After reading District 4 Commissioner Robert Bender’s comments in an interview with Inweekly reporter Jeremy Morrison, Pensacola City Councilwoman Sherri Myers called to say she did write the commissioner over a week ago and never heard back from him.
“I live in his district and expected the courtesy of a reply,” said Myers, who is serving her third term on the council. “I will not be ignored.”
Here is her email:
From: Sherri Myers
Subject: Mandatory Mask
Date: July 17, 2020 at 11:46:46 AM CDT
To: District4
Dear Commissioner Bender, I am writing you as the city council representative for District 2, and also as one of your constituents. I strongly urge you to take a leadership role in getting the BCC to adopt a mandatory mask requirement consistent with the City of Pensacola. I would like to take this opportunity to point out why I feel this an important responsibility for you.
First, your district on the mainland is largely comprised of city residents. I have looked at the District 4 map and it appears that District 4 runs close to 9 miles north to south. That is approximately the length of the city. Last night the council voted 6 to 1 on a resolution respectfully requesting the BCC to adopt a mandatory mask policy consistent with the city. At least 5 of the 7 members of the city council represent constituents that are in your district.
Second, the scientific data supports the evidence that wearing mask reduces substantially the spread of Covid-19, thereby saving lives and reducing the stress on medical facilities and other resources.
Third, when the Mayor and I discussed ways the city could help our businesses, I suggested and I believe he agreed, that mandatory mask requirements put the onus of the requirement and enforcement on the government. I represent the Pensacola’s primary business core and have had the opportunity to talk with business owners who expressed appreciation for the mandatory mask requirement. I have witnessed our businesses try to handle this issue on their own and I felt they needed help and backup from the government.
Fourth, my district is completely bifurcated by the county. This makes it difficult for businesses and citizens when there is not a consistent policy that crosses city and county lines. See the District 2 map below.
Fifth, Mayor Robinson has shown fearless and courageous leadership on this issue. He represents all of the constituents in the city, who are also your constituents. I am asking you to show the same leadership and join our mayor and city council to win the fight against Covid-19.
Sincerely, Sherri Myers
He’s my Commissioner as well and ignored my email too. Many of my neighbors and my daughters both emailed him too, and never received a response. The entire County is run so poorly. Our Commissioners have made it very clear they don’t care about us or our health, so let’s make it very clear to them during re-election time that we don’t want them representing us anymore. Vote them out!
I am a local school teacher, living and teaching in District 4. My emails to the Board have gone ignored as well:
Dear Members of the Board,
I am writing to you to plead for your help in addressing the public health emergency that Escambia County finds itself in today.
I wrote to Commissioner Barry and Commissioner Bender on July 21st. Commissioner Barry did not respond to me. Commissioner Bender passed my email along to Superintendent Thomas and the retiring director of the County Health Department, Dr. Lanza. That is not a good enough answer for me.
My questions were specific to county leadership:
1. What steps are county commissioners and staff taking to ensure the safest conditions for citizens and staff possible at county health department service sites?
2. What guidance will the county health department be giving to our school system?
3. What is the number of positive cases and/or deaths acceptable before the county issues guidance that schools must give instruction remotely?
4. If the county health department is governed by the state, how will you be advocating on our behalf for putting the health and safety of school children first, above all else, in Escambia County?
The reality is that if teachers and students stay at home during much of August, and the rest of the county does nothing to address this emergency- we will still be in a state of crisis on August 24th. Speaking for myself, I will not feel safe to return to a brick and mortar classroom if our numbers continue to increase by the hundreds daily. We have got to have help from the rest of our community. As I said in my remarks to our school board on Tuesday night- a global pandemic cannot be solved by one local school district alone.
I am inviting everyone I know to call our County Commissioners and ask them to take measures to cut the spread of this virus in our community. I am asking them to issue a county wide mask mandate. I am asking them to advocate on our behalves to the county and state health departments. The Governor’s emergency order directs local school districts to receive guidance from county health departments- but our director retired this past week, and many on staff at the health department are sick with COVID19 themselves. There are allegations that the county health department is not cleaning properly, or taking care of its own employees. Our Commissioners have a duty to ensure public health and safety, so I will be asking them about that at the August 6 BOCC Public Forum.
As a community leader and public school teacher, I have been interviewed recently by WEAR TV, ABC Nightline News, the Pensacola News Journal, the Tallahassee Democrat, and Inweekly News. Escambia county residents and media have a vested interest in what our elected leaders are doing to keep citizens safe.
Are you able to answer my questions before the August 6th Public Forum?
Thank you,
Carol Cleaver
Constituent and School Teacher in District 4