Honda Classic and Vaccine Request to Governor Bookend Meeting

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February 9, 2021

The February City Council Meeting was a very short one.

Honda Classic

Ken Kennerly (Executive Director) and Andrew George (Tournament Director) presented plans for this year’s Honda Classic with different dates, capacity 20% of last year’s and details on how they will keep the public safe yet still make it a compelling event. See the website for information. Tickets will be by the day and once sold out, more will not be available.

Public Comment

• Rob Nanfro, resident – not mentioning that he was a candidate for City Council – highlighted his analysis of the City Budget and the cost of the Council itself, and suggested that their primary job appeared to be to monitor the actions of a single employee – the City Manager, and that there were no written annual evaluations of Mr. Ferris other than a full one in 2010 and a couple of self-evaluations in 2020 – so his conclusion was that his rating of the Council’s job on evaluating the City Manager was unsatisfactory.
• Marcie Tinsley – also candidate for City Council – had presented the Council by email, earlier in the week, a proposed resolution to encourage Governor DeSantis to add Palm Beach Gardens (Fire/Rescue) as a point of distribution for Covid 19 vaccines. She said that while the governor was doing a great job getting vaccine out through Publix, that many residents she spoke with were uncomfortable getting a vaccine with possible side effects in a Publix or even a pharmacy and felt more comfortable with it being given by trained paramedics. (Note at the time she began this effort PBC only had Publix as the primary outlet – since then the Governor has added several other locations to handle western communities, plus adding the Fairgrounds, Walmart, Sams Club, Winn Dixie as additional points of distribution). She planned on reaching out to the Governor DeSantis with her request as well.

Council Discussion

• Resolution 20, 2021*** – was the number assigned to the resolution Tinsley submitted  and includes:

“SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Palm Beach Gardens requests that Governor DeSantis direct a reliable supply of vaccines to the City in order to provide an inoculation pipeline running concurrently and parallel to the Publix distribution channel in accordance with the directives set forth in Executive Order 2020- 315 utilizing the City’s POD.

SECTION 3. The City Council further requests that, once the ” at risk” population has been inoculated, Governor DeSantis authorize the City to continue to inoculate other members of the public, as directed by future executive orders and pursuant to CDC guidelines.

SECTION 4. The City Clerk of the City of Palm Beach Gardens is hereby directed  to forward a copy of this Resolution to Governor Ron DeSantis.”

• • Mayor Woods said that this would help the Governor distribute the vaccine. Council Member Reed said people like EMTs giving the vaccine. Vice Mayor Litt echoed the comments on Gardens’ Fire/Rescue capabilities and pointed out that County Commissioner McKinley was able to get vaccines for Belle Glade by making noise about it. Woods piped in commenting to the PB Post Reporter – that she should do the same for the Gardens…Council Member Marciano praised Tinsley for taking action. He said that Council resolutions don’t always have an effect, and this one may not either – but it was well thought out and could help the Governor get vaccines out to the people by adding another point of distribution.
  • The Resolution was passed 4:0.

• Vice Mayor Litt also made comments countering Mr. Nanfro’s earlier criticisms stating that the annual City Council public evaluation of Mr. Ferris is readily available online to view, that Palm Beach Gardens has been rated the number 1 place to live, has high satisfaction ratings and has award winning Fire/Rescue, Police, Parks and Rec, Purchasing and other departments.

All other items on the agenda, including Consent, Ordinances 1,2 and 3 2021 second reading, passed 4:0.

*** Comment – despite the good intentions of former-Mayor Tinsley and the Council in passing Resolution 20, 2021, and although it is ‘legal’ to do so – this was another case where ‘transparency be damned’.  The Public was not allowed to see this resolution in advance nor to make public comment had they sought to.  This is becoming a habit for this Council that prides itself on openness and transparency.