Commissioners address public comment concerning masks

MARSHALL COUNTY — During the public hearing section of Monday’s County Commissioner meeting, Joseph Roush, from Culver, said that he was directed to the Commissioners after talking with the Indiana Department of Health (IDH).

“Last Friday, there was an incident down in Culver at the Ace Hardware where none of the people going in there and none of the employees were wearing masks. I wasn’t aware of there being a lifting of the mask mandate,” Roush said.

Earlier in the meeting, the com

missioners announced that they hadn’t renewed the Public Health Emergency Declaration last week. Every Tuesday, the declaration would be renewed and then ratified during the next commissioner meeting. However, upon recommendation of county Health Officer Dr. Byron Holm, the commissioners chose to not renew it.

While the county declaration wasn’t extended, Governor Eric Holcomb’s executive order was. People are encouraged to continue to wear face coverings while in confined spaces and follow social distancing and proper hand washing practices.

after his experience at ace Hardware, Roush called the Marshall county Health Department (MCHD). “They said, essentially, that they’re just not going to enforce it anymore. They can’t fine people so therefore, they’re not even going to investigate anything.”

The IDH, according to Roush, couldn’t do anything either. “after talking to the state, they said they don’t have the power to enforce activities of the local health departments and I should come address the Board of commissioners.”

Roush asked the commissioners if they were aware that the MCHD was not going to be investigating mask complaints and enforcing the state’s mask mandate.

commissioner Stan Klotz stated that it was his understanding that since the county’s declaration wasn’t extended, the MCHD does not have “authority to fine anyone. Which they didn’t do anyhow.”

Klotz stated that he would have to speak with Dr. Holm before he could respond to Roush.

“Going into COVID, lockdowns, enforcement was easier because the numbers were higher,” said commissioner Mike Burroughs. “I think coming out of COVID is going to be more difficult than going into COVID. How do we get out of what we’ve created?”

Governor Holcomb’s executive order is valid until the end of March.

“We are asking and encouraging people to have common sense and respect for one another. But, enforcing it has been the issue from the get-go and it’ll continue to be the issue until it is lifted,” said Burroughs. He went on to commend everyone’s willingness to work together through this pandemic. “We appreciate everything that the residents have done as well as the businesses. We know people have suffered. and so, we’re very much in support of what the governor has asked because we don’t want to be the super spreader event center of going forward for the state, county, or local.”

Burroughs told Roush that he was asking the correct questions, but the commissioner was unsure if there is “an absolute correct answer.”

Klotz stated that he would contact Dr. Holm and then contact Roush with an answer.