The City of Mount Dora was notified today that two of its lifeguards working at the Lincoln Avenue Pool tested positive for COVID-19.  The pool had re-opened to the public earlier in June.  

The lifeguards are friends outside of work and both came into contact with an individual that tested positive on June 19.    They brought the possible exposure to the attention of their supervisor immediately upon hearing the news.  The pair were  told to go home, self-quarantine, self-monitor and get tested.  THe lifeguards were immediately tested and returned positive results on  June 25. 

One of the lifeguards worked June 18 and 19 teaching classes and lifeguarding.  This lifeguard  came in contact with three City of Mount Dora Leisure Service employees and two office personnel.   The second lifeguard worked on June 15 through June 19 and came in contact with two Leisure Service employees.  The City stated that all staff that were in contact with the lifeguards have since been tested, have self-quarantined, and are awaiting results.

Each lifeguard made a comprehensive list of the individuals they came into contact with throughout their work schedule.  Those individuals have been contacted and informed to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days - based on the date of the test and the last date the employees were in contact with the lifeguards that tested positive.  

"The pool is closed and will not reopen until the public safety risk has been eliminated and staffing ratios can return to normal.  If you have been in contact with any staff members from the pool, please self-quarantine and self-monitor," read the notice posted at the pool.   

In addition to offering swimming lessons twice a day, Lincoln Avenue Pool was also a venue for water aerobic classes,  lap swim sessions, and time scheduled for open swimming. 

In a letter to employees, Mount Dora’s Human Resources Director Sharon Kraynik reminded staff to socially distance at all times, wear masks when they are within close proximity to others and wash hands.  

Today the City also postponed the Family Fun Fest it had scheduled for this Saturday at Cauley Lott Park.

Mount Dora has had 48 confirmed cases of COVID-19, while Eustis' number is 92, Tavares is 166 and Sorrento is 21.  There were 43 new cases confirmed in Lake County today. 
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For a current list of Lake County's COVID-19 testing sites, click here.  Anyone who has come into contact with someone that has tested positive, can go to the testing sites as symptoms are not required.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here.  ​​​​ For local things to do, click here.  For the area's entertainment calendar, click here.

By Marc Crail
District 4 City Council Rep.

I've selected several items that I think might be of interest to you from our 6/16/20 City Council meeting. You already know that I'm reporting to you not in any official capacity on behalf of City Council. What follows is only from my own perspective.

You might recall that at our previous meeting our mayor requested a two week pause before council made a final decision if we should  or should not go forward with our traditional "Freedom on the Waterfront" July 3rd. fireworks display next month. The increase in COVID-19 cases in the past week has convinced our staff and City Council members to postpone the fireworks until such a big public gathering can be held safely.  Even though I love the positivity and fellowship of celebrating Independence Day with thousands of friends and neighbors, I think we made the right choice.  Safety first!

By a 6-1 vote (John Tucker voted "No") we passed a resolution to tentatively set the residential Fire Assessment Fee for FY 2020-21 at $219. This is the same as last year. That $219 per home could go down slightly between now and August but it won't go up. The Fire Assessment Fee is being used as "collateral" for the bonds we purchased to build new fire stations and equip them. We plan to discuss the possibility of requiring not for profit property owners such as churches and schools to pay a fire assessment fee going forward. Right now they do not. There are certainly pros and cons.

We also passed a resolution to continue constructing a public access Wi-Fi Project to serve the historic downtown district. It will include 36 access points and running a fiber mesh network that is important for economic development. This project has been major goal in our city's strategic plan. The total cost is about $500,000 but the benefits are substantial and the need is great. The work should be completed by the end of the calendar year.

In October of 2018 Mount Dora City Council passed a resolution strongly opposing the display of a statue of Confederate

General Edmund Kirby Smith in a Lake County owned building in Tavares. Almost every other city in Lake County passed similar resolutions but the Lake County Commissioners voted to allow the statue to be housed in a County owned building. Today the Commission reversed their decision and decided to ask the Governor to find a more suitable place to house that statue. We will be sending a letter expressing our thanks to the County Commission for their change of heart.

I have a quote for you today from former First Lady, Betty Ford. I think it is important to recognize her wisdom as we celebrate the 100th. anniversary of the passage of the 19th. Amendment finally allowing women their right to vote. It was the cap-stone of a long struggle toward voting equality.  Betty Ford said;  "The search for human freedom can never be complete without freedom for women."

We live in a great country even though we have been slow to recognize that all Americans deserve and are entitled to equal rights and protections under the Constitution.

Marc Crail
District 4 City Council Rep.