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Escambia Commission Votes To Keep Beaches Closed Until Further Notice
April 2, 2020
The Escambia County Commission voted 4-1 Thursday night to keep the public beaches in Escambia County closed.
Commissioner Lumon May made the motion to keep the beaches closed until further notice. Commissioner Doug Underhill cast the lone dissenting vote.
Underhill made a motion to open the beaches and find a away for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to enforce distancing. His motion failed due to lack of a second. Underhill argued that COVID-19 cases were not increasing exponentially in Florida, but the beach closure is causing undue financial hardships on local residents.
The commission’s previously approved order to close the beaches would have expired at midnight Thursday.
Comments
22 Responses to “Escambia Commission Votes To Keep Beaches Closed Until Further Notice”
I live on the beach and not only pay taxes but a land lease. It’s ludicrous that i can’t sit in my front yard and I’m not talking walking on the beach! It’s insanity.
Whoa!
Open the beaches and make the deputies enforce social distancing!?!?! Are you kidding me?
Each person should care enough for the well being of their fellow citizens to social distance.
To even think of utilizing the ECSO deputies to do this in order to open a beach in a national emergency is ludicrous. Maybe the next motion will call for doctors and nurses to rinse everyone off before they go home.
Last thing we all need is the “Underhill Virus” like a bad habit..never goes away
Stay home ppl. Suck it up and deal w/ it. Everyone is having to do this together. FInd you something to do….. There’s plenty.i.
If you are staying home and not running the roads or to the beach (to spend money),
then you aren’t spending money!!!!!!!!!! Sound like a bunch of kids on time out!
The feds have said they will help businesses out, and pay you unemployment plus some extra. I guess the kick backs quit or got a lot less, no toll money.
Unbelievable that Underhill even suggested the beaches be opened to Locals Only.
How in the world would that be regulated?
ECSO is overloaded as is, limited number of Sworn LEO, several LEO out ill or on leave,
Was Underhill so completely UNDER–AWARE of the burden he was putting on the ECSO, or was that part of his “PLAN” so often referred to?
Even those operating businesses on the beach and suffering the economic setbacks were NOT wanting to open the beaches.
Mr. Underhill, if you REALLY want to open the beaches, how about you get to work and complete the parking lot, walkover ramp and all else that is needed to OPEN the Public Beach area on Perdido Key Drive which you have so Jealously kept CLOSED and Off Limits to WE The People for so many years?
“the PLAN” makes us wonder just whose plan it is and what is really lurking in the dark shadows of Mr Underhill and his “Plan”.
KEEP Beaches Closed and the folks from All Over flocking here bringing crowds and spreading the Virus. Mr. Underhill is your PLAN to further infect your constituents?
It’s amazing when fear takes over people will let the politicians do whatever. I little common sense goes along way. It doesn’t take the sheriff’s department to tell someone to wipe after using the restroom.
All for local residents to social distance outdoors, including the beach.
What is the definition of closed beaches per the Escambia County Commission? After watching their meeting yesterday being live streamed, it is apparent the definition is not clearly defined. So how effective is it to close beaches if it is not clearly defined? Maybe it is and I just can’t find the document. Yes it mayhelp but it also causes disagreements and arguments between people and causes more division of the citizens of the county. To expect compliance without a clear definition is impossible
If you work in healthcare, you realize the danger and seen it; Keep the beaches and boating close!!
Keep everything to a minimum that is not essential close for the safety of human beings. Quit being spoiled, claiming you’re free to do what you want this is what is wrong with our society today. Quit being greedy!! Show Compasssion, Love and Common Sense!!
They were barely closed and already considering opening them was frightful. It doesn’t do much good so many people making sacrifices and some dimwits need to go to beaches, churches and take a cruise.
For goodness sake close down as long as it takes. The economy will recover.
Unless you own the boat ramp they can shut the state owned boat ramps.
I’m glad they are keeping the beaches closed! We all have to make sacrifices! In this terrible times!
I always thought Underhill was the good commissioner, but I was wrong. Underhill, you are a joke. Quite frankly, you need to be impeached out of office. You are a disgrace to Escambia County.
That’s fine expect more boats out on the water. I pay taxes here and own property here. U aren’t telling me I can’t enjoy it. Next opportunity I get I’m taking my boat out!
Y’all don’t give Douglas nearly enough credit.
He knew if he made a motion to keep the Beaches closed he would have been out voted 4-1 to open them back up.
Underhill = Idiot.
I’m glad they didn’t go along with Mister Underhill and his plan to spead more Corona. I can only hope he will get a close up and personal look at this terrible, terrible epidemic
It’s not increasing exponentially because THE PLAN IS WORKING. We’re all feeling the sting of lost wages and many are having financial hardships due to this. But let’s not rush to open up a petri dish for fear of losing revenue. Nobody wants to be stuck at home right now but I certainly don’t want to be stuck at home for six months because y’all won’t quit running the streets. For the LOVE, TAKE YA BOOTY BACK HOME.
Please vote Underhill out next time
What a joke he is!
Unbelievable in these times that an elected official would attempt to straddle the Sheriffs Department with enforcing social distancing. What a circus that would be.
Totally understand the argument for keeping them closed…but I’m still sad we can’t enjoy the beach right now.
I wish there was a way to open the beach to Escambia county residents.