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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/01/2004 September 1, 2004 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS The Board of County Commissioners of Indian River County met in Special Session at th the County Commission Chambers, 1840 25 Street, Vero Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 to take care of business with regard to Hurricane Frances. Present were Caroline Ginn, Chairman; Arthur R. Neuberger, Vice Chairman; and Commissioners Fran B. Adams, Thomas S. Lowther and Kenneth R. Macht. Also present were Joseph A. Baird, County Administrator; William G. Collins, II, County Attorney; Kimberly Massung, Executive Aide to the Board; and Patricia M. Ridgely, Deputy Clerk. INVOCATION Chairman Ginn delivered the invocation. CALL TO ORDER The Chairman called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m. HURRICANE FRANCES UPDATE Emergency Management Coordinator Nate McCollum using visual aids reported that as of the 2 p.m. advisory, Hurricane Frances was moving WNW at 15 mph with winds up to 140 mph. This general motion was expected to continue for the next 24 hours. The models indicated September 1, 2004 1 it would make landfall somewhere in Florida between Miami and Jacksonville. There was no question that Indian River County would have hurricane force winds due to the enormous size of this hurricane. Public information announcements were being made on cable TV and he was doing the best he could to make people understand the severity of this storm system. He expected we would begin to receive effects at about 2 a.m. Saturday or earlier which would increase during the daylight hours on Saturday. He anticipated the worst part of the storm would occur during daylight. On Thursday shelters will open and residents will be asked to evacuate. This will be the largest evacuation ever to occur in the state as the entire Florida east coast will be affected. Central Florida would not be a good destination as they are still cleaning up after Hurricane Charley. Destinations farther north in the state or beyond would be best. RESOLUTION NO. 2004-095 – EMERGENCY DECLARATION – DEBRIS RECOVERY (NOTICE TO PROCEED TO DRC, INC.) Mr. McCollum then asked the Commission to adopt a resolution to declare a state of local emergency. The resolution would activate the County’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and give County Administrator Baird the authority to execute contracts with cleanup companies, DRC and Ashbritt, after the storm. Mr. McCollum specified that Cable Channels 13 and 27 were carrying messages alerting residents about evacuation. He expected evacuation would take 18 to 24 hours for our county. He anticipated a mandatory evacuation for the barrier island and mobile home parks would be announced at noon on Thursday and the evacuation area may need to be expanded to include those living east of US #1 and the FECRR tracks because of storm surge concerns. Governor Jeb Bush will be signing a Declaration of Emergency and the State is looking at activating the “one-way” plans on the interstate highways to expedite evacuations. Schools will be closed Thursday and Friday to allow setup of the hurricane shelters. September 1, 2004 2 MOTION WAS MADE by Commissioner Lowther, SECONDED by Commissioner Adams, to adopt Resolution No. 2004-095. Chairman Ginn read the resolution into the record. The Chairman CALLED THE QUESTION and the motion carried unanimously. (The Board adopted Resolution No. 2004-095 declaring state of local emergency for 7 days.) (CLERK’S NOTE: NOTICE TO PROCEED TO DRC, INC. IS ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK TO THE BOARD.) Mr. McCollum reported that the School Board has been very cooperative in making arrangements for the shelters and the special needs shelter. The shelters will be located in the Sebastian River, Oslo, and Gifford Middle Schools, and the Freshman Learning Center. The Special Needs Center will be at the Sebastian River High School. The Red Cross will operate the shelters and food will be available at least during the storm. Municipal government administrators as well as law enforcement will be working in cooperation regarding the evacuation. Emergency Services Director John King responded to questions as to the emergency stations; those on the barrier island will be evacuated and personnel will be moved out of stations housed in metal buildings such as Stations 4, 5, and 9. EMS and Fire staff will be doubled up and extra crews will be located in shelters to assist during the storm and they will go back to work after the storm has passed. Adjustments will be made appropriately depending on wind speeds and current conditions. Mr. McCollum responded to questions about emergency announcements on cable TV and radio and specified that the idea is to plan for the worst and hope for the best with protection of lives the foremost goal. He stressed that Hurricane Frances was unlike any hurricane experienced in Indian River County and it should not be taken lightly. September 1, 2004 3 County Administrator Baird announced that the County Administration Building and other County facilities would be closed to all non-essential employees for Thursday and Friday to give them an opportunity to evacuate. Mr. McCollum advised that the two hospitals would remain open in spite of concern that Indian River Memorial Hospital could be affected on the first floor by the storm surge. That hospital will have a “vertical evacuation” should the need arise. The County has no authority over the hospitals. The hospitals have already begun to discharge patients that do not need to stay there and elective surgeries are being cancelled. A DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team) will be requested and deployed if necessary after the storm. Mr. McCollum then discussed cell phone problems. Nextel has already experienced an overload of circuits. The main issue will be after the storm in determining whether they still have service. Lessons regarding difficulties with cell phones were learned when Hurricane Charley hit the west coast/Punta Gorda area of Florida. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, on Motion duly made, seconded and carried, the Board adjourned at 2:57 p.m. ATTEST: ______________________________________ ____________________________ Jeffrey K. Barton, Clerk Caroline D. Ginn, Chairman Minutes Approved: _________________________ pr September 1, 2004 4