Macon mayor vetoes mask mandate for Bibb County despite rising coronavirus cases

Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert vetoed a resolution Monday that would have required county residents and visitors to wear masks outside of their homes to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Although he emphasized the importance of wearing a mask in his letter to the Macon-Bibb County Commission, the mayor vetoed the emergency ordinance passed by the commission on July 21 that required face coverings in public spaces with some exceptions , according to a news release from the county.

“I truly believe we should do everything within our power to convince individuals to follow all preventative measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, BUT I believe we have gone as far as we can, legally, to get people to wear their masks, practice socially distancing, avoiding large groups, and more,” read the letter.

Bibb County has a total of 2,689 cases of COVID-19 and 53 deaths, according to the Department of Public Health website.

The mayor cited Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive order as the reason he vetoed the resolution because the order prohibits counties and municipalities from enacting more stringent rules.

Kemp signed the order April 20, but since then some Georgia cities, such as Savannah and Atlanta, have issued mask mandates for residents.

Kemp is now suing the Atlanta City Council and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over the city’s mask mandate, which he said violates his executive order.

Reichert also cited an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article showing the mask mandates in other Georgia counties have not been enforced.

Because the executive order deputized all sheriffs in Georgia to enforce it, Reichert said Bibb County’s Sheriff’s Office can’t enforce a mask mandate in the county.

However, Reichert reminded private property owners that they have the power to require people to wear masks on their property.

Reichert applauded the commission for approving the $700,000 resolution for advertisements to inform residents of Macon the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines regarding the coronavirus.

“Also, I personally request that all citizens going into public spaces, where they are unable to socially distance themselves from members of the general public, to wear a mask, not so much for themselves, but to avoid the transmission to others by unknowingly contagious individuals,” read the letter.