By: 1808Delaware
On the same day that the Delaware County District Library Board of Trustees decided to move forward with a requirement for staff and patrons to use face coverings, the same issue fizzled when Delaware City Council later considered a citywide mandate.
Council’s Monday evening meeting was held on Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook.
Council heard statements from citizens; listened to a report by Health Commissioner Shelia Hiddleson; and spent a total of three hours considering the measure.
As with the Library Board debate, issues raised closely paralleled many which have been routinely advanced on social media — from the role of mask wearing in preventing the spread of COVID-19, to issues surrounding personal liberty, to enforcement issues.
Near the end of the discussion, Council members noted the late hour and pointed out the apparent lack of consensus that such a mandate was the appropriate path for the City to take.
Comments received from all sources totaled 13 in favor of the mandate and 24 against.
At the conclusion of the debate, Mayor Carolyn Riggle noted that by her count, two members would support such a measure while five would not. With that, she indicated that she felt there was no reason to have legislation prepared for an “up or down” vote by Council on Thursday night.
As characterized by Councilman Cory Hoffman on the livestream comments on Facebook, “We didn’t have any legislation prepared and we opted not to have any prepared and won’t be doing a mask mandate.”
Mask mandates were passed this week by city councils in Akron, Toledo, Athens, and Portsmouth.
