Staff say 95 per cent of people coming to the municipal office wearing them already
Heather Wright
The Independent
There won’t be a mandatory mask bylaw in Dawn-Euphemia.
Mayor Al Broad held a special meeting Tuesday to get the thoughts of council on the issue.
In July, Lambton County councillors decided against a county-wide bylaw to mandate masks to limit the spread of COVID-19. Councillors voted against the idea some citing the advice of the medical officer of health who said mandatory wasn’t necessary at this time since almost all of the cases of COVID-19 could be traced to close contact not spread in the community.
In the wake of the decision, Sarnia, Petrolia, Lambton Shores and Point Edward each pass a mandatory bylaw while Plympton-Wyoming and St. Clair turned the idea down.
Wednesday, Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley is expected to ask county councillors once again to implement a county-wide bylaw.
Broad told council some people gave the impression Dawn-Euphemia was “ignoring the issue…that’s not the case.”
With three council members at the meeting passed a motion saying council recommended wearing a mask and keep their physical distance to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Broad, and Councillors Leslea Williams, and Mark McGuire agreed education was the best way to handle the issue. “Families, out of the abundance of caution, are making the best decision for their families,” says Williams.
McGuire says he wears a mask but “if someone has a deep seated belief or a physical problem wearing them, I don’t think we should be forcing them.”
Municipal staff added 95 per cent of people coming into the building have been wearing a mask.
Broad says he wanted the community to know where council stood and will vote against a county wide mask bylaw.
