The board of county commissioners discussed this last month when the topic of facility utilization came up in the context of the Bay Center's financial woes. In some large venues in Florida--it was already 75% or 100% capacity being used as early as March of this year. Meanwhile, the Bay Center in Pensacola was stuck at 50% for reasons that did not seem rational. When this was discussed in our recent meeting where we extended additional funding to the Bay Center to get them through October--I left that meeting with the feeling that we would go to 75% May 1st and 100% on June 1st.
But then I received a letter of concern from a Santa Rosa County School Parent regarding their graduation ceremonies to be held at the Bay Center on June 5th. Apparently---these schools' parents were told the Bay Center's capacity was still capped at 75% and that tickets for family members would have to be "rationed." from the email:
"Good morning,
Board of County Commissioners,
I am writing
to you to request your assistance with the Santa Rosa County Schools Graduation
Ceremonies to be held on June 5 at
the Pensacola Bay Center. Currently, the graduates are being restricted
to the number of tickets that can obtain for their families that only allows
75% capacity per XXXXXXXXXXXX at the Pensacola Bay Center. We are
respectfully requesting to increase capacity to 100% for this once in a
lifetime event in lieu of the Governor’s Executive Order Number 21-102 (see
attached) and your recommendations on April 15.
At the April
15, 2021, Committee of the Whole Workshop in Escambia County, the discussion
ensued about the capacity limitations of the Pensacola Bay Center and the
capacity limitation was increased to 75% on May 1 with recommendation to
proceed to 100% on June 1. However,
with the Florida Governor’s Executive Order Number 21-202, dated May 3,
2021, Section 1 iterates “all local COVID-19 restrictions and mandates on
individuals and businesses are hereby suspended”. It also
references the Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees Public Health Advisory stating
that continuing COVID-19 restrictions on individuals, including long-term use
of face coverings and withdrawal from social and recreational gatherings, pose
a risk of adverse and unintended consequences and all restrictions are now eliminated
per the Governor’s Executive Order 21-102. This should alleviate any
capacity restrictions or the use of face coverings at the Pensacola Bay Center.
Per this
information, there should be no restrictions on graduation tickets. I
would respectfully request your assistance with informing the Pensacola Bay
Center that they no longer have to place any limitations on their capacity for
venue attendees. This would allow the proud families to attend
their high school graduate’s once in a lifetime event and not force the
graduates to choose between family members that are near and the ones that have
traveled much distance to attend! I sincerely appreciate all that you can help
with to get this issue resolved.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX
Proud Parent of a XXXXXXXXXXXXX Senior"
I responded in agreement with the opinion expressed in this email ---with a copy to our Administrator Janice Gilley. In short order, Janice sent the following back to this parent:
"I have advised XXXXXX to go to 100% as the guidance has significantly changed in the past several. Congratulations to the graduates.
Best,
Janice P. Gilley
County Administrator
221 Palafox Place
Pensacola, Florida 32502"
1 comment:
Hopefully the Courts will soon join you!
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