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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

MONTEVALLO – The city of Montevallo voted at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Monday, June 22, to adopt a resolution mandating the wearing of face masks in public within the city limits.

“I’d like to thank the city council for passing the mask resolution last night,” Mayor Hollie Cost said in a video the morning of June 23. “Their vote confirmed that they truly, deeply support the health and well-being of each and every citizen in our beautiful community.”

Masks are to be worn in city limits while out in public by anyone over the age of 2 according to the resolution passed. They are to be worn inside at all times, while they can be off outside, but only if you can maintain a distance of 6 feet.

Cost said there are exceptions to the rule such as having a mental or physical health issue that may prevent anyone from wearing a mask.

She also said there is no penalty for not wearing a mask, but that it would be a violation of the city regulation.

“There are no fines or penalties for not wearing a mask,” Cost said. “If you don’t want to wear one for whatever reason, you simply don’t have to. But you may also be unwittingly exposing your neighbor to COVID-19, which is just plain inconsiderate.”

Cost said the resolution was passed to help follow guidelines from health organizations and to keep businesses in the city thriving.

“We enacted this resolution out of respect for the president’s declaration of a state of emergency, based on guidelines from the CDC, in response to the rising number of hospitalizations in Alabama and as a means to keep the doors to our businesses open. Many citizens have reached out to me saying they will not shop in businesses that don’t mandate mask wearing. That was painful to hear.”

The resolution states that a mask is considered to be a device to cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of saliva or other fluids when talking, coughing, sneezing or other intentional or involuntary actions.

The ordinance states that masks don’t have to be worn at home, in a car, during exercise outside, when working in a separate office, when eating or drinking in a restaurant or when having a procedure done medically that requires the mask to be off such as the dentist.

“I express my deep appreciation to those of you who choose to wear a mask as one way to show your love for this community.