Commissioners give final approval for Albany mask ordinance

ALBANY — A mask ordinance went into effect in Albany on Thursday that will require the wearing of facial coverings in public in most circumstances as a measure to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Albany City Commission approved the mask mandate after hearing some 3 1/2 hours of comments, with speakers on both sides of the issue participating in the virtual meeting.

The ordinance was made possible by an executive order issued by Gov. Brian Kemp on Aug. 15 and updated at the end of the month that allows local governments to enact mask requirements if the rate of infection in the community is greater than 100 residents per 100,000. Several Georgia cities, including Atlanta and Savannah, have mask ordinances meant to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, which has claimed the lives of some 180 Dougherty County residents.

The rate of infection in Dougherty County on Thursday was greater than 170 per 100,000.

The vote on the measure, the second in four days, was again 4-3, with Commissioners Jon Howard, Bob Langstaff and Demetrius Young and Mayor Bo Dorough voting in favor. It was opposed by Commissioners B.J. Fletcher, Matt Fuller and Chad Warbington.

A second vote was required due to a procedural issue raised by Warbington during a Monday commission work session.

The ordinance requires individuals to wear masks in most public places where social distancing is not possible. It allows for outdoor activities such as walking and has exemptions that include health conditions and religious grounds.

If called, police will give an explanation of the ordinance and offer a mask, giving the violator the option of donning a face covering or leaving the location. Officers could issue citations that bring fines of $25 for a first offense and $50 for second and subsequent offenses.

Among the more than 20 speakers who addressed the board were physicians Drs. James Black, director of emergency services at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, and Joe Stubbs of Albany Internal Medicine, who spoke in favor of passage.

“We know that one of the most effective ways to reduce transmission around others is to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible,” Black said. “We need everyone to do their part to win this fight against COVID-19.”

Nearly all of those who spoke in opposition confirmed a belief that masks are effective and useful for the intended purpose but voiced other reasons that making masks mandatory is not a good idea.

Brandon Jones, president of Albany Welding and Industrial Supply, said that having a mask ordinance will be bad for business in the city. Jones, who owns 11 locations in Florida and Georgia, said that walk-in business at the Tallahassee location has dropped by about 25 percent since that city’s ordinance went into effect.

While the ordinance allows businesses to “opt out” by placing notification outside that masks are not required, Jones said the news headlines will reduce the number of walk-in customers to Albany stores because they will not read the ordinance.

“I have customers, family members and friends that are not wearing masks,” he said. “That’s (ordinance) not going to have any impact on them because those people still aren’t going to wear masks.”

People who are insistent on not being forced to wear a face mask will instead shop online, Jones said. Local stores that don’t have the online resources of big-box companies will be hurt.

“It’s not going to help with mitigation because people aren’t going to obey it,” he said. “You’re going to run the risk of bringing a lot of disunity to Albany.”

Fletcher said she was voting against the mask requirement because the ordinance is vague.

“I believe in masking up, I believe in social-distancing, I believe in hand-washing and doing everything we can to fight this horrible disease, but there are many cracks in this document,” she said. “And because I can’t answer everything I know I’ll be asked in the next few weeks, I can’t vote yes.”

The governor’s order answers a number of the questions raised such as sporting events, which are covered, Langstaff said, addressing a question raised by Warbington. It also contains some information of which many are unaware such as a requirement that food servers wear masks while interacting with customers.

“I would ask everybody to read his latest order,” Langstaff said. “When the governor does something, I give great deference to what he does. I give great deference to what the doctors had to say.”

Throughout the pandemic young people around the county have defied orders by attending large gatherings, and Albany has been no exception to those events — and those young people stand in line and eat at restaurants with the elderly and vulnerable, Langstaff said.

“They don’t even know they have it (coronavirus),” he said. “Do you really want them standing in line behind your loved one and they’ve been at one of those events?

“Some people don’t buy the greater-good argument. If everyone was just wearing a mask while they’re waiting to sit at a table, while they’re waiting in line at the convenience store, we’re all more likely to be OK.”

File Photo: Carlton Fletcher