Leon County opens up youth sports, keeps mask mandate without fines in place

Leon County opens up youth sports, keeps mask mandate without fines in place
Published: Sep. 29, 2020 at 8:52 PM EDT
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - The Leon County Commission voted to open up youth sports at County fields for the fall season, change testing requirements for statewide cross country events and keep its mask mandate in place, without fines.

Youth Sports

The County Commission voted 5-2 to allow youth sports on County fields and facilities and open playgrounds; Commissioners Bill Proctor and Mary Ann Lindley voted against the opening.

“We’re in a really interesting spot here. We really don’t know how the next couple of weeks are going to unfold. I’m having trouble getting there, saying ‘Yes I want to open youth sports,’” said Commissioner Mary Ann Lindley.

“To make this change now, and open up things now, when we are just going on the Governor’s Phase Three; we’re just rolling the dice once again.”

During the discussion, Commissioner Jimbo Jackson pointed to the success of Leon County schools, who he says have kept “a very tight bubble for participation” in high school athletics.

He said as a school principal, he was “concerned about allowing kids who attend his school participating in City-sponsored programs and unincorporated County kids not having access to the same opportunities.”

Commissioner Bryan Desloge brought forward the option of opening youth sports, telling WCTV the City of Tallahassee’s decision last week to open up its fields was part of what changed his mind.

“It makes so much more sense when we are in sync with those type of things. All through a lot of this, things like curfews, things like mask mandates, it doesn’t make sense to have one form of government doing it one way, and the other doing it the other way,” said Desloge on Monday before the meeting.

Per the County’s decision, sporting leagues will be required to submit COVID mitigation plans and be responsible for compliance. The County Administrator’s Office will deal with enforcement; Commissioners say the County will reserve the right to shut the play down if people do not follow guidelines.

Mask Mandate and Phase Two

As part of their motion to allow youth sports, County Commissioners kept the mask mandate in place, without fines.

Although sporting fields and playgrounds will reopen, certain County facilities will remain in Phase Two.

Leon County meets two of the three gating criteria for re-opening; the third, a downward trajectory of influenza-like illness and a downward trajectory of COVID-like illness has not been met.

Commissioner Rick Minor says based on those numbers, the County should not be moving past Phase Two.

He acknowledged that the County cannot restrict businesses, but it can decide on its own facilities.

“By the Governor’s order, businesses will be open at full capacity. What we can do, in my opinion, it’s actually more critical than ever now, to wear your masks. Because people will not be physically and socially distancing like they did before,” said Minor.

Examples of County facilities that are still in Phase Two include libraries remaining at 50% capacity, and concerts and large events still suspended.

COVID-19 Update

Claudia Blackburn with the Florida Department of Health gave a public health update to Commissioners. She says when looking at COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population, for the past week, Leon is roughly 2.5 times the state of FL’s cases (Leon-151/100,000 vs FL-61/100,000). 

Florida’s cases/100,000 population are lower than the national cases per 100,000 population (U.S.=94/100,000).

Blackburn also had zip code information requested by Commissioner Jimbo Jackson. The 32304 zip code has the highest rate in the area, with a cumulative rate of 63 cases per 1,000 in the population. The median age is 21.8 years old, with 60% of the population enrolled in post-secondary school.

The 32310 zip code has the second most cases, with 41 per 1,000. The median age there is 31.1. The 32308 zip code has the third-highest number of cases, with 34.62 per 1,000.

“Our numbers are still where they were back in August; that downward trend is coming off a peak. We are still where we were, or above where we were, when we put in place our strongest mitigation efforts,” said County Administrator Vince Long.

Commissioners also asked questions about Halloween. Blackburn says the CDC website has recommendations that events be short, outdoors, and have less than 10 people.

Cross Country Events

The County Commission voted to amend the regulations for cross country meets.

At local meets, testing will not be required; however, screening for participants and spectators will be required, and athletes are limited to one parent attending.

At statewide meets, the regulations will be identical; no testing required, screening is required, and spectators limited to one per athlete.

On September 22nd, the Florida High School Athletic Association sent a letter to Commission Chair Bryan Desloge, saying the 2020 Florida High School Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park could be in jeopardy depending on the testing requirements. The letter said: “The decision to relocate the event will be dependent upon the measures you have in place and will be made by September 30th to give ample time to plan with a new location.”

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