Council to discuss challenging mandates
PALMDALE — The City Council will discuss taking a stand against vaccine mandates imposed by other government agencies, during its regular Council meeting on Wednesday.
The Council meeting begins at 7 p.m., in the Council Chambers, 38300 Sierra Hwy., Suite B.
The Council has discussed and voiced opposition to vaccine mandates and other restrictions at previous meetings, but has not taken any formal action.
The resolution up for discussion and possible approval on Wednesday, is titled, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City Of Palmdale, Opposing Vaccine Mandates And Condemning Unnecessary Intrusion Into Municipal Affairs By Federal, State And Local Government.”
Following discussion at the Oct. 20 meeting in which the Council members sided with protesters who addressed them, asking for their opposition to vaccination requirements, the Council instructed the city attorney to investigate means of legally challenging the Los Angeles County Public Health Department’s orders regarding vaccination and how the Council could best state its stand against them.
Citing provisions for authority over municipal matters as a charter city, the proposed resolution states “the City of Palmdale denounces vaccine mandates that are applied unevenly, discriminately, and without proper justification or basis” and “directs staff to monitor existing litigation throughout the nation concerning the legality of mandates issued at the federal, state and local level.”
The proposed resolution also instructs staff to “monitor the effect of newly proposed legislation nation
wide and within Los Angeles County regarding vaccine mandates, including legal challenges to such and the results.”
It also includes a section seeking to ensure Palmdale businesses “are not disproportionately impacted, inspected, investigated by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.”
This provision specifically requests a 30-day notice from the Department of planned inspections in the city, so that Palmdale Code Enforcement officials may accompany them.
While COVID-19 vaccine requirements are at the forefront of current discussions, the proposed resolution does not mention any specific vaccine mandate.
The city does not require employees to be vaccinated against COVID. Full-time city employees who are vaccinated must be tested monthly for COVID, while those who are unvaccinated must be tested weekly, City Manager J.J. Murphy said last month.
The meeting is also available for participation via Zoom at
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88240512681?pwd=V1JnbDlISEpQcDg3MHVjZ3pxYXhLZz09
Residents may also view the meeting at www.cityofpalmdale.org or Spectrum Channel 27.