Dave Eggers Named Chairman Of County Commission

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners unanimously selected Vice Chair Dave Eggers to serve as chairman in 2021.

Eggers said the top areas that he wants to focus on during his term include accessibility issues, economic development, infrastructure improvement and continued regional conversations with neighboring counties.

Eggers has served on the board since 2014, representing District 4.

The board also unanimously selected Commissioner Charlie Justice to serve as 2021 vice chairman. Commissioner Pat Gerard will continue to chair the board through the end of 2020.

The board also welcomed new elected Commissioner René Flowers, who replaced Commissioner Kenneth T. Welch to represent District 7.

Flowers is a native of St. Petersburg where she served as a city council member from 1998-2008. More recently, she served on the Pinellas County School Board from 2012 until this year.

Flowers began her four-year term along with commissioners Charlie Justice, Janet C. Long and Karen Williams Seel, who were all re-elected to their posts this year.

State Of Emergency Extended

The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday extended its state of local emergency for the coronavirus pandemic through Nov. 27.

The extension keeps in effect a county ordinance requiring face coverings in public places and requiring restaurants and bars to serve only patrons who are seated.

Public health officials are closely monitoring the continued increase in the seven-day rolling averages for new coronavirus cases and percentage of positive tests, which are approaching levels seen during the summer.

With the Thanksgiving holiday a week away, County Administrator Barry A. Burton expressed the need for residents to maintain vigilance to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“We’ve seen that some people are getting tired of the restrictions and letting their guard down, but we need to re-double our efforts to make sure that we’re safe,” he said.

Pinellas County Florida Department of Health Director Dr. Ulyee Choe also reminded residents to follow safety measures because a vaccine is not yet available.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel, but until that time, we need to be patient,” he said.

Choe also recommended that residents limit holiday gatherings to immediate family members, continue to wear masks in closed areas and practice social distancing at the dinner table.

Outdoor dining is a safer option, and Pinellas County Parks are open on Thanksgiving Day, he noted.

As of Wednesday, Pinellas County had 29,418 positive cases of coronavirus with 2,742 hospitalized since March and 862 deaths.

The county reported 239 new cases Wednesday, up from 208 Tuesday. In the past seven days, there were 1,440 new cases. The positivity rate is currently 6.21 percent.

This press release was produced by the Pinellas County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.