UPDATED June 28, 2020 at 2:41 p.m. ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria City Commission has enacted a seven-day emergency order that mandates face masks be worn inside spaces beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Mayor Dan Murphy presented the proposed mask order to the commission during tonight’s city commission meeting.
The commission unanimously supported the mayor’s suggestion for an emergency mask order rather than an emergency mask ordinance.
“I hereby declare that every person working, living, visiting or doing business in the city of Anna Maria shall wear a face covering in any indoor location, other than their home or residence excluding family members or companions,” Emergency Order #33 says.
The order, drafted by City Attorney Becky Vose, contains the following exceptions:
- Persons under the age of two years;
- Persons for whom a face covering would cause impairment due to an existing health condition;
- Persons working in a business or profession who do not have interactions with other persons;
- Persons working in an office when all interactions with others are done with social distancing as recommended by the CDC;
- Persons while eating and/or drinking at a restaurant; provided, however, that face coverings must otherwise be worn in restaurants.
Commissioner Amy Tripp noted that when she dined at Shore restaurant in Longboat Key patrons wore their masks while waiting inside to be seated and while making their way to their tables.
Commission Chair Carol Carter pointed out that Ginny’s and Jane E’s in Anna Maria already requires patrons to wear masks until they sit down at a table to eat or drink.
“We’re in a small city, our residents our older and many of them have other health issues. We need to do this. On this Island, the visitors are the ones who are not obeying any sort of rules regarding social distancing or face masks,” Carter said.
During public comment, Carter’s husband, Bob Carter, said federal, state and county governments have ceded much of the COVID-19 decision-making power to city officials.
“The safety of the residents is foremost in my mind. We are the targeted group on this Island with the combinations of age, health and with what I call the COVID-19 delivery system every seven days arriving. We’re more susceptible than many other parts of the county. I think it’s late to do this, but somebody important once said there’s never a wrong time to do the right thing,” he said.
Vose noted the order applies to retail establishments.
“Violations of this order shall be punished by a fine of $50 per violation assessed against a person not wearing a face covering when required,” the emergency order says.
Regarding the $50 fine, Mayor Dan Murphy said the city’s goal is to achieve compliance and not to generate significant fine revenues by issuing citations. The mask order will be enforced by the city’s code enforcement officers.
The mask order does not apply to outdoor areas.
Murphy said the city will provide, upon request, signs to Anna Maria businesses that reference the emergency order.
The mask order will be reviewed every seven days and will be tweaked and adjusted as needed. The commission is scheduled to review the mask order again for potential revision on Thursday, July 2 at 10 a.m. If deemed still needed, the mask order can be extended for additional seven-day periods.
The order can also be rescinded at any time.
The emergency mask order was enacted in accordance with the city’s amended declaration of emergency that was first enacted on March 26 as part of the city’s efforts to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.
