“I know we don’t like to direct staff to compose a resolution like this and then come in at the next meeting and make a major change… but I do want to ask the Council members if they would consider, again, requiring face coverings.”
We are listening here to Town Council member and long-time Pagosa resident Shari Pierce, speaking at the July 7 Council meeting held via ZOOM. The Council had before it a resolution that would “request” — but not “require” — locals and visitors to wear face coverings within the town limits. The Council has discussed the idea of mandating masks a week prior, and the general consensus then had been that a mandate was probably unenforceable, and was problematic in other ways as well. So a new resolution on which the Council was about to vote — Resolution 2020-18 — would merely “encourage” face coverings.
Ms. Pierce wanted the Council to reconsider that position.
“The reason is, a lot’s happened in the last week in our community. I visited with Dr. Rhonda Webb today, who is the CEO of Pagosa Springs Medical Center, and she indicated to me that they’ve really increased their amount of testing in the last three weeks. They have had 12 positive cases, and 10 of those have come from outside Archuleta County…”
I took a walk around downtown’s semi-historical 400 Block yesterday, to see how concerned our businesses were about mask wearing.
Fewer than half the people I passed on the street were wearing masks.
Maybe half the businesses had posted notices mentioning mask-wearing or social distancing, but very few were specifically ‘requiring’ a mask to be worn by the public. One sign said, tentatively, “If you have a mask…”
Here’s Ms. Pierce again, addressing her colleagues at the July 7 meeting.
“The other piece that I feel has changed a lot in the last week is just the number of businesses that have asked us to support them with a face mask order — that it’s very confusing for people, when people go into businesses, and they are having to ask them to wear face masks.
“Something that has not changed in the last week is the Governor’s order, and he did order that people wear face masks in public places. So I would ask that you please reconsider a requirement.”
Ms. Pierce’s comment about the Governor’s order sparked my curiosity, According to a July 8 Colorado Sun article by reporter Jesse Paul, Governor Jared Polis “really, really wants you to wear a mask…
In fact, he thinks you’re being ‘stupid’ if you don’t put one on when you’re out in public.
He just doesn’t want to force you to cover your nose and mouth — at least not yet.
As a growing number of states and Colorado counties and cities require mask-wearing, Polis has stopped short of issuing a statewide mandate requiring Coloradans to put on a face covering when they are out and about.
So far, the state mask requirements apply to employees, but not customers or people in general. According to Mr. Paul’s article, various counties (including Denver, Boulder, Routt, and Summit counties) and cities (including Wheat Ridge, Glenwood Springs, Lone Tree, Fort Collins, Estes Park and Aspen) have mandated face coverings in various public situations, and some have imposed fines, and even jail time, for violations.
The following state governments have imposed mask mandates that apply to the general public:
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Washington… also, Washington DC.
The Pagosa Springs Town Council, however, was not willing to embrace Ms. Pierce’s call for a municipal mandate. To quickly summarize Tuesday night’s comments:
Council member Rory Burnett: “I really don’t think it’s our role to dictate something like this…”
Police Chief Bill Rockensock: “Unfortunately, one of the things that we’re finding is, we seeing increased dissension between the police and the public when we’re trying to educate, or enforce some of the orders that are currently in place, and I believe, if we go ahead and require masks, we’re going to have that challenge, enforcing it. Not only are we going to have a lack of resources to do that, I believe we might also have a constitutional challenge somewhere down the line…”
Council member Nicole DeMarco: “The goal of this ordinance is to protect people… I could say, another goal of this is to promote respect among different opinions in our community…”
Council member Matt DeGuise: “If we do a mandate without any kind of enforcement, all we’re really doing is just making a request, which is what this resolution does… I think a mandate would just bring out more vocal dissension, as opposed to just passive dissension if we simple make a request.”
Council member Maddie Bergon: “I think we have other tools to help heighten compliance, with signs, and digital signs, and really letting the business community know that businesses are fully empowered to require masks for entry into their businesses, and that we support that…”
In the end, the Council rejected Council member Pierce’s plea for a mask mandate, and approved Resolution 2020-18 with the following language:
Therefore be it resolved…
…The Town Council strongly encourages utilizing the tools promoted by health professionals to decrease the spread of the virus and to protect our community. As such, the Town Council enacts the following REQUEST:
Section 1. Request for Community Participation in Health Protection Measures.
A. All persons visiting or residing within the Town limits of Pagosa Springs are urged to actively participate in actions proven to decrease the spread of COVID-19 by wearing a face covering in public, practicing social distancing, frequent hand washing, sanitizing surfaces, and to respect each other’s individual space.
Section 2. Support for Masks and Face Coverings.
A. The Town Council will provide notices of support for businesses requiring masks, and supports the businesses’ right to refuse service.
B. The Town Council will post signs for travelers at the gateways to Town limits on Hwy 160 and Hwy 84 that alert visitors and locals of the Town Council’s resolution.
C. The Town Council urges individuals to refrain from personal criticism or ridicule of others who wear or do not wear masks or face coverings.
Council member Nicole DeMarco: “I think we’re trying to protect our culture — of respect — as well as protect people’s health…”
