HOLMES BEACH – Beginning today anyone entering a restaurant or other business in Holmes Beach has to wear a face mask to help slow the spread of COVID-19, with a few exceptions.
If you are in a situation where you can’t social distance outside, maintaining a space of at least 6 feet from others not in your family or group, a face mask also is required.
And while police and code compliance officers will only be giving warnings over the weekend, beginning at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, officers will give a warning followed by a $250 fine for a second offense and $500 for subsequent offenses.
Commissioners voted unanimously during an emergency meeting held virtually to adopt an emergency ordinance requiring people in the city to wear face masks inside businesses and when they can’t maintain proper social distancing outside. There’s an exception to the rule for people with a medical condition that prevents them from being able to safely wear a mask and for children under 2 years old.
While masks are required when entering a restaurant, they can be removed once patrons are seated to allow for eating and drinking.
The new rules don’t apply just to patrons, they also apply to workers at local businesses.
Everyone who is not exempt from the rule and is required to wear a mask should wear one that covers both the nose and mouth. It can be a surgical mask, homemade cloth mask, gaiter or bandana.
While police and code compliance officers will be able to issue warnings and tickets to individuals who are not compliant with the new mask regulations, Police Chief Bill Tokajer said the officers’ first priority is education about the mask requirements with enforcement by levying fines reserved as a last resort for people who refuse to abide by the mask regulations.
City Attorney Tom Thanus, sitting in for Patricia Petruff, said that the ordinance goes into effect as soon as it’s approved by commissioners and the mayor, however, it must be published before it becomes enforceable, leading to Sunday afternoon being the date enforcement can begin.
Commissioner Jim Kihm said he liked being able to give time to officers for the education of local business owners and residents before beginning enforcement of the ordinance.
Unless the ordinance is extended, it automatically expires in 61 days.
Tokajer said the city is printing up signs to be made available to business owners to place at the entrances of their businesses. He equated wearing a mask to the “no shirt, no shoes, no service” rule employed by many businesses. He added that anyone who receives a fine for not wearing a mask will be able to appeal the fine by appearing before the special magistrate.
Mayor Judy Titsworth said she’s spoken with Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore, whom she said put her support behind the mask ordinance. On June 23 and again on June 24 Manatee County commissioners voted to leave the county mask requirements as a suggestion to wear a mask in public rather than a mandate.
Commissioners all expressed their thanks to city staff for getting the ordinance together so quickly and for their support for the requirement to wear masks.
“If wearing a mask would save a life, why would you not do it?” Commissioner Carol Soustek said, adding that the commissioners are charged with protecting residents.
Commissioner Kim Rash cited information from the Centers for Disease Control, Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic that all recommended wearing masks over the nose and mouth to slow the spread of COVID-19 in addition to frequent handwashing and sanitization practices.
“My top priority is the safety of the people and residents of Holmes Beach,” he said, adding that the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Manatee County was a cause for concern.
Some members of the public also spoke up during the meeting from both sides of the issue.
“I think this is way overdue,” said Richard Motzer, a retired paramedic. “You have to look at everyone, not just yourself.”
“I applaud this move,” Gale Tedhams said. “The data does show action needs to be taken.” She added that she and others she knows are making the decision to patronize businesses based on whether or not staff members are wearing masks.
“I think the mask thing is way overrated,” Richard Hosterman said. Vicki McIntyre said that she feels each person should be able to make their own decision regarding wearing masks. Maria DiMenna said that she also thinks it’s too much for the local government to try to control people’s actions.
“If people are that fearful, they need to stay home,” she said.
Commissioner Terry Schaefer said that while he is in favor of requiring masks in businesses and when social distancing isn’t an option, he said he’d received many comments on the issue, including some that threatened legal action against the city if a mask ordinance was enacted. Thanus addressed the issue, stating that he believes the ordinance is legally sound and would stand up to a test in court.
“If we all do it we’re protecting each other and can finally get this thing under control, at least in our community,” Commissioner Jim Kihm said, urging everyone to wear masks correctly and make sure to clean cloth masks or change disposable ones.
As of June 24, the city of Holmes Beach saw a jump in COVID-19 cases from one to five, with six cases in Bradenton Beach.
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