The Petersburg borough assembly last week adopted a new emergency ordinance requiring face masks in indoor public places amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in the community the past couple of weeks.
The assembly, however, deleted from the draft ordinance a proposed $50 non-compliance fine for individuals and $100 fine for business and property owners.
The ordinance adopted by the assembly Nov. 17 replaced an emergency ordinance adopted Nov. 5, which also did not include any specific enforcement measures for non-compliance.
The public health face-mask ordinance applies to communal spaces, community events and such, but a requirement that businesses deny admittance to anyone not wearing a mask was dropped during assembly consideration.
The ordinance expires the evening of Dec. 6.
More than a dozen people spoke out against the fines and other language in the ordinance at the Nov. 17 meeting. Many said the provisions would only serve to divide the community. Others called it government overreach and a violation of civil rights, while some questioned the effectiveness of masks at stopping the spread of the virus.
Petersburg Police Chief James Kerr said enforcing mask mandates would end in verbal altercations and physical conflicts with police.
“Voting yes on enforcing masking allows the assembly to hide behind their vote while they destroy the community’s relationship among neighbors, the police department and local government,” Kerr said.
Jim Floyd, general manager of Hammer & Wikan grocery and hardware store, said businesses are neither equipped nor willing to require employees to enforce the ordinance as originally proposed.
A collection of businesses in Petersburg had signed a letter to the assembly, stating their opposition to the ordinance because of “the inappropriate level of arrogance and overreach of government into our community’s private business.”
The letter stated that if the ordinance as originally proposed were to pass, the businesses would close and put a sign on their doors reading “CLOSED DUE TO GOVERNMENT OVERREACH — Contact your borough assembly members.”
Vice Mayor Jeigh Stanton Gregor said he was frustrated with some of the comments of people who called into the meeting and questioned why people would wear a mask when they travel on a plane but not for their own neighbors.
“I’m imploring members of the public to please — it doesn’t cost you a penny — please wear a mask and do your best not to get other people sick. It is preventable. Mitigation strategies do work,” Stanton Gregor said.
Reader Comments(0)