St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday morning to extend the local state of emergency for one week.
The extension allows them to put more money toward the coronavirus response.
The commissioners also discussed where the county stands on opening the beaches for longer hours. County Administrator Hunter Conrad says by the end of this week or beginning of next week the hours that the beaches are open may change. The rules would remain the same.
Two weeks ago, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced he was extending the city's state of emergency for another 30 days. He noted that the order was, in part, to help free up funds and had no effect on mandatory closure orders.
Around the same time, St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners announced a partial reopening of county beaches from 6 a.m. to noon, seven days a week.
The beaches are open for physical activity and motion activities only include walking, running, exercise, surfing, biking, fishing, swimming, surfing, and others. The main concern brought up in the meeting was that crowds would flock to the St. Johns County beaches from other counties, which happened before.
Conrad says there is a meeting scheduled for Tuesday between government leaders that will discuss the county's plan for reopening.
The commissioners also voted to reduce building fees. They say this is meant to help workers and help the economy. During the public comment portion the move was criticized as not prioritizing those on the front lines of the coronavirus response.