:03]
THIS IS JUST GOING TO TOUCH WHAT THE ROUGHLY, ANTHONY DO YOU THINK 10 EVENTS IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS?>> I CAN GIVE YOU A REAL NUMBER.
GIVE ME JUST ONE SECOND AS I LOOK AT THAT.
TEN, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT NUMBER. YES MA'AM.
>> JUST GETTING US THROUGH THIS NEXT SHORT PERIOD OF TRYING TO FLATTEN OUR SECOND WAVE, I WOULD BE INCLINED TO STILL ALLOW THESE GATHERINGS IF THEY CAN MEET SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS, AND IF MASKS WERE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO AS A BELT AND SUSPENDERS APPROACH, KEEP ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE FROM SPREADING IN A CROWD WHEN THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE SICK.
NOW, OTHER CITIES HAVE GONE FURTHER THAN THAT.
I THINK OUR SISTER CITY LUBBOCK TODAY IMPLEMENTED A CITYWIDE MANDATORY MASK POLICY.
EVEN THOUGH THEY CANNOT ENFORCE IT, THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR SECOND WAVE HAS COME ON SO STRONG THAT THEY NEEDED TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THEIR CITIZENS.
SO THEIR COUNSEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR, THEY HAVE A CITIZEN'S TASK FORCE THAT IT IS REOPENING LUBBOCK.
RECOMMENDED A MANDATORY MASK POLICY, NOT JUST IN BUSINESSES, BUT CITYWIDE.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT ONE JUST A LITTLE BIT?
>> TODAY, I WAS NOT IN MY OFFICE AND I HAD SEVERAL ERRANDS TO RUN.
SO I WAS IN PROBABLY FOUR DIFFERENT PLACES, AND THEY WERE ALL COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES, AND THIS IS WHAT I SAW.
I SAW IN ALL FOUR PLACES, EVERY EMPLOYEE, I SHOULDN'T SAY EVERY, I'LL SAY 75 PERCENT OF THE EMPLOYEES HAD MASKS ON.
I WOULD SAY THAT MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH THE ENCLOSED STORES, HAD MASKS ON.
I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR US TO DO THAT, BUT I THINK I SEE AMARILLO SOMETIMES ACTING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
WHAT I SAW TODAY IN THE PLACES WHERE I WAS AT, I FELT GOOD ABOUT BEING IN THAT FACILITY BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING, AND WERE WEARING A MASK AND WERE FOLLOWING THAT.
NOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL PLACES THAT I HAVE BEEN AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO WHERE THOSE PLACES WERE, THAT NEITHER THE PEOPLE COMING INTO THE STORE NOR THE PEOPLE WORKING AT THE STORE WERE WEARING A MASK.
I'D RATHER I SEE, INSTEAD OF MAKING IT A MANDATE TO WEAR THEM, TO CONTINUE TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO WEAR THEM.
I FELT LIKE TODAY THAT I SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN HEARING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE REST OF THE STATE THAT ARE GOING, "OKAY, THIS SECOND WAVE, IT COULD BE SERIOUS AND I NEED TO DO MY PART." SO I'M GOING TO BE MORE OF THE ONE THAT INSTEAD OF MANDATING IT, I'M GOING TO SAY WE JUST CONTINUE TO STRONGLY PUSH THAT THEY WEAR MASKS, AND THAT'S EVEN [INAUDIBLE] FROM DOING WHAT I DO.
>> IS THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF BUSINESS OWNERS, INDOOR BUSINESSES EDDY?
>> ONE THING THAT I THINK THAT I WOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER BASED UPON WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY OWN PRACTICE IS, I WOULD MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF ACCESSES TO WHATEVER THIS OUTDOOR IS.
I WOULDN'T LET PEOPLE, IT WOULDN'T BE LIKE AN OPEN FIELD AND EVERYBODY CAN COME ALL THE WAY AROUND FROM, I THINK YOU SHOULD SHEPHERD PEOPLE THROUGH A GIVEN NUMBER OF ACCESSES, AND I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD TAKE TEMPERATURES.
>> YOU THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR TEMPERATURE TAKEN TO GO TO COMMUNITY MARKET?
>> ABSOLUTELY. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT DO WALK AROUND AND THINK, "OH, I REALLY DON'T HAVE A TEMPERATURE," AND THEY GO SOMEPLACE AND THEY DO HAVE A TEMPERATURE, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE CARRYING SOMETHING, IT MIGHT NOT BE COVID, BUT THEY'RE CARRYING SOME INFECTION WITHIN THEIR BODY, AND I THINK IT'S VALID.
[00:55:04]
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
>> WHILE YOU'VE BROUGHT UP COMMUNITY MARKET, THAT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OR MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS.
SO THEY FALL IN THIS CATEGORY?
>> COMMUNITY MARKET FALLS IN THIS CATEGORY OF THINGS THAT THE CITY CAN REGULATE OUTDOOR EVENTS OVER A 100 THAT THE CITY HAS AUTHORITY OVER.
>> OKAY. COULD ANTHONY GIVE US SOME OF THE SPECIFICS OF THOSE OTHER GROUPS, IN THE NEXT 20-30 DAYS OF, WHO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE, WHAT TYPE OF AN EVENT IT IS.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED FUN RUN AS AN EXAMPLE.
I THINK THAT WAS EXCLUDED AS AN EXERCISE EVENT, SO THAT'S ALREADY EXEMPT.
SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO FALL UNDER, IF SOMEONE HAS SCHEDULED AN OUTDOOR PHYSICAL EXERCISE EVENT, THEY WOULD BE IN THE AUTHORIZED GROUP, RIGHT?
>> AS FAR AS THE OTHER EVENTS, YOU HAVE KENYAN FARMERS MARKET.
SO I KNOW THAT IN MOST CITY COUNCIL PURVIEW, WE DO STILL REGULATE THAT AS OUR HEALTH DISTRICT.
SO KENYAN FARMERS MARKET, AMARILLO COMMUNITY MARKET, MUSIC IN THE GARDEN, STARLIGHT THEATER AND STARLIGHT CINEMA, YOU HAVE THE WILL ROGERS RANGE RIDERS RODEO, AND IS A MULTI-DAY EVENT.
BLOCK PARTIES, PEDDLER SHOW, BUT I THINK THAT'S INDOORS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
YOU HAVE UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY WATER BASH, AND THEN YOU HAVE A 5K, BUT THAT WOULD BE AN EXERCISE AS WELL.
SO THE ONES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED, UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY WATER BASH, BLOCK PARTIES, RANGE RODEOS, STARLIGHT THEATER, MUSIC IN THE GARDENS, AMARILLO COMMUNITY MARKET, KENYANS FARMERS MARKET. EACH ONE OF THOSE [OVERLAPPING].
>> ONE CLARIFICATION ALSO IS THAT FUN RUNS AND THE LIKE, THOSE ARE STILL PERMITTED BY THE CITY, AND I BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE AUTHORITY TO PLACE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS ON THEM, UNDER THIS.
THE WAY THAT THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER WORDS IT, IS YOUTH AND ADULT RECREATIONAL SPORTS PROGRAMS. SO THINGS LIKE ADULT SOFTBALL OR VOLLEYBALL WOULD BE EXEMPTED FROM OR WOULD BE ALLOWED UNDER GA28.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT DOES CERTAINLY EXTENDS TO THINGS LIKE A FUN RUN THAT IS PERMITTED AND RUN ON CITY STREETS AND THE LIKE.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT, IF WE WERE TO PUT ANY RESTRICTIONS ON IT, OBVIOUSLY THE RUNNERS, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE EVENT, THAT WOULD NOT BE AS SAFE PRACTICE TO HAVE THEM WEAR A MASK.
BUT THE SPECTATORS, THE WORKERS OF THE EVENT, IT WOULD BE VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO HAVE PROTECTIVE MEASURES IN PLACE.
SO JUST A LITTLE CLARIFICATION ON THAT, AND SOME OF THAT IS VERY DYNAMIC, AND THERE'S NOT CLEAR ANSWERS.
WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO EVALUATE AND ANALYZE WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S RULES AND INTENTS ARE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU KELVIN.
>> MANY COMMENTS, I GUESS ELAINE HAD ESTABLISHED, YOU DID GOOD JOB OF SUMMARIZING ALL THE OTHERS.
[NOISE] THERE IS SEVERAL LANES HERE TO TALK ABOUT, THAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON.
ONE IS THE, THESE EVENTS OVER 100 OUTDOORS.
GIVE ME SOME FEEDBACK ON WHAT RESTRICTIONS, OR GUIDELINES, OR ENCOURAGEMENTS FOR BEHAVIOR WE SHOULD PUT ON PEOPLE HAVING THOSE EVENTS.
THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER SAYS, "EVENTS OVER A 100 PEOPLE ARE PROHIBITED, UNLESS WE SAY ITS SAFE." WHAT DO YOU ALL THINKING ABOUT THAT? I HEARD EDDY SAY TAKE TEMPERATURES.
>> I HADN'T THOUGHT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF TAKING TEMPERATURES,
[01:00:01]
BUT BETWEEN REQUIRING PEOPLE TO WEAR A MASK VERSUS HAVING STATIONS WHERE FOR ACCESS PEOPLE TEST THEIR TEMPERATURE THAT SEEMS TO ME MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE.THE THING WITH REQUIRING EVERYBODY TO WEAR A MASK, THERE'S JUST A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE THERE WHO DON'T NEED TO BE WEARING ONE.
WHETHER THEY WOULD KNOW THEY HAD A SYMPTOM OR DIDN'T, THE TEMPERATURE IS A WAY OF SEPARATING THAT OUT.
THE OTHER THING WITH MASKS IS IT'S COMICAL AND YET IT'S ODD IN THAT SOMETIMES THE JOKER LIKE THE CHIN MASK.
IT'S LIKE PEOPLE ARE WEARING THEM BUT THEY DON'T WEAR THEM PROPERLY.
IT'S UNDER THE NOSE OR IS DOWN AT THE CHIN, OR THEY HAVE THEM ON AND THEN THEY PULL THEM DOWN TO TALK.
IT'S LIKE YOU MIGHT BE REQUIRING EVERYBODY TO COME THROUGH A GATE WITH A MASK, BUT I DON'T THINK IT NECESSARILY MADE PEOPLE SAFER.
MAYBE A SENSE OF FEELING SAFER, BUT I DON'T KNOW SCIENTIFICALLY THAT HEALTH-WISE BETWEEN THE TWO TAKING PEOPLE'S TEMPERATURE AND WEARING THE MASK.
SOME PEOPLE MAY BE SAYING LET'S DO BOTH BUT IF I WERE LOOKING AT WHICH BETWEEN THOSE TWO I THOUGHT WAS MORE EFFECTIVE IN IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT POTENTIALLY BE SPREADING THE VIRUS, I WOULD SAY THE TEMPERATURE OVER THE MASK.
>> OKAY MAYOR, I WAS STRUGGLING EARLIER TO TAKE MYSELF OFF OF MUTE.
I KNOW NOBODY REALLY HAS THAT PROBLEM, RIGHT?
>> [LAUGHTER] YEAH BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN READY.
OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, ONCE AGAIN, LET'S FOCUS ON COMMON SENSE AND LET'S FOCUS ON DOING THE RIGHT THING.
SOME PEOPLE NEED A REASON TO WASH THEIR HANDS OFTEN, TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND THEN ALSO TO WEAR A MASK.
IF YOU'RE BEING OUT IN THE CROWD, RIGHT NOW, ALL OF US COULD BE EXPOSED TO THE VIRUS AND SO THAT WOULD CAUSE US TO HAVE TO SELF-QUARANTINE FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS TO BE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE COVID-19 AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER THREE DAYS.
SECOND, WE COULD BE FACING A SITUATION IN AMARILLO WHERE A HOSPITAL BED WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE IF WE NEEDED ONE.
THIRD, WEARING A MASK NOT ONLY SAVES MY LIFE, BUT IT'S GOING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE AND IT'S GOING TO SAVE OUR LOVED ONE.
BUT WE DO HAVE TO BE THE EXAMPLE FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE.
COVID-19 IS A REALLY BAD DISEASE FOR A LOT OF US, NOT ONLY COULD IT POTENTIALLY KILL US, BUT IT CAN HAVE LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS AS WELL.
THERE'S CONSEQUENCES TO WEARING A MASK OR NOT WEARING A MASK OR WASHING YOUR HANDS, NOT WASHING YOUR HANDS, SOCIAL DISTANCE, NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING.
[NOISE] I WOULD THINK THAT IF THE DECISION IS GOING TO BE ON US LOCALLY AS MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR GATHERINGS OF OVER 100 OUTDOOR GATHERING THAT IS THEN WE NEED TO, I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO MANDATE IT, BUT I REALLY WANT STRONGLY ENCOURAGE, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE OUTDOORS WITH THAT MANY PEOPLE THAT WE DO NEED TO WEAR A MASK.
TRY TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AS MUCH AS WE CAN BUT I REALLY DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING BEING IN THAT TYPE OF CROWD BECAUSE MY OTHER CONCERN IS THAT YOU ALWAYS RUN THE RISK OF SOMEBODY SNEEZING OR COUGHING AND YOU GET CLOSE TO THEM AND YOU DON'T HAVE A MASK ON AND THEN WHAT? I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE NOWADAYS BECAUSE OF COVID-19, IF SOMEBODY SNEEZES OR COUGHS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE THROWING A GRENADE FOR SOME OF US AND WE WANT TO DROP DOWN AND HIT THE GROUND, SO TO SPEAK, JUST TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF IT.
BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO MANDATE IT, BUT I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE FUNCTIONS OUTDOORS, THEN WE NEED TO STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE WEARING OF MASKS.
WHO'S EVER IN CHARGE OF THOSE EVENTS WOULD BASICALLY HAVE TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, I KNOW IT'S A CATCH-22 BECAUSE IF WE DON'T MANDATE IT, THEN WE KNOW HALF THE PEOPLE WILL WEAR THE MASKS AND HALF WON'T.
[01:05:01]
>> WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH WHAT EDDY SAW TODAY IN THE CITY.
>> EXACTLY AND TAKING TEMPERATURES, YOU'VE GOT 1,000 PEOPLE COMING TO AN EVENT SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE PEOPLE AT EVERY ENTRANCE OR YOU'VE GOT TO PUT UP A FENCE OR SOMETHING TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CONTROL TO HAVE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH A GATE SO YOU CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CAPTURING ALL OF THOSE TEMPERATURE [OVERLAPPING].
I DON'T KNOW. IT'S A TOUGH DECISION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT HERE IN A FEW MINUTES.
THIS IS REALLY COUNCIL'S DISCUSSION, BUT I FEEL COMPELLED TO OFFER SOME OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE THROUGH THE COURSE OF OUR RESPONSE TO COVID WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STATE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOCKPILE MASKS.
WHILE THE STATE HAS PROMISED CONTACTLESS THERMOMETERS FOR TEMPERATURE CHECKS, WE DO NOT HAVE IT IN OUR STOCKPILES.
THERE IS A DISTINCT LIMITATION OF WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO AS FAR AS SUPPORTING PROTECTIVE ACTIONS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS OR UNIQUE FACILITIES THAT WOULD BE CONDUCTING ACTIVITIES.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THOSE RESOURCES DON'T EXIST IN THE COMMUNITY BUT IN LOOKING AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT LOGISTICALLY THE CITY CAN SUPPORT, WE CAN SUPPORT THE USAGE OF MASKS.
WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE USAGE OF THERMOMETERS UNLESS A ENTITY ALREADY HAS THOSE IN PLACE.
IN ADDITION, ONE OF OUR CONCERNS IS A NUMBER OF THESE EVENTS ARE IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE STARLIGHT THEATERS, THE STARLIGHT MOVIE SERIES, THOSE EVENTS, THERE'S REALLY NO WAY FOR US TO CONTROL ACCESS TO THE PARK WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT DEPLOYMENT OF FENCING AND OTHER MATERIALS IN ORDER TO CREATE ENTRANCES AND THOSE ARE RESOURCES WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE AVAILABLE TO US TODAY.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE COULDN'T CONTRACT IT BUT THEN THAT COMES AT A COST IN ORDER TO CONTROL ACCESS TO THOSE FACILITIES.
FACILITIES SUCH AS THE CIVIC CENTER AND OTHER AREAS, WE HAVE A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY AND OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US.
BUT THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER OR YOU SHOULD CONSIDER AS PART OF THE OVERALL FRAMEWORK FOR DECISION MAKING.
HOWARD, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
>> WELL, IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE AND I'M NOT SURE IT'LL BE CLEAR CUT.
I THINK I LEAN TOWARDS A STRONG ENCOURAGEMENT TO WEAR A MASK, AND OF COURSE, WHETHER WE GET 20 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE DOING IT OR NOT.
I THINK ONE THING I'D SAY, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT, AND I WANT THE CITY MANAGER TO COME IN ON THIS, BUT WE ALL ON THE COUNCIL PROBABLY RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM A PERSON WHO GOT A SPEEDING TICKET AND THEY WERE TWO FEET FROM A POLICEMAN THAT DIDN'T HAVE A MASK.
I DON'T THINK POLICEMEN, IF THEY'RE WORKING IN AN OFFICE, THEY DON'T NEED TO WEAR A MASK, BUT IF THEY'RE WITH CUSTOMERS IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY NEED TO WEAR IT THEN.
>> [OVERLAPPING] [INAUDIBLE] POLICY ON CITY [INAUDIBLE]. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE HAVE MODIFIED THAT POLICY DURING THE LAST WEEK IN RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNOR'S INITIAL COMMENTS EARLIER THIS WEEK.
CHIEF BIRKENFELD HAS PUT OUT TO ALL OFFICERS, THEY WILL WEAR MASKS WHEN THEY ARE INTERACTING WITH CITIZENS OR WITH OTHER OFFICERS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE THEIR JUDGMENT ON GLOVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SANITIZE PENS, AND TICKET-WRITING DEVICES, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ARE TAKING EVERY APPROPRIATE STEP WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PROTECTING THEMSELVES AND PROTECTING THE CITIZENS THAT THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
WE HAVE MODIFIED THAT THIS WEEK TO PUT IN AS PROTECTIVE POLICIES TO BE AS PROTECTIVE AS WE CAN POSSIBLY BE.
[01:10:01]
I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH US SETTING THE EXAMPLE.
>> I KNOW THE MAYOR WEARS A MASK AND I'M TRYING TO WEAR A MASK.
I JUST VISITED A FUNERAL HOME THIS AFTERNOON, I WORE A MASK AND OTHER PEOPLE THERE DID.
I THINK TO MAKE IT MANDATORY, AND IF YOU MAKE IT MANDATORY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE WRITING A LOT OF TICKETS.
>> WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
FOR INSTANCE, THE CITY OF LUBBOCK HAS GONE BEYOND WHAT THE GOVERNOR AUTHORIZES THEM TO DO.
THEY'VE DONE THAT KNOWING THEY CAN'T WRITE TICKETS, THEY CAN'T ENFORCE IT.
THEY'RE USING IT AS A TOOL TO ENCOURAGE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO FALL UNDER AUTHORITY AND TRUST AUTHORITY TO ADVISE THEM ON WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
THEY'RE TRYING TO MOTIVATE THOSE PEOPLE OUT OF WEARING THEIR MASKS 50 PERCENT OF THE TIME TO WEARING THEM 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME.
THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR, NO ONE IS GOING TO JAIL FOR NOT WEARING A MASK.
HIS ORDERS DO HAVE FINES ATTACHED TO THEM, BUT A CITY-WIDE MASK ORDER WOULD NOT BE ENFORCEABLE, IT WOULD SIMPLY BE A COMMUNICATION TOOL.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THIS GROUPS OVER 100 AND WHAT I'M HEARING THE FOUR OF YOU SAY IS, CONTROL THE ACCESS SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE SURE YOU STAY WITH YOUR SOCIAL DISTANCING PLAN SO YOU DON'T HAVE 1,000 PEOPLE IN A SPACE THAT'S ONLY, SAY, FOR 200.
TAKE TEMPERATURES AT THE ENTRANCE POINTS.
I'M LISTENING TO KEVIN SAY THAT TEMPERATURE THERMOMETERS ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SUPPORT, WE DON'T HAVE THEM.
SO WE COULD HELP YOU WITH MASKS, BUT WE CAN'T HELP YOU WITH THERMOMETERS.
PERHAPS IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT IF YOU CAN TAKE TEMPERATURES, THEN MASKS ARE RECOMMENDED.
IF YOU CAN'T TAKE TEMPERATURES, THEN YOU NEED TO GO THE NEXT STEP AND REQUIRE MASKS.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
>> CASIE, I'M REALLY GLAD YOU SIGNED ON BECAUSE IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT WHERE IS OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE TWO WEEKS FROM NOW.
WHAT STINKS ABOUT THAT IS WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY THAT IS SOMEWHAT OF A GUESS BASED ON WHAT WE'VE LEARNED OF THE PATTERN OF THIS DISEASE OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF IT BEING IN OUR CITY, WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY AND GUESS WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CITY.
INACTION MAY MEAN ANOTHER SPIKE THAT AFFECTS HOSPITAL CAPACITY AND MEDICAL TREATMENT AVAILABILITY.
[OVERLAPPING] LET ME FINISH THIS THOUGHT, CASIE.
CHOOSING TO DO SOMETHING WILL MAKE PEOPLE MAD BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO WEAR MASKS.
THERE'S NO EASY CHOICE HERE, COUNCIL.
THANK YOU, CASIE, FOR LETTING ME FINISH THAT THOUGHT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE FOUND IS ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE PATIENTS, MAYBE A LITTLE LESS, HAVE ACTIVE FEVER.
WE HAVE FEVER IN PROBABLY HALF OR A LITTLE LESS THAN HALF.
WE HAVE COUGHING, WE HAVE SORE THROAT, WE HAVE SNEEZING, WE HAVE GASTROINTESTINAL DIARRHEA, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE LOSS OF TASTE AND SMELL.
WE HAVE, AGAIN, JUST A WIDE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS. SO IF YOU USE FEVER AS YOUR ONLY INDICATOR, YOU WILL MISS ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF THE CASES.
I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO BE CRUDE, BUT HERE I AM AT PUBLIC HEALTH.
WE'VE SEEN THE MEME THAT GOES AROUND ABOUT PANTS.
[01:15:06]
IF EVERYBODY WEARS THEIR PANTS, NOBODY GETS WET.IF I WEAR MY MASK AND I'M SICK, AND YOU WEAR YOUR MASK AND YOU'RE WELL, THEN IT DROPS THAT CHANCE OF US SPREADING DISEASE DOWN TO ABOUT ONE-AND-A-HALF PERCENT, AS OPPOSED TO IF NOBODY WEARS THEIR MASK, THEN THAT'S A VERY HIGH RISK OF DISEASE.
WHILE MASKS CERTAINLY AREN'T COMFORTABLE, THEY ARE CERTAINLY LADEN WITH LOTS OF THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.
SCIENCE DOES TELL US THAT THEY ARE ONE OF THE VERY BEST WAYS THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID.
MASKS, SIX FEET OF SPREAD, STAYING HOME IF YOU'RE SICK, WASHING YOUR HANDS.
VERY SIMPLE METHODS OF PROTECTION AND PREVENTION.
AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE, BUT WHAT THEY DO SAY IS THAT I RESPECT YOU AND THAT YOU RESPECT ME.
ANY FINAL THOUGHTS ON OUTDOOR EVENTS? I THINK IT'S A NO-BRAINER [NOISE] TO ASK PEOPLE TO LIMIT THE ACCESS.
ACTUALLY, NOW THAT I'M SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT IT, MAYBE IT'S NOT.
IN MY MIND, YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT CRITERIA.
IF YOU DID ALL OF THEM, YOU WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE RISK AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
BUT LIKE WHAT ELAINE WAS SAYING, IS THAT IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO ASK PEOPLE TO DO ONE OR TWO OF THEM, SOME OF THEM ARE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN OTHERS.
I THOUGHT WHEN I WENT TO THE NAACP RALLY A FEW WEEKENDS AGO, THEY HAD SPRAYED ORANGE DOTS ON THE GRASS IN A GRID ALL ACROSS THAT PARK AREA IN FRONT OF THE STAGE, AND IT TOLD PEOPLE, IT REMINDED THEM, HEY, STAY ON YOUR SPOT, AND IT MEANS YOU'RE THE RIGHT DISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IN YOUR FAMILY WITH YOU.
I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY EFFECTIVE.
I EVEN ASKED CASIE THIS AFTERNOON, WE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE HAD CONTACT INVESTIGATIONS FROM SPREAD AT THAT EVENT.
SHE TOLD ME THEY HAVEN'T [NOISE] HAD ANY CASES FROM THAT EVENT.
USING TOOLS LIKE THAT TO ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL DISTANCING, IF YOU JUST DID THAT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A MASK, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE TEMPERATURES.
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE ACCESS POINTS, AS LONG AS THE SPACE YOU PICKED WAS MORE THAN BIG ENOUGH FOR THE CROWD YOU ANTICIPATED.
NONE OF US LIKE LIMITING FREEDOMS AND THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, IS WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.
>> WHAT ARE WE DOING IN CHURCHES?
>> WE HAVE NO SAY IN WHAT CHURCHES ARE DOING.
CHURCHES ARE MAKING THEIR OWN CHOICES BECAUSE THEY'RE GA28 APPROVED.
>> CHURCHES ARE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, AND ARE ALLOWED TO OPERATE AT 100 PERCENT WITH NO RESTRICTIONS.
NOW, THEY ALSO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO FOLLOW THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS, THE TEXAS ORDERS.
SO THAT DOES INCLUDE WEARING MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, ETC.
BUT WE DON'T REGULATE CHURCHES.
>> WE ARE BACK TO ONE OF THE ISSUES WE WERE DISCUSSING EARLIER, ON THE FACT THAT THE CITY IS IN A POSITION TO BE PROVIDING MASKS, WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION, AT LEAST AS OF TODAY.
WE DO HAVE FUNDING FOR THOSE THINGS.
THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS OF WHY THE CARES ACT, WHY WE STILL HAVE, WE COULD GET REIMBURSED FOR THAT.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, WHAT'S THE AVAILABILITY? WE DON'T HAVE THAT INVENTORY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED THIS, THIS WASN'T ON OUR RADAR.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE NECESSARILY BEEN THINKING IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE IT AS OPPOSED TO SOMEBODY WHO IS HOSTING AN EVENT.
IF I WERE HAVING AN EVENT, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE ON ME.
[01:20:03]
I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE CITY TRYING TO GET PURCHASES ON THAT, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT AS A REQUIREMENT.WHEN I THINK OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HANDING OUT A MASK AND PROVIDING THAT PROTECTION AS OPPOSED TO THEN, IT BEING MANDATORY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CHECKING, LOOKING AROUND TO BE SURE EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN.
THOSE ARE TOTALLY TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES, AND I DON'T LIKE SETTING MANDATES, EDICTS, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENFORCE.
I THINK IT STILL GOES BACK TO, I THINK WHAT'S MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE IS THE EDUCATION AND CONTINUING TO PUSH.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE EFFECTIVE, POSSIBLE REQUIREMENTS OF PEOPLE SIGNING, "I DON'T HAVE THOSE SYMPTOMS, I DON'T HAVE A COUGH, I DON'T HAVE A FEVER, OR I DON'T HAVE A HEADACHE," ALL THOSE THINGS, WHERE INDIVIDUALS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL.
BUT I STILL DO NOT LEAN TOWARDS MANDATORY MASK AT THOSE EVENTS OR EVENT-WISE OR CITY-WIDE.
>> WHAT ABOUT IN BUSINESSES? DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD REQUIRE BUSINESSES TO REQUIRE THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CUSTOMERS TO WEAR MASKS?
>> I BELIEVE THAT'S A BUSINESS OWNER'S DECISION AND HE IS GOING TO BE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS THAT PROTECT HIS EMPLOYEES, THAT PROTECT THEIR CUSTOMERS.
I THINK WE ARE SEEING A DECENT LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
I DO NOT THINK THAT IS THE CITY'S POSITION, I THINK IT'S THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS OWNERS.
FROM THE LIST THAT CASIE LISTED EARLIER OF WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE OUTBREAKS, IT'S NOT COMING FROM THOSE, THAT'S NOT THE CAUSE.
I DON'T WANT TO PUNISH THOSE ENTITIES AND PROCESSES THAT THAT'S NOT THE SOURCE OF WHERE OUR CURRENT SPREAD IS COMING FROM.
>> EDDY WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
>> WELL, I'M GOING TO COME BACK.
SO I UNDERSTAND AND I DO REALIZE, I'M GOING TO HIT THE TEMPERATURE THING ONE MORE TIME BUT THIS IS THE WAY THAT I'M GOING TO DO THAT.
IF WE GO THROUGH ALL THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS FOR COVID, THE ONLY SYMPTOM THAT'S MEASURABLE ON THAT LIST IS THE TEMPERATURE, AND IF WE CATCH 40 PERCENT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE WALKING THE END, THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY HAVE THAT, THEN THAT'S OUR ONLY MEASURABLE OPPORTUNITY.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING BY THAT? SO IT'S A MEASURABLE OPPORTUNITY, AND I THINK THAT IT'S NOT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTROL ACCESS, I THINK IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUTTING IT ON THAT CAN CONTROL THE ACCESS AND IF YOU'RE CONTROLLING THE ACCESS, YOU'RE ASKING, STRONGLY SUGGESTING TO WEAR A MASK AND YOU'RE TAKING TEMPERATURES, WE'VE GOT 10 EVENTS IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS.
AT THOSE 10 EVENTS, IF PEOPLE KNOW THAT, "THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE MY TEMPERATURE, L PROBABLY NEED TO BRING A MASK, IT'S GOING TO BE CONTROLLED ENTRY, I CAN'T GET AROUND THIS DEAL." THEN I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SET UP SOME SELF-AWARENESS FOR SOME PEOPLE.
FOR OTHERS, YOU'RE NOT, SOME YOU'RE GOING TO JUST MAKE THEM MAD, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE WAY THAT IS BUT YOU'RE GOING TO SET UP SOME SELF-AWARENESS, AND PEOPLE I THINK WILL DO THE RIGHT THINGS, THOUGH, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THAT'S WHAT I THINK.
>> THANK YOU. HOWARD, WHAT DO YOU THINK THERE? [NOISE]
>> I STILL DON'T THINK WE OUGHT TO REQUIRE A MASK, BUT STRONGLY ENCOURAGE IT AND I DON'T KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE EQUIPMENT TO TAKE TEMPERATURES.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET EQUIPMENT TO DO THAT? I SEE PEOPLE ON TV, AIMING AT YOUR HEAD THAT GETS A TEMPERATURE, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD BE TO GET THAT.
>> I THINK THEY HAVE THEM AT CVS.
I DON'T KNOW IF CVS STILL HAS THEM BUT WHENEVER I WAS IN CVS, I WAS ABLE TO BUY TWO OF THEM.
>> JUST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THAT, THE CITY WAS NOTIFIED BY THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE RECEIVING A STOCK OF CONTACT LIST THERMOMETERS FROM THE NATIONAL STRATEGIC STOCKPILE, WE'VE NOT RECEIVED THAT TODAY.
[01:25:03]
IN ADDITION, THE ISDS, THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THOSE ALSO TO ASSIST WITH THE REOPENING OF SCHOOLS.SO THERE ARE SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE BUT THE PIPELINE IS SO OVERLOADED RIGHT NOW.
AT THE STATE LEVEL, LOGISTICALLY TRYING TO MANAGE ALL OF THE REQUESTS FOR RESOURCES STATE-WIDE THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAD BEEN PROMISED ARRIVE YET AND I DON'T HAVE AN ETA ON THAT.
[OVERLAPPING] HEALTH HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK, I'M LOOKING AT WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO JUST ORDER, AND THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT OUR IMT HAS BEEN TRACKING ALSO.
FOR THE MOST PART, THERMOMETERS ARE ON BACK ORDER AND IN MANY CASES WE'LL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THEM UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN, UNIVERSALLY, THAT'S THE CASE, AND I SUSPECT, AS DR. SAUER ALLOWED, THAT IN MANY CASES, IF YOU SHOP AROUND DIFFERENT STORES, IF THEY HAVE SOME IN STOCK, YOU COULD PURCHASE THEM.
>> KEVIN, HAVE WE HAD THAT REQUEST IN FOR OVER TWO MONTHS NOW? [OVERLAPPING]
>> THE THERMOMETERS WERE PART OF A STOCKPILE DISTRIBUTION THAT WAS PROBABLY WITHIN THE LAST SIX WEEKS.
WE HAD ALREADY HAD VERY EARLY ON IN THE RESPONSE, SAY, A STAR REQUEST, WHICH IS A RESOURCE REQUEST TO THE STATE FOR THERMOMETERS, AND THAT WAS NOT FILLED AT THAT TIME, AND REMAINS UNFILLED.
NOW, SINCE THEN, THEY'VE RELEASED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE PULLING FROM THE STRATEGIC NATIONAL STOCKPILE TO SUPPORT THOSE TYPES OF OPERATIONS BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN THOSE RESOURCES ARRIVE EITHER.
SO IT'S JUST BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE STATE HAS NOT BEEN READILY PROVIDING TO JURISDICTIONS AT THIS POINT, AT LEAST THROUGH THIS STAGE OF THE RESPONSE.
>> OKAY, FREDA? FINAL THOUGHTS?
>> MY FINAL THOUGHTS ARE; I TOO DON'T WANT TO MANDATE THE WEARING OF MASKS BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IN RELATIONSHIP TO GATHERING IN EXCESS OF 100 INDIVIDUALS, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE DECISION THAT WE'RE MAKING NOW BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE SETTING A PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE GATHERINGS AND SO FOR GATHERING IN EXCESS OF 100, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT MASKS SHOULD BE MANDATED FOR THOSE GATHERINGS AND NOT MANDATED THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE CITY.
BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE BRINGING TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEONE COMING IN CONTACT WITH COVID.
NOW, I REALIZED THAT AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO LEARN TO MANAGE THE RISK, AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT, AGAIN, IS THE WASHING OF HANDS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND WEARING MASKS, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO BE IN GATHERINGS OF THAT SIZE, TO ME, WE'RE JUST PUTTING OURSELVES AT RISK TO COME IN CONTACT WITH COVID ALONG WITH ANYTHING ELSE SUCH AS PNEUMONIA, THE FLU, WHATEVER OTHER DISEASES ARE OUT THERE.
>> MS. LEE, LET ME SEE IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT FREDA SAID.
SHE WOULD LIKE TO REQUIRE MASKS FOR EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE OVER 100 PEOPLE, BUT NOT EVERYBODY, NOT THE WHOLE 200,000 POPULATION, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES, SIR. THAT IS CORRECT, I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR GATHERINGS IN EXCESS OF 100 PEOPLE OR MORE.
>> FREDA, CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION?
>> JUST CARVING UP THAT LITTLE PIECE RIGHT THERE.
>> JUST A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON, AGAIN, WHERE OUR CASES CAME FROM IN CASE I MISS SOMETHING.
HAVE WE TRACED ANY OF THE VIRUS CASES TO OUTDOOR EVENTS?
>> YOU MENTIONED A YOUTH SPORTS EVENT CASIE, WAS THAT AN OUTDOORS OR INDOORS?
[01:30:06]
>> ONE HAD AN OUTDOOR POTLUCK COMPONENT, BUT MOSTLY INDOOR EVENTS.
THERE'RE SOME BUSINESSES, BUT I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANY, I'M GOING BACK HERE AND LOOKING REAL QUICK AT WHERE TO MOVE.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION WHILE SHE'S LOOKING?
>> I'M GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THIS, "GATHERINGS IN EXCESS OF 100 PEOPLE ARE PROHIBITED UNLESS APPROVED BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITY." THERE'S NO CONDITION SAYING INDOOR OR OUTDOOR.
>> WHEN YOU READ THAT IT SAYS, "GATHERINGS IN EXCESS OF 100 PEOPLE ARE PROHIBITED UNLESS APPROVED BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITY."
>> THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S OUTDOOR GATHERINGS IS WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.
>> BECAUSE THE INDOOR ARE ALREADY REGULATED BY CAPACITY.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE [OVERLAPPING] THAT THE AUTHORITY HAS SET FOR ALL THOSE INDOOR THINGS.
IT'S JUST THAT OUTDOOR IS BASICALLY BEEN UNLIMITED, SO IS RAINING BACK AGAIN AND ALLOW THE LOCAL IS HOW I READ THAT.
>> OKAY. BUT I'M JUST READING IT THE WAY THAT IT SAYS.
IN THE WAY THAT IT IS, IT DOES NOT MAKE A DISTINCTION.
>> COUNCILMAN SAUER, JUST TO CLARIFY THE GOVERNOR'S SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IS UNDER ITEM 5.
"FOR ANY OUTDOOR GATHERING IN EXCESS OF 100 PEOPLE OTHER THAN SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPHS 1, 2, AND 4, THE GATHERING IS PROHIBITED UNLESS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY IN WHICH THE GATHERING IS HELD, OR THE COUNTY JUDGE IN CASE OF A GATHERING IN AN INCORPORATED AREA APPROVES OF THE GATHERING AND SUCH APPROVAL CAN BE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS NOT INCONSISTENT WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER ITSELF SPECIFICALLY CALLS IT OUT.
I THINK OUR SUMMARY DID NOT INCLUDE THE WORD OUTDOOR.
>> [OVERLAPPING] COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS. I'M SORRY.
>> YES. WE DID HAVE CASES RELATED TO MEMORIAL DAY, FATHER'S DAY, MOTHER'S DAY, AND VARIOUS BIRTHDAY PARTIES.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF LARGE OUTDOOR EVENTS OTHER THAN SOME OVER FROM MEMORIAL DAY.
>> WERE THE MEMORIAL DAY THINGS SMALL GROUPS LIKE FAMILY THINGS?
>> [OVERLAPPING] I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVEN'T APPROVED ANY EVENTS UP UNTIL I THINK THREE WEEKS AGO WHEN EVENTS UP TO 500 WERE ALLOWED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
PRIOR TO ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, WE DIDN'T APPROVE ANY.
SO THERE WAS ZERO SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE CITY TO THIS ENTIRE TIME.
THREE WEEKS AGO I BELIEVE, IT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO THEY OPENED IT UP TO 500, AND THREE WEEKS LATER WE REDUCED THAT RIGHT BACK DOWN TO 100.
SO THERE'S BEEN ONLY A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH THEY'D EVEN BEEN ALLOWED IN TEXAS.
>> THERE'S BARELY ONE INCUBATION CYCLE.
>> WELL, I ALREADY LIED TO HOWARD, I TOLD HIM I THOUGHT THIS MEETING WOULD TAKE ABOUT AN HOUR [LAUGHTER].
I SO APPRECIATE HEARING ALL OF YOUR THOUGHTS.
I THINK THE SCIENTIFIC DATA IS THERE THAT MASKS MAKE EVENTS SAFER.
WHILE WE MIGHT NOT WANT TO WEAR THEM, THEY'RE PRETTY DARN EASY TO WEAR.
THEY'RE CHEAP, WE CAN HAND THEM OUT.
I LEAN TOWARD IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN EVENT OVER 100 PEOPLE, THEN YOU CAN TAKE THE TEMPERATURES AND CONTROL ACCESS AND ENFORCE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
IF NOT, DON'T HAVE YOUR EVENT UNLESS YOU REQUIRE EVERYONE TO WEAR A MASK.
THAT FEELS TO ME LIKE IT'S NOT IRRATIONAL.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE LIKE IT, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHY IT HAS BECOME SUCH A POLITICAL EVENT OR ISSUE, BUT IT'S PRETTY EASY,
[01:35:02]
AND IT IS JUST ABOUT RESPECTING THE PEOPLE.IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE EVENT, RESPECT THOSE AROUND YOU, WEAR THE MASS.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE EVENT WEARING A MASK, DON'T GO TO THE EVENT. THAT'S OKAY.
[OVERLAPPING] I PERSONALLY AM THINKING THAT, I'M MOVING PRETTY CLOSE TO THINKING IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO ASK BUSINESSES TO REQUIRE THEM.
WE REQUIRE SHOES, WE REQUIRE SHIRTS.
FOR NOW, THIS IS THE THING THAT IS RELEVANT TO KEEPING OUR CITY SAFE.
IT'S NOT THAT HARD, AND THE SCIENTIFIC DATA IS THERE TO SUPPORT IT.
I THINK WE COULD LOOK AT IT EVERY 30 DAYS AND SEE WHERE WE ARE.
I DON'T FIND ASKING PEOPLE TO KEEP THOSE AROUND THEM SAFE TO BE AN IRRATIONAL REQUEST OR EVEN AN INFRINGEMENT ON SOMEONE'S RIGHTS.
>> SO GINGER, IS YOUR OPINION THE SAME AS FREDA'S, TO REQUIRE MASK AT EVENTS THAT ARE OVER 100 PEOPLE?
>> IT'S PRETTY EASY. IT SEEMS EASIER THAN TAKING TEMPERATURES.
BUT I'D BE WILLING TO GIVE THE STAFF THE FLEXIBILITY OF SAYING, IF THEY CAN BUILD THEIR PLAN TO CONTROL ACCESS AND TAKE TEMPERATURES, THEN MASKS CAN BE RECOMMENDED.
BUT IF THEY CAN'T TAKE TEMPERATURES, THEN I THINK MASKS SHOULD BE REQUIRED.
>> MAYOR, I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
>> IT GIVES THEM SOME FLEXIBILITY?
>> IT'S OKAY TO NOT AGREE. IT'S OKAY.
>> I THINK WE ARE COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS, AGAIN WHERE THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM.
WE DON'T HAVE SPREAD AT OUTDOOR EVENTS, AND WE'RE MAKING THIS, IT'S LIKE THIS IS NOT WHERE I STARTED AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONVERSATION.
I DID NOT HAVE AN OPINION COMING IN.
IT WAS TO GET CLARIFICATION, WHAT'S THE GOVERNOR'S SAYING, HOW DOES THAT CHANGE TODAY? BUT JUST LISTENING TO THE INFORMATION, LISTENING TO THE STATISTICS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHERE IS SPREAD HAPPENING? IT'S NOT IN OUTDOOR EVENTS.
WHY ARE WE PUTTING ALL THIS ONUS, ALL THESE EXTRA REQUIREMENTS ON INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WANTING TO DO AN EVENT? I THINK WE HAVE OTHER AREAS OF SPREAD THAT ARE MUCH MORE HAZARDOUS THAN, THEN THESE OUTDOOR EVENTS, AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S LIKE THE MORE WE'VE TALKED, THE LESS SUPPORTIVE I'M OF THESE RESTRICTIONS.
IT'S NOT A LACK OF RESPECT FOR OTHER PEOPLE OR THINKING THAT THERE'S NOT A CARE OR CONCERN OF BEING CONCERNED OF SPREADING IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
IT'S LOOKING AT THE DATA, LOOKING AT THE SCIENCE OF AT AN OUTDOOR EVENT.
IS THERE A LEVEL OF RISK HIGH ENOUGH THAT IS WORTH AS PUTTING ALL THESE RESTRICTIONS IN THIS LIMIT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
>> I THINK WE MIGHT BE JUST HAVING A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ABOUT WHAT THE DATA SAYS.
BECAUSE I LISTENED TO THEM SAYING WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT MANY OUTDOOR EVENTS.
THERE HAVEN'T BEEN THAT OUTDOOR EVENTS FOR US TO GAUGE THAT BY OTHER THAN FAMILY GATHERINGS AND SOME SMALL POTLUCK CHURCH GATHERINGS OVER THE LAST 3-4 WEEKS.
WHAT I TAKE THAT AS WE HAVE SEEN SOME AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'VE BARELY HAD MANY OF THOSE EVENTS THAT WE KNOW OF.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE VOICING WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU'RE READING THE DATA.
>> YEAH. THAT'S THE WAY I'M INTERPRETING THE DATA TOO, IS THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT MANY LARGE GATHERINGS, BUT WE'RE BEGINNING TO DO THAT AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 10.
WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AND THEN THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY OF 35 BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER.
THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR US TO SPIKE AGAIN.
>> WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT HERE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BEACHES IN FLORIDA?
[01:40:05]
>> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY STARTED HAVING THOSE VERY LARGE GATHERINGS.
>> ANTHONY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SAY?
>> YES, MA'AM. IT MAY BE IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS SCOPE 2 IN A TYPICAL YEAR NOT COVID RELATED.
THE SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE APPROVES OR ISSUES PERMITS FOR ROUGHLY 5-600 FROM ABOUT MARCH TO SEPTEMBER.
OUR BIGGEST MONTHS BEING JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER.
WHERE WE ALL SEE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE APPLICATIONS COME IN.
SHE MAY GET A 100 OR TWO IN THE FIRST COUPLE MONTHS.
YOU'LL SEE THE NEXT 400 OR SO COME JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER.
WELL, WITH REGARD TO OUTDOOR EVENTS, DO WE WE WANT TO TAKE ACTION TONIGHT? DO YOU WANT ME TO JUST THINK ABOUT IT, TAKE ACTION OVER THE WEEKEND, AND YOU GUYS AFFIRM IT AT OUR NEXT MEETING? I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION?
>> YES. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WITH REGARDS TO OUTDOOR EVENTS? OKAY. SO I MOVE TO AMEND THE MAYOR'S CURRENT DISASTER DECLARATION TO CORRESPOND WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF GA-28.
FURTHERMORE, ALL SOCIAL GATHERINGS IN EXCESS OF 100 SHALL WEAR MASKS AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL GUIDELINES.
>> YEAH. IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY ELAINE? WERE YOU GOING TO SAY SAME THING?
>> I THINK SO, BECAUSE THAT WASN'T WHAT YOU HAD PROPOSED.
YOU WEREN'T MAKING EVERY EVENT MANDATORY.
BEFORE, YOU WERE SAYING, IF THEY COULDN'T MEET CERTAIN HURDLES, THEN YOU WERE MAKING IT MANDATORY.
IT WASN'T MANDATORY FROM GROUND ZERO.
>> IF WE WERE TYING ACCESS AND THERMOMETERS OR MANDATORY MASKS, LETTING THE EVENT COORDINATOR CHOOSE.
>> OKAY. I CAN ACCEPT THAT AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.
>> DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT MOTION?
>> THAT WE WOULD COME UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S GA-28 ORDER.
WITH REGARD TO EVENTS, OUTDOORS, MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE, THE CITY WOULD ISSUE A PERMIT IF THEY HAVE A PLAN TO CONTROL ACCESS AND CHECK THE TEMPERATURE OR THEY HAVE A PLAN TO MAKE MASKS MANDATORY.
BOTH OF THE PLANS WOULD REQUIRE PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
>> SO WE HAD A MOTION MADE AND THAT IT WASN'T SECONDED.
THAT AMENDMENT WAS MADE BEFORE WE EVEN HAD THE MOTION SECONDED, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT WAS TREATED AS A NEW MOTION, SO LET'S SAY THE FIRST MOTION FAILED AND WE NOW HAVE A SECOND MOTION.
>> OKAY. MAYOR, I RESCIND MY FIRST MOTION.
>> SO NOW WE HAVE A SECOND MOTION ON THE TABLE.
IT GIVES THE EVENT PLANNER THE OPTION OF GOING TO CONTROL THE ACCESS WITH TEMPERATURE CHECKS OR MANDATORY MASKS.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? DR. SAUER IS GOING TO SECOND IT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS, INFORMATION?
>> IS THIS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, INCLUDING THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE PLANNING [OVERLAPPING] EVENTS THIS WEEKEND?
>> GREAT QUESTION. IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE LOGICAL FOR IT TO BE EFFECTIVE MONDAY, RIGHT? I MEAN.
>> DO WE HAVE EVENTS THIS WEEKEND?
>> WE HAVE MARKET IN THE MORNING?
>> YES, MA'AM. WE HAVE A COMMUNITY MARKET TOMORROW, WE ALSO HAVE A SOCCER TOURNAMENT AT SOME OF OUR PATCH FACILITIES, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE FARMER MARKET.
[01:45:03]
SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT EVENTS.IF THE INSURER HAS A MORE COMPREHENSIVE LIST, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL EVENTS THIS WEEKEND THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED.
>> IF YOU'RE EXCITED TO TALK TONIGHT, SO CAN WE MAKE IT MANDATORY TOMORROW?
>> THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT TO ME.
I MEAN, I WISH THEY WOULD WEAR MASKS, BUT I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN SPRING THAT ON AN EVENT ORGANIZER THE NIGHT BEFORE.
>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT, MAYOR.
>> SO I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION, ELAINE.
FREDA, DO YOU WANT TO SUGGEST A TIME TO AMEND YOUR MOTION?
>> DO WE WANT TO SAY MONDAY AT 08:00 AM? [OVERLAPPING] OR 11:00?
>> EDDY WOULD YOU SECOND THAT?
>> I'LL SECOND IT. YEAH, I'LL SECOND IT.
>> HOWARD, ELAINE, DO YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ON?
>> NO. I'M GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION.
>> DO WE WANT TO CALL THE QUESTION? ELAINE, YOU HAVE A COMMENT?
>> NO. I THINK I'VE BROUGHT UP MY ISSUES WITH THIS, SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF IT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR REASONS.
I THINK I'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED THEM.
>> ALL RIGHT THEN, I'LL CALL THE QUESTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION RAISE YOUR HANDS, PLEASE.
I SEE FOUR HANDS FOR THE MOTION, THOSE AGAINST? ONE AGAINST. SO THE VOTE WILL PASS 4-1.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER TALKING MORE ABOUT BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE DON'T MEET THIS WEEK JULY 4TH, HOLIDAY.
SO I PROBABLY WILL PUT IT ON THE JULY 7TH AGENDA, JUST SO WE COME AROUND AND TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
IT GIVES ALL OF US TIME TO THINK AND PRAY ABOUT IT.
BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE'LL HAVE MORE DATA ON OUR NUMBERS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING UP YOUR TIME ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.
I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY THAT WE NEEDED IT, BUT I NEEDED IT.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST TEAM TO SERVE WITH AND I VALUE EVERY ONE OF YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR THOUGHTS, AND I NEVER DOUBT YOUR HEARTS FOR THIS CITY.
EVEN IF WE DON'T AGREE ON THINGS, I NEVER DOUBT YOUR HEARTS OR YOUR MOTIVES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TONIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION, JUST REAL QUICK?
>> DO WE HAVE A TIME FRAME FOR REVISITING THIS?
>> I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LEAVE THIS GETTING OUT HERE INDEFINITELY.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A TIME FRAME THAT WE'RE GOING TO RE-EVALUATE IT AGAIN.
>> YEAH. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT INTO THE MAYOR'S ORDER THEN THAT, TWO WEEKS? HOW'S THAT?
>> YEAH. BECAUSE MAYBE BY THEN WE'LL HAVE MORE DATA, PERHAPS.
AS WE BEGIN TO HAVE MORE LARGER GATHERINGS IN EXCESS OF 100 PEOPLE, THEN WE WOULD NOTICE FROM THE DATA, HOPEFULLY, AS TO HOW THINGS ARE GOING OR HOW MANY MORE INDIVIDUALS ARE TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID.
>> CHANGES WILL COME OUT OF AUSTIN.
>> MAYOR, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A TIME FRAME TO REVISIT, WE CAN REVISIT ON JULY 14TH, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN TWO WEEKS FROM WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> IT LANDS US ON A COUNCIL MEETING, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> YES, MA'AM. TUESDAY, JULY 14TH OR WE CAN GO TO THE 21ST, WHEREVER YOU ALL WANT TO PUT IT OR IF THE GOVERNOR CHANGES HIS ORDER BEFORE THEN.
DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?
>> OKAY. GREAT. ALL RIGHT, ONTO YOUR WEEKENDS.
I'LL CALL US ADJOURNED AND THANK YOU STAFF TOO, FOR GIVING UP YOUR EVENING.
>> MAYOR, COUNCIL. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
>> BYE BYE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.