MOORE HAVEN -- Glades County Commission extended the local state of emergency due to COVID-19 at their April 13 meeting.

“We have been battling covid for the past year,” said Glades County Emergency Management Director Marisa Shiver

“We’re vaccinating every Sunday and Monday until whenever they tell us to stop,” she said. To date, 2,368 people have been vaccinated within the county with 1,782 completing the second dose, she said.

COVID-19 first dose vaccinations are offered on Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon at the Regional Training Center off State Road 78.

“We’re actually not too bad in our total cases,” said Shivers. She said to date Glades County had 931 positive cases - the lowest number of any county in the state.

She said the county had 19 deaths related to COVID-19.

On April 5, the state lowered the eligibility age for vaccination to 18, which has increased demand for vaccinations, but they still have plenty of vaccine for walk-ins. “Sunday we started seeing a lot of younger people coming in,” Shivers said.

Several of the commissioners said they have received compliments about how well the vaccination pods run. “Using the training center has really helped,” said Shivers. She said the large indoor space allows plenty of room for everyone to be indoors. When they had vaccination pods at the health department, the first station -- where paperwork is checked -- had to be outside.

Glades County Librarian Mary Booher is retiring April 28. The county received three applicants who have no library experience. A fourth applicant who does have a degree and library experience is not interested in moving to Glades County for less than $25/hour. Commissioners discussed the possibility of closing the library on Mondays and keeping it open on Saturdays. They also considered the idea of keeping it open later one day a week. Friends of the Library has asked to be involved in the selection process for the new librarian. Commissioners agreed to increase the pay range.

Commissioners agreed to advertise jobs of library specialist part time position with a pay range of $10-$15/hour and a full time librarian/director full time position with a pay range of $17-$21/hour.

Also discussed at the meeting, someone has taken the 1929 Glades County Democrat from the library’s history room. Commissioners asked this piece of the county’s history be returned.

Commissioners also approved a special permit to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to use Canal Road for commercial trucks, with the requirement that the corps or its contractor will repair and maintain the road, and that after the levee project is complete, the corps will restore Canal Road to its original condition.

The commission previously adopted an ordinance which prohibits commercial traffic on Canal Road. The corps is currently working on the levee in that area. The contractor has been using Canal Road to transport materials and equipment. Canal Road cannot sustain commercial truck traffic unless the contractor maintains continuous repairs to the road.

The special permit allows the trucks to use the road as long as the corps repairs and maintains it. This road is also used by members of the public to travel to and from their homes.

Glades County Sheriff David Hardin said there has been a problem with overloaded trucks. He said Florida Department of Transportation will step up enforcement of weight limits. The sheriff said jail numbers continue to dwindle with 90 inmates as of April 13.