In a special emergency meeting on Friday afternoon the Town Council voted 4-3 to reject a proposal to require citizens to wear facemasks in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Councilman Art Tolis made the motion to deny the proposal with Councilman Dennis Brown seconding the motion. Vice Mayor Mike Scharnow and Councilman David Spelich joined them in the vote. Mayor Ginny Dickey, Councilwoman Sherry Leckrone and Councilman Alan Magazine voted against denial.

It was clearly an issue that split not only the council but also those attending and others who had contacted council members via email and other methods.

The council listened to sometimes emotional arguments on both sides concerned about personal freedom and the health of the community.

“I am against this,” Tolis said. “I believe in personal freedoms and I am not going to force anyone to wear a mask.”

Scharnow said he believes the real issue would be the almost impossibility of enforcing the rules.

“I don’t want to put MCSO in a position of having to enforce this,” Scharnow said.

“This would be a way to avoid having to do something more drastic until there is a more effective treatment,” Dickey said. “We need to look to prevent the spread.”

The Times will have a more complete story with additional comments from people in the Wednesday, June 24 edition.