Good Afternoon. As has been reported, I do advocate the closure of non-essential businesses immediately, but I also believe we should do so on a coordinated countywide basis. As we delay becoming appropriately aggressive at both our City and County levels, we are increasing the spread of the Covid19 virus. Ultimately, the rising data will strengthen our resolve. I hope I am wrong, but statistically, it is merely a matter of time. As of this afternoon, with 830 tests taken in Polk County and 40 of them still awaiting results, we have 55 cases, a 6% positive rate, with no deaths yet in Polk, and 50 deaths in Florida and over 2,854 nationally. I believe the primary resistance to declaring a Safer at Home or Stay at Home ruling is economically based. I have spent my life as a businessman. I have experienced economic risks, losses, and recoveries. I have great empathy for those pressures. However, businesses can be restored. Lost lives cannot. Our County and Cities have worked very hard to take the next right steps and prepare for a virus onslaught. I admire our County EOC commitment and the work of our City Management Team an every Department Head within the City of Lakeland. Many businesses throughout our City have moved to work from home models as aggressively as possible. The real issue for many is we don’t believe the virus is threatening enough yet to become as drastic as necessary. Unfortunately, it will likely require more Polk citizens to be infected with the coronavirus, and resulting deaths, before we become so. I appeal to all leaders across our County to watch the speed of the doubling of cases that rapidly occurs before us. I urge us to recognize this is NOT the time to focus on protecting our economy. It is time to focus on what we can control – saving lives. A decision to close non-essential businesses is an opportunity to safeguard the health and lives of others. It considers the fear of many citizens in our County as they go to work daily. Many find their tasks an unnecessary risk to their lives and the lives of those in their household. They are pressured in the workplace to return or risk losing their job. They seek relief from deep daily angst and desire to protect their family by staying at home. This protection is a decision away. What definition do we include for defining an essential business that does stay open? We have many useful templates to choose from, and our City Attorney, Palmer Davis, is working to identify the broadest definition possible. Just to provide a suggestion of some of those businesses that could continue to work beyond the more obvious ones, it could include construction, real estate, and carry out food establishments, to name a few that have been questioned. Healthcare workers and first responders are dismayed at the casual response by many citizens as they risk exposure to the virus daily be serving the needs of our community. Many people do observe the 6-foot rule; thousands in our County do not. We have not yet experienced enough personal pain to help us recognize why this social isolation is a responsibility, not a voluntary decision. Let me restate my conviction. I am not discrediting this Commission or any other leaders across the County who are currently not motivated to consider a Stay at Home action. I have great respect for all of you, work cooperatively alongside you, and believe you govern with thoughtful, high integrity, wholistic, and responsible thinking. And I know you care about people! My appeal is to prepare to respond rapidly as our County numbers begin to snowball. This consideration could even be as soon as the County Commission Agenda Study this Friday, but most assuredly will be required within two weeks. The nation has extended its Social Distancing Guidelines to the end of April, Disney has extended its current closing to midApril. Our Polk County schools are unlikely to reopen this semester, our colleges have reduced their students to the essential minimum on campus with protective plans in place to respond to a positive test, and our hospital has extensive procedures in place to weather a crisis. We can minimize the transferring of the virus from one person to the other. We have the ability to reduce the number of deaths that will occur in Polk County. This result will only happen when we become as drastic as necessary. I say all this as a Call for Action while also suggesting we need to think about our Citizens who are increasingly homebound during this time to increase their ability to get some exercise considering the social isolation tips that make that possible. Hence, we may wish to consider expanding the number of trails on which our citizens can safely walk observing the 6-foot rule such as, Lake Parker Trail, 3 Parks Trail, and in the County, even Fort Frasier Trail. I say this while also urging the large crowds circling Lake Hollingsworth to stay 6 feet away from anyone walking near you! Furthermore, we can consider reopening activity areas where citizens can safely participate. Cleveland Heights Golf Course utilizing safe golf practices, tennis courts restricted to singles play, and boat ramps reopened requesting boaters be limited to social distances any given boat can sustain; these might also be items to consider. Two more items, and I am finished. One is that we certainly can use this time as a call to pray for protection, and I am pleased our Faith Community is mobilizing to do that on a citywide and County basis. And, finally, please remember our not-for-profits during this time as they have funding needs and are doing a critical role in meeting the needs of those who have few alternatives available to them during this crisis. As a community, let’s find ways to stay open where it is safely possible and closed where necessary to protect the healthcare and first responders who guard our safety. By doing so, we will protect the lives of those who never contract the virus unnecessarily. Thank you for your attention while hearing my considerations.