12-21-2020 BOC Regular Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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recommending the Commissioners consider such an ordinance. We believe the Commissioners should seek guidance from the Health Director and Board of Health in determining if such a law is needed. In addition, the Sheriff would need to be in support of such a law since his office would be asked to enforce the ordinance. The City of Sanford would also need to address such an ordinance due to the large number of establishments inside the City limits where the violation of the Governor's orders could occur. Without support from all of these groups, a county only ordinance would not be effective. One last point on this matter is that the Sheriff and I believe his deputies have been very effective in enforcing the Governor's orders by asking citizens to follow the orders and not by threatening them. A determination needs to first be made for the necessity of such a law. 3) Consideration of Closing County Offices December 29, 30 and 31. Staff continues to deal with impacts from the Virus. Since the Thanksgiving holiday, we have seen an increase in the number of employees who have tested positive for the virus. We have 22 confirmed cases where employees have contracted the virus since March. Up until two weeks ago, we were averaging around 1.2 positive cases per month with the full-time staff. In the last two weeks, we have had four positive cases. In addition, we have up to 10 employees who are now quarantined due to contact tracing or they are waiting on test results. Based on the increase in cases within County government and in our community I am recommending that we consider closing all our facilities except the Courthouse and Government Center for the week between Christmas and New Year's. This week is normally a big week for tax collections so the Tax Office needs to stay open. In addition, the tax collections office has excellent protective measures in place that keeps the employees and citizens socially distanced. DSS and Health Departments will need to stay open due to Federal and State requirements. Both Departments will continue to primarily work by appointment. We cannot close the entire courthouse because of the Clerk's office, Register of Deeds and the Sheriff's Office needing to stay open. However, the Register of Deeds is already working by appointments, as is the Clerk of Court. The facility would only need to stay open if court is in session. Employees who cannot work from home can use pandemic, vacation or sick leave to be off on those days. A few years ago the Commissioners gave the employees additional vacation days so they could take these days off. Consideration of adding sick or pandemic leave time up to 24 hours could be part of our discussion. With the Christmas holiday starting on Thursday December 24, if the Commissioners agreed to this plan, County facilities would be closed for 11 days straight. This would limit contact with the public and reduce the spread of the virus. 4) Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) - On April 1, 2020, the Lee County Board of Commissioners approved Personnel Policy F-13 (Emergency Paid Sick Leave) and Personnel Policy F-14 (Family Medical Leave Expansion under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act). These policies were enacted to assist employees affected by the COVID-19 outbreak with job-protected leave. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act required that employers provide this leave to their employees. The Emergency Paid Sick Leave and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act will expire on December 31, 2020. The leave under the County