Beaufort County to require masks for officials, employees, visitors. What we know
Every person who goes into a Beaufort County building, whether they’re an employee, elected official or a visitor, will be required to wear a face mask starting Tuesday, according to a new set of rules recommended by county council Monday night.
Beaufort County Council on Monday voted 7-3 to recommend the rules, which will be implemented by County Administrator Eric Greenway. The rules will not extend to Beaufort County School District employees.
The county’s newly created ad hoc COVID committee recommended the policies to the county’s executive committee last week.
However, it became clear during Monday’s meeting that Greenway had planned to implement the policies regardless of council’s recommendation. Multiple council members acknowledged that Greenway already had the power to create the policies — prompting Council member Brian Flewelling to call the vote “redundant.”
Beaufort County will not require its more than 1,300 employees to get vaccinated, according to spokesperson Chris Ophardt. However, in an email to employees Monday evening, Greenway encouraged the vaccine, saying it’s a better alternative than being on a ventilator at Beaufort Memorial Hospital.
“Together, we are at war with the virus. We must use all the weapons which are available to us to win this war,” said Greenway’s email to staff. “These protocols are not optional; they are not ‘recommended’ or ‘negotiable.’ They are required. They will be enforced.
These guidelines have nothing to do with political statements, views, or party ideology — they are proven measures designed to protect you, your co-workers, and your friends.”
In an interview with a reporter after the meeting, Beaufort County Sheriff PJ Tanner, an elected official, said he would not be implementing the new policies for his employees. County Treasurer Maria Walls, also an elected official, said she wanted to wait to see the policies in writing before making a decision.
The county’s new COVID requirements come as South Carolina deals with one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the nation. The New York Times reported Monday that in the past week, S.C. had a case rate of 88 new infections per 100,000 people.
In Beaufort County, the number of deaths caused by the coronavirus has spiked since Sept. 1.
Despite the state’s dire situation, Beaufort County’s vote was met with significant opposition by a group of residents who have continually decried local mask mandates and COVID safety measures.
Several people yelled out during the council’s vote. Some called for Council Chair Joe Passiment’s resignation.
“This is a corporate takeover, this is a fascist takeover,” one speaker said.
Many of those who spoke against the policies also argued against Passiment’s decision to publicly chastise Council member Logan Cunningham over a Facebook video that criticized the county’s ad hoc COVID committee. Cunningham had accused Passiment of “back-door politics.”
Prior to the meeting, Cunningham and former Council member Mike Covert called on their Facebook followers to attend Monday’s meeting and speak against the committee’s recommendations and Passiment’s public criticism of Cunningham.
New COVID rules
Beaufort County Administrator Eric Greenway will implement the following COVID-related policies starting Tuesday morning:
▪ All who enter a facility owned, maintained, or operated by Beaufort County and open to the public must be wearing a face-covering consistent with guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The face-covering must cover the mouth and nose of the wearer.
▪ Face coverings will be worn by Beaufort County employees at all times when interacting with members of the public, whether the interaction is indoors or outdoors.
▪ Beaufort County employees must wear a face-covering in the workplace at all times when social distancing, as defined by the CDC, cannot be maintained. Face coverings may be removed by employees when practicing social distancing.
▪ County Council, boards, and commissions will follow CDC guidelines and wear proper masks and, if necessary, PPE while in government facilities.
▪ Masks and other PPE will be available at all facilities’ entrances.
▪ Social distancing will be enforced in all public locations.
▪ Employees must follow all Quarantine protocols in the event of a positive COVID-19 test result.
▪ Employees who test positive must notify their supervisor immediately. Supervisors must conduct contact tracing to ensure exposure is the staff is limited.
▪ The Detention Center, EMS, and first responders must continue following protocols currently in place.
▪ Beaufort County will increase sanitary/hygiene practices/cleaning protocols in government facilities.
▪ The county WILL NOT mandate the vaccine for employees.
▪ Employees will receive excused, uncharged leave to receive the vaccine.
▪ Supervisors can grant employees uncharged sick leave the day after vaccination if a newly vaccinated person feels ill.
▪ Greenway said he is working to create on-site vaccine clinics at work locations.
▪ The county’s uncharged COVID leave policy of 80 hours will continue through Dec. 31, 2021.
▪ Beaufort County will shorten its hours to 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to clean work areas.
▪ Each department will be responsible for cleaning its own area. Each department must maintain a cleaning log that meets OSHA specifications. A format will be provided.
This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 8:29 PM.
