‘Give them an option’: Jasper County Council votes against requiring face masks
Rather than requiring face masks, Jasper County Council voted unanimously Monday night to adopt a resolution giving people “a chance to do it on their own.”
The vote comes days after Hardeeville City Council unanimously rejected requiring face coverings in its jurisdiction due to concerns with enforcement. Instead, Hardeeville promised to begin an “aggressive” educational campaign. As of late last week, the Town of Ridgeland had no plans to discuss requiring face masks.
Meanwhile, different versions of face mask requirements are being enforced in all of Beaufort County, including on Hilton Head Island and in Beaufort, Bluffton, and Port Royal.
The discussion and vote by Jasper County Council — which lasted roughly seven minutes — was part of the regularly scheduled County Council meeting.
In preparation for the meeting, Council Chairman Henry Etheridge requested County Attorney David Tedder draft an ordinance for discussion, County Administrator Andrew Fulghum told The Island Packet last week.
Tedder presented two documents:
▪ The first was a mask ordinance similar to ones passed in neighboring Beaufort and Colleton counties.
▪ The second was a resolution that “urges” people to wear masks but does not impose a fine or requirement.
Immediately after, Tedder explained the differences between the documents. Without further discussion, Councilwoman Barbara Clark made a motion to adopt the resolution. Councilman Tom Johnson seconded it.
“This means we’re giving people a chance to do it on their own,” Etheridge said. “We want people to realize you need to wear a face mask.”
He said even though fines aren’t being imposed now, Council could return to the discussion and pass an ordinance at a later date if needed, adding that “supposedly it’s proven” that wearing face masks will decrease the number of conronavirus cases.
“Hopefully we won’t have to come back and do anything else,” Etheridge said. “We’re just asking the public to help us because we’re not going to sit here tonight and say you have to wear a face mask but please ... use your good mind and good sense.”
Councilman Marty Sauls IV said he agreed that the council shouldn’t tell people they must wear a face mask.
“If the businesses want to require it, or somebody wants to wear it on their own voluntarily, then that’s their decision,” he said. “It ain’t County Council’s job to mandate citizens to wear a mask.”
Johnson echoed the sentiments, but said he understands that wearing masks is “primarily a thing to help others” and keep them healthy.
”I would just remind everyone to do unto others as you would have them do unto you because the mask is for your neighbor, your co-worker, your friends, and not for your own protection,” he said.
A number of South Carolina municipalities have passed their own mask mandates after Gov. Henry McMaster refused to implement a statewide requirement despite repeatedly telling citizens to wear the face coverings in public. McMaster and his office said a statewide mask rule would give a “false sense of security,” or “safety,” to South Carolinians, The State newspaper reported.
The state has had 47,214 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 838 confirmed deaths related to the infection, according to Tuesday data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
To date, Jasper County has had 208 infections, with three of those leading to deaths.
On Thursday, the county reported a single-day high of 27 new coronavirus cases and announced its government buildings would be closed to the public once again.
This story was originally published July 7, 2020 at 2:52 PM.
