The Flagler County Commission this morning approved a resolution “strongly encouraging” and “emphatically” urging people to wear masks indoors, where social distancing is not possible. But commissioners, following the sheriff’s lead, explicitly rejected the use of the word “mandate,” both because they say it would not be enforceable and because they don’t want to burden law enforcement with policing the measure.
“There is no way we can ask our sheriff to arrest people or fine people,” Commission Chairman Dave Sullivan said. Sullivan had pushed for a mandate starting earlier this month, but settled for the measure approved today, which would not have gotten other commissioners’ support otherwise.
Last week Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and Bunnell all approved mask mandates. Even though they described the measures as mandates, they also stopped short of including enforcement provisions. Numerous counties and municipalities have passed mandates in the last few weeks, several of them enforceable. Courts in Alachua and Leon counties have rejected challenges to the mandates.
“Even though they used the word mandate, the municipalities also mentioned their intent was not to enforce it,” Flagler County Emergency Management Chief Jonathan Lord told commissioners this morning, so “what you all are saying is basically the same as the cities.”
The commission’s unanimous vote followed a presentation by Lord, who has been an advocate of masks going back months. His presentation included stark statements as he spoke of the total number of reported Covid-19 cases in the state–266,000 as of Sunday. “That’s a 190,000 case increase since your last meeting,” he said. Flagler has a cumulative 493 cases, “286 since your last meeting,” he said, with a positivity rate just under 10 percent in the latest surge locally, but over 10 percent statewide. “Our hospital is operating at a high occupancy rate at this time,” but managing demand, he said. “Our hospital is part of a larger health care system and because of that they do bounce patients” between facilities on an as-needed basis.
Sullivan said the county has had mask requirements in its own buildings for several weeks. He was the only one wearing a mask during the meeting, at least when he was not speaking. “At this point I took my mask off because I literally can’t read the stuff, my glasses are fogging up when I have a mask on,” he said. The commission then voted.
The county’s resolution says in part: “Flagler County emphatically urges all persons to wear face coverings when in indoor locations open to the public or when unable to maintain social distancing from other persons outdoors, excluding household members.” Like the cities’ resolution, the county’s include a list of exemptions, as for those who’d have a health reason not to be masked, for young children, for those exercising, eating or drinking, and so on.
“I think you guys did it right,” Sheriff Rick Staly said through his mask as he addressed the commission. “When you use the word mandate there’s an expectation of enforcement. Even though that’s not the intent of what the cities passed,” he said, that was the result, which “inundated” the 911 center with calls. Staly has made several statements about masks in the past week in attempts to thread the needle between an intensely anti-mask-mandate constituency in the county while still supporting the wearing of masks. He said some of his statements had been “misconstrued.”
“I support the use of masks. I think we’re all adults and we should take care of each other as a community,” he said. “What I do not support is having law enforcement be the mask police,” especially, he said, as it could inflame community-police relations at a time when policing is under scrutiny.
Only one person addressed the commission–Jane Gentile-Youd, the former county commission candidate and perennial critic who, today, had already appeared before the commission to hand out appreciation plaques to several Flagler County Fire Rescue firefighter-paramedics who she said saved her life during a medical episode several months ago. “I only wish that we could possibly have a system where it’s a civil infraction and not a fine. My dream was, a warning,” she said of the mask resolution, with each person so warned handed a free mask, “so they have no excuse.” The sheriff said his troops would be happy to hand out masks if Gentile-Youd paid for them.
The Palm Coast Fire Department today, in partnership with the health department in Flagler, announced it would provide free masks in packets of five to local residents, available for pick up at Fire Station 25, at 1250 Belle Terre Parkway, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., while supplies last. One person per family will be allowed to come into Fire Station 25 to receive the masks and that person must use hand sanitizer on the outside of the building before entering.
The sheriff said businesses may at any point call in deputies if there’s an issue with an individual–if, for example, a business has a mask requirement and an individual refuses to wear one, and refuses to leave. At that point it’s a “disturbance,” and if the person continues to refuse to leave, then it’s a potential trespassing situation, he said.
Asked about positive case sin his ranks, the sheriff revealed that “in total we’ve had eight to 10 employees with Covid-19. Of course they go home, the transmission seems to be from people they’ve been around who’ve already been diagnosed with Covid-19, living in the same household. At this point it’s been manageable.”
Lord pressed the case for masks as a small measure with substantial benefits as he warned of the consequences of the current surge statewide and locally.
“As the cases go up, and again our numbers are better than other parts of the state, but as the numbers go up,” Lord said, “we’ve already seen what the governor’s done, he’s taken a couple of steps back and shut down bars. So I think our residents and our businesses really do need to heed this warning you’re about to put out, and hopefully you’re going to approve, because we had record numbers again statewide this past weekend. I would not be surprised if the governor has no other option than to start doing more business restrictions again, and I really hope that doe snot occur. The more serious that our residents and businesses take this, and realize the simple act of taking a mask or staying 6 feet away at least from somebody else, can help us not further destroy our economy.”
Nevertheless Commissioner Joe Mullins, as he has repeatedly in the past, sought to downplay the surge and blame what he described as “fanatical” news reports for making the situation seem worse than it is. An opponent of mask mandate, he told a resident on Saturday that “There [are] many that feel we should do a mandatory ordinance making high risk people stay inside and use delivery services. What are your thoughts on this?” He then made a startling statement: “I will work on a mandate to restrict you from coming outside. I want to protect you and I certainly know what’s best.”
There is no such proposal–the county attorney’s office confirmed it–nor has it been discussed at any level of local or state government. Even at the height of the previous surge in April, when Gov. Ron DeSantis enacted a statewide stay-at-home order, the order was, like the commission’s mask resolution today, voluntary.
“Do you have even a tiny clue how absurd your question is and what it suggests?” the resident replied.
In the same thread, County Administrator Jerry Cameron–who wore a mask throughout today’s meeting–wrote: “I will not oppose a decision by my Board to pass such an ordinance, but am not prepared to open up the unintended consequences of such action by recommending such without discussing those consequences. Governments across the State are being sued and subjected to aggressive protest over this issue. At present we are spending tens of thousands of grant dollars to fund public awareness campaigns which are, according to our surveillance, achieving positive results. With the large number of exemptions for compliance it will be difficult to tell who has an exemption and who is in violation. We will have great difficulty with enforcement. The sheriff is understaffed and we just turned down his request for additional deputies due to lack of funding. Next, is what kind of mask? We are now being told by some experts that cloth mask are minimally effective.”
A Senior Says says
Give me a flippin’ break! Whine about a mask mandate which would help seniors move about in public, but be willing to restrict them to home incarceration instead! What kind of special stupidity is that? I am a conservative, but Mullins is an idiot and needs to go!
Gail Birney says
I second that! Joe Mullins is incompetent and should be removed from office! He has no concern for the safety of our citizens and has not contributed to our community in any positive way. Vote him out!
Anne says
Joe Mullins, who describes himself as a recovering drug addict, actually stating ” he knows what’s best for us”…well, there is an old saying: “Ego is the anesthetic that deadens the pain of stupidity.”
Mythoughts says
A total lack of leadership in the Federal Government, State Government and now the County Government, none of these officials that will all seek you to re-elect them care about innocent people dying in the State of Florida.
It is a national disgrace and failure of leadership.
Denali says
“commissioners, following the sheriff’s lead, explicitly rejected the use of the word “mandate,” both because they say it would not be enforceable and because they don’t want to burden law enforcement with policing the measure.”
When did Staly become the county president, god, chief potentate or whatever his unofficial title is? The FCBOCC are the duly elected county executive officers and should start acting as such. The job of the sheriff is to enforce the laws of the State of Florida and certain ordinances as enacted by the county commissioners. For the most part, he continues to ignore many laws and ordinances which he deems as unworthy of enforcement. If the commissioners had the intestinal fortitude of a snail, they would mandate facial coverings for the benefit of all county residents.
I do not wish ill upon any human being but would personally find it ironic if these folks who perpetuate the myths and fairy tales about this virus were to be affected personally.
For those of you left with a wisp of common sense after all this nonsense, please, for the sake of our community, wear a mask or some kind of face covering. After all, real men wear masks.
Kelly says
Please shut down all indoor activity in Flagler County including restaurants, bars. Hair salon, gym, theatres
Percy's mother says
I’m so bloody sick and tired of this “MASK” thing. Yes, a lot of people are wearing a mask. HOWEVER, a lot of people THINK they’re wearing a mask when they’re actually just walking around with a piece of cloth somewhere in the general location of their heads and necks.
Case in point:
The Flagler Board of Commissioners meeting this morning, 7/13/2020.
While I was working at home, I watched and listened to the meeting.
First thing I noticed was people in the audience waiting to make public comments who were NOT wearing masks properly. As they each stood up to make public comments, I was surprised and amused to find out who they were. I could name some names, but then my comments probably wouldn’t be allowed or posted.
I would suggest that all those who waited in the seats just behind the speakers podium at the BOCC meeting this morning go online and watch the entire meeting from beginning to end. There were only 2 people who stood to make public comments who wore a mask correctly, one of them Sheriff Staley and the other was the gentleman who was sitting right at the front in a white shirt.
The lady who is one of the most vocal critics of just about everything, and who stayed to the bitter end to continue making public comment after public comment, was NOT WEARING A MASK CORRECTLY, and in fact, at the end, when she was making public comments, was constantly pulling her mask down to expose her nose and mouth AND THEN TOUCHING THE MICROPHONE.
Ditto for just about all of the other women who stood to speak, including the woman in green who stood to tell everyone she’s running for county commissioner. Her mask appeared to be homemade, was way too big and was gaping on each side. A lot of good that’ll do.
All these people need to watch the ENTIRE MEETING and do some self-reflection on how they are NOT WEARING A MASK (when they think they are).
I was shaking my head and laughing at this charade of people who think they’re WEARING A MASK and protecting everyone else but in fact, are most likely spraying their germs all over everyone including the microphone which everyone continued to touch without any sanitizing in-between speakers.
What I find so stupid is these are people who are prominent in the community who should know better.
The whole thing is a complete farce, but no one will OWN their stuff and no one will call them out on it.
Steve says
Once again wishy washy take no side but lip service abounds in a room full of cowards unwilling to take or make a stand. Appease then disappear is the game.
danm50 says
You are assuming people have masks. There is PPE shortage and higher prices for them. The government must increase the supply and AVAILABILITY of masks before mandating.
bob gorden says
Shameful. This has become a moral issue and our good Christian Commission has failed this moral imperative. Their lack of courage to enforce mask-wearing will surely cost lives and that is now on them.
bill says
Commissioner Joe Mullins even proposed a “lock down grandma” kind of mandate resistricting the elderly from leaving their homes. That’s an example of the bird-brain mentality permeating our local government.
Mullins is not just an empty suit operating on diminished capacity…he’s a danger.
Steve says
Yeah Joe the Seniors with the Pensions SS and money make them stay home your Economy doesnt slow it stops. Brilliant idea. What page of the Trump textbook was that idea from. My God where do these people come from