Commissioner making sure Lee County's voice is heard on Re-Open FL Task Force

Lee County Chairman and Commissioner Brian Hamman speaks with Fox 4's Jessica Alpern about his role on the Re-Open Florida Task Force.

He shares his vision for Lee County for once the governor's recommendations are released.

EXECUTIVE ORDERS.WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON WHATTHEY’RE DOING.The phone’s been ringing off thehook but all with very valuableinput that we need to getforwarded up to the governor’soffice as our representative forSWFL.TODAY IS A CRUCIAL DAY FOR THERE-OPEN FLORIDA TASK FORCE.THEY WILL BE GIVING THE GOVERNORTHEIR IDEAS ON HOW FLORIDA CANSTART TO REBOUND.AND LEE COUNTY CHAIRMAN ANDCOMMISSIONER BRIAN HAMMAN ISTHERE TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE OFSOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAVE A VOICE.JESSICA HAD A ONE ON ONEINTERVIEW ABOUT WHAT HE ISSUGGESTS HAPPENS NEXT.I SPOKE WITH HIM IN BETWEEN HISMEETINGS FOR THE TASK FORCEYESTERDAY.TODAY THEY’RE EXPECTED TO HAVEFINAL MEETINGS.ALL OF THE INFORMATION DISCUSSEDWILL THEN BE COMPILED OVER THEWEEKEND...WITH STATEWIDERECOMMENDATIONS FROM THEGOVERNOR EXPECTED AS EARLY ASMID-WEEK.PKG:HAMMAN IS SERVING ON ONE OF THETASK FORCE INDUSTRY WORKINGGROUPS.HE WAS SPECIFICALLY BROUGHT INTO SHARE INSIGHT WHEN IT COMESTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.BUT HIS ROLE WILL GO BEYONDTHAT.HE, ALONG WITH SYD KITSON WHO IINTERVIEWED EARLIER THIS WEEK,ARE AMONG THE FEW SOUTHWESTFLORIDA LEADERS ON THE FORCE.SO I ASKED HOW HE’S WORKING TOMAKE SURE OUR LOCAL ISSUES AREBROUGHT TO THE TABLE.INCLUDING THE FACT THAT LEECOUNTY HAS THE SEVENTH HIGHESTNUMBER OF UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMSFILED IN OUR STATE.1:16I definitely think we allunderstand that it’s nothappening as fast as anybodywantsBUTTCLIP 1 -- 3:26We’re gonna do everything we canto make sure Southwest Floridais heard by the governorDESPITE HEALTH CONCERNS FROMCRITICS..

HE BELIEVES WE CANRE-OPEN IN A SAFE WAIN FACT WHEN ASKED WHAT GETTINGOUR AREA’S SEASONAL BUSINESSESBACK ON THEIR FEET WILL LOOKLIKE, HE SHARED THIS VISION...CLIP 2 -- 6:16I envision first that we need tolook at how things go by justgetting residents up and goingagain before we start bringingin any other travel orvisitation from folks.

We can’tnecessarily restrict all travel,people do have freedommovement.

But we need to focuson not what we’re doing but howwe can do it safelyBUT TO THOSE WHO FEEL FLORIDASHOULDN’T EVEN BE TALKING ABOUTA RE-OPENING YET...CLIP 2 -- 2:10you know just like when a brandnew restaurant opens up, therewill be some people who will goand try that restaurant on thevery first night but there willbe others who will wait severalweeks before they show up.That’s exactly how this is goingto work when things roll out inour economy.BUTTCLIP 2 -- 2:33and that will be a natural wayto help phase in the phasingthat we’re already going to beputting in place.HE CREDITED SOCIAL DISTANCINGMEASURES TAKEN BY THE PEOPLE OFLEE COUNTY FOR WHY THE AREANEVER SAW ITS ANTICIPATED SURGE.CLIP 2 -- 1:43This was supposed to be thepeak, this week right here.

Thiswas supposed to be the week thatwe saw the surge.

The surgedidn’t happen thanks to the goodwork of people who stayed homeand protected themselves.BUTTCLIP 2 -- 1:54And now that we’re in this pointwhere we can begin to plan aphase 3 opening, some of us willfeel more comfortable going outearlier than others and that’sokay.I ASKED HIM HOW OFTEN CONCERNSOVER A SECOND WAVE OF FLORIDACASES COME UP IN THESE DAILYTASK FORCE MEETINGS.5:11It is literally mentioned inevery single conversation, whatdo we do to plan just in case asecond surge would come?HAMMAN SAYS HE BELIEVES LEECOUNTY WILL BE FAR BETTERPREPARED IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN.TAG:FOLLOWING TODAY’S MEETINGS...AND WORK OVER THE WEEKEND...THETASK FORCE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEWILL MAKE ITS PRESENTATION TOTHE GOVERNOR MONDAY.AFTER THAT IS WHEN THE OFFICIALRECOMMENDATIONS ARE EXPECTED TOFOLLOW.JA F4IYC