Scott remains vexed by city's Hermine response

One day after a testy public exchange with Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, Gov. Rick Scott remained frustrated the city of Tallahassee could not restore power in time for children to return to class after the Labor Day weekend.

Scott and Gillum said nothing to each other during a Tuesday meeting at the state Emergency Operations Center, but the governor voiced his continued irritation after the meeting adjourned.

“Remember where we started and remember our expectations and that we would be at odds and ends by Monday night,” Scott said. “It’s now Tuesday, and we had to postpone schools, and for whatever reason, the utilities didn’t make the decision based on the day of school.”

Scott, Gillum, Leon County leaders and electric companies from around the region have met nightly after Hurricane Hermine slammed into the region overnight Thursday. Scott and Gillum have been at odds over the progress Tallahassee has made restoring power to 91,000 people. The governor over the weekend repeatedly accused the mayor of not accepting help he arranged, including inviting more linemen to mend electric lines. Scott's office issued a news release Monday night noting he was "incredibly disappointed about where the city is on restoring power."

Gillum told Scott in a Monday night meeting the governor should not offer help and then issue news releases criticizing the city's progress. Scott replied that his attendance at the meetings was not mandatory.

Gillum: City's storm response 'not perfect'

After Tuesday's meeting, Gillum said residents told him they have no patience for any disagreements between the city and state.

"I think they just want the job done," Gillum said. "That's the message I agree with, it's one I embrace, and I think it's one the governor embraces as well."

Gillum said the teams the city and state had assembled are working better together.

“It’s my hope that we continue that spirit,” Gillum said.

There were 11,549 Leon County homes and businesses without electricity as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. Of those, 1,623 homes and businesses were served by Talquin Electric Cooperative, which services unincorporated stretches of the county. The remaining 9,926 were served by Tallahassee’s utility company. That tally put the entire county at 8 percent without power, according to information provided by the state Division of Emergency Management.

Talquin and city utility crews were paired with debris removal teams contracted by the Florida Department of Transportation to quickly restore some of the most damaged areas. City utility company manager Rob McGarrah said Leon County schools officials also rode bus lines to make sure students could safely ride Wednesday. There were minor problems at the schools, but all of them are now receiving power, McGarrah said.

Capital embarrassment: Complainers and whiners

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Tallahassee Police Department are also ratcheting back extra patrols as more of the city receives electricity. Florida Surgeon General Celeste Philip said the state Department of Health, which she also heads, is delivering disease control pamphlets to mosquito control districts.

Philip said Zika was not an immediate threat from Hermine’s rainfall but that standing water could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry other diseases such as West Nile Virus.

Scott spent Tuesday meeting with electric crews in Wakulla County, which still had 1,486 homes and businesses without power. He also met with residents who reside in coastal communities in Taylor County.

“I met a lot of individuals who lost everything,” he said.