RESTAURANTS

AME sole county school with no staff COVID cases

Anna Maria Elementary is the only school in Manatee County to report no COVID-19 cases among staff this school year.

BY JASON SCHAFFER

SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com

HOLMES BEACH - As COVID-19 cases rise in Manatee County schools, Anna Maria Elementary is the only county school to have no staff COVID cases since the start of the school year in August.

For more than four weeks, AME and Jain Middle School were the only schools to show no staff cases, but in the past seven days, Jain Middle School has reported four staff cases, making AME the only school in the county free of staff COVID cases this school year.

Anna Maria Elementary reported no new cases among students for the week ending Jan. 21, however, the school has reported 17 students testing positive for COVID since Aug. 10.

Countywide, 3,572 student cases and 684 staff cases have been reported this school year.

Wearing masks continues to be an option - not a mandate - for students at all Manatee County schools, including AME. The schools encourage social distancing, hand washing and wearing masks, but no child can be forced to do so under Florida law.

JASON SCHAFFER | SUN Anna Maria Elementary School in Holmes Beach has no COVID-19 staff cases this school year. COVID-19 IN MANATEE COUNTY Jan. 17 Cases 4,561 % Positivity 26.84% Deaths <10 % Eligible population vaccinated 62.1% New hospital admissions 77

Jan. 24 Cases 4,499 % Positivity 27.22% Deaths 12 % Eligible population vaccinated 62.9% New hospital admissions 130 COVID-19 IN MANATEE COUNTY SCHOOLS Jan. 17 AME - 0 staff, 0 students Manatee County - 22 staff, 68 students Total since first day of school (AME) - 0 staff, 17 students Total since first day of school (county) - 586 staff, 3,036 students

Jan. 24 AME - 0 staff, 0 students Manatee County - 17 staff, 104 students Total since first day of school (AME) - 0 staff, 17 students Total since first day of school (county) - 684 staff, 3,572 students Source: Manatee County Schools, CDC

COVID: New testing sites opened

FROM PAGE 1

Under guidance released Jan. 10 from the Biden administration, private insurers are required to begin covering the cost of up to eight FDA-authorized rapid at-home COVID-19 tests per month beginning Jan. 15.

The coverage requirement does not apply to Medicaid managed care or Medicare Advantage plans.

Reimbursement is capped at $12 per test, though some insured individuals may qualify for direct cost coverage where the in-store test would be free. Check with your insurance company to determine how to apply for reimbursement.

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TRASH: Rentals not complying

FROM PAGE 1 the Public Works director. The solid waste ordinance does not specifically address vacation rentals or transient public lodging establishments.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry said the city’s franchise agreement with Waste Pro states that Waste Pro determines where trash containers are to be placed for pickup.

Chappie said he and Public Works Director Tom Woodard have had numerous conversations with Waste Pro and the issues continue. Chappie said the blame is shared by Waste Pro, vacation rental owners and managers, vacation rental cleaning staffs and vacation rental guests.

Chappie said vacation rental guests, when checking out on Friday or Saturday, often bring the trash containers out to the road as a courtesy and the cleaning crews often do the same. This results in trash containers sitting alongside the street until they’re picked up on Monday.

Chappie said this doesn’t relieve Waste Pro of its responsibility to return the empty containers to the side of the rental home. He also said it’s up to vacation rental owners and managers to figure out how to comply with the city requirements. Chappie said repeated compliance failures should result in the property owner losing their city-issued TPLE license.

Perry said the city shares some responsibility because the franchise agreement requires property owners to exclusively use Waste Pro.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS

Gilbert noted the city of Anna Maria’s franchise agreement with Waste Management requires all non-homesteaded properties to use side yard pickup service, rather than placing that burden only on vacation rentals. That requirement is supported by Anna Maria’s solid waste ordinance.

Anna Maria’s franchise agreement states side yard pick up locations must be approved by Waste Management and the city must annually provide an updated list of non-homesteaded residential properties to be serviced with containers designated for side yard pick up by a city-approved sticker.

Perry said the city’s current franchise agreement with Waste Pro expires in 2025 and may need to be revised before then. She said continued non-compliance with the side yard pickup requirements could be considered a breach of that agreement.

Woodard said Waste Pro has been told multiple times that side yard trash containers improperly placed alongside the road must still be returned to the side of the rental home or rental unit. He also said it was Waste Pro’s idea to place the red and white WP stickers on containers designated for side yard pickup.

Gilbert said Waste Pro drivers often can’t see the stickers when the containers are sitting alongside a rental home awaiting pickup. He suggested Waste Pro provide its drivers with updated logs that identify which properties require side yard pickup, or have stickers placed directly on the vacation rental homes in a more visible location. Commissioner Jake Spooner suggested loading that information into a handheld GPS device to be used by the Waste Pro drivers.

Gilbert said he recently followed a Waste Pro truck down Avenue C and watched vacation rental trash containers being picked up at the end of the driveway and left there rather than being returned to the side of the house.

Woodard said one solution would be to simply require side yard pickup for all residential properties, which currently costs approximately $15 more per month. Chappie opposed side yard pickup for all residential properties or non-homesteaded properties. Commissioner Jan Vosburgh agreed and said she doesn’t want to subject city residents to those additional costs.

Spooner suggested Waste Pro also be asked to complete its trash collection along Gulf Drive before 8:30 a.m. to help alleviate the traffic congestion that occurs when that trash is collected later in the day.

Cole recommended that Perry, in her capacity as city attorney, contact Waste Pro and reiterate the city’s concerns. Perry said she would, and that she, Gilbert and Woodard would work together with Waste Pro on these issues.

Perry said the main points gathered from the discussion were the need to properly identify what side door or side yard pickup is and what it entails, what identification methods are needed and what can be done about the timing of trash collections along Gulf Drive. She also acknowledged the commission’s desire that Waste Pro respond more quickly to repair or replace condominium and commercial dumpsters that go unemptied because the roller wheels are broken.