2020-08-04 Signed letter requesting federal COVID related funding�F•oKFFc
CITY OF OKEECHOBEE
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55 SE THIRD AVENUE
OKEECHOBEE, FL 34974
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Phone: (863)763-3372
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www.cityofokeechobee.com
August 10, 2020
VIA EMAIL ONLY: governorron.desantisgeog.myflorida.com
The Honorable Governor Ron DeSantis
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 South Monroe Street,
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Dear Governor DeSantis,
Okeechobee City Council
Mayor Dowling R. Watford, Jr.
Wes Abney
Monica Clark
Bob Jarriel
Bobby Keefe
On behalf of the residents of the City of Okeechobee, I'm writing to request your support for
emergency direct federal funding for municipal governments to help mitigate expenditures and
current and future losses experienced by our community from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Florida's cities, towns and villages are facing serious and unexpected financial shortfalls.
Communities like mine are taking extraordinary measures to both limit the spread of COVID-19
and support our local businesses, all while keeping the health and safety of our residents at the
forefront of everything we do.
I'm asking you to help provide emergency dedicated and flexible funding to local governments
as soon as possible. This funding should go directly to municipalities with populations under
500,000, which have experienced significant and unexpected costs. Cities of this population size
weren't direct beneficiaries of the CARES Act, and most of Florida's cities, towns and villages
never received any federal funding.
Our first responders, utility workers and solid waste employees provide essential services every
day — direct emergency funding will ensure we're able to maintain these important services.
Also, our first responders need additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to safely respond
to calls — federal financial support will help municipalities ensure they are protected. This
emergency funding to municipalities will support local jobs and small businesses and help to
maintain essential services and keep neighborhoods safe during this crisis.
This is not a request for a handout, nor a call for a federal bailout. But rather, cities simply
seek help to rebuild and restore the economic health of our nation by restoring the health of our
cities.
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I ask that you help support the City of Okeechobee by providing direct federal funding to
municipalities under 500,000 in population. This would greatly assist Florida's municipal
governments in stabilizing and mitigating the unanticipated financial situation cities like mine
face. And it would ensure my residents and businesses can continue to rely upon the essential
services they desperately need to succeed and survive.
Sincerely,
Dowling R. Watford, Jr.
Mayor
cc: Director Jared Moskowitz, FL Div of Emergency Management jared a,em.myflorida.com
Senator Ben Albritton albritton.ben.web@flsenate.gov
Representative Cary Pigman car.pigman@myfloridahouse.gov
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