Bellefonte council members considering mask mandate
BELLEFONTE — A mandatory masking ordinance may be coming to Bellefonte Borough.
The borough may follow State College’s lead and adopt its own local ordinance for enforcement of COVID-19 mitigation measures. At Monday night’s borough council meeting, council discussed the possibility of a masking ordinance.
“Our solicitor says that we do have the authority, given the situation, given the emergency declaration, given the COVID-19 pandemic, he believes we do as a municipality under the borough code create this kind of ordinance,” said Bellefonte Borough Manager Ralph Stewart.
While council did not take any official action at Monday night’s meeting, council voted to develop and advertise an ordinance for a public hearing in September.
“Ideally, we’d try to have it ready to be on the agenda for the next meeting,” Stewart said. “The next meeting is three weeks away, so that gives us plenty of time to do that.”
According to council president Joanne Tosti-Vasey, she expects the ordinance will be modeled after those in State College and Patton Township but customized for Bellefonte.
Mayor Tom Wilson said that he has taken a close look at the ordinances.
“I went through that (ordinance) and I wrote down several changes that we might be able to make given the fact that we are not State College. I’d like to be a part of that discussion or group when you decide to take a look at that (ordinance),” Wilson said.
Tosti-Vasey said that she would like to see the restrictions for groups eased for Bellefonte’s version of the ordinance.
“They limit any public gathering to 25 people,” Tosti-Vasey said. “I think that’s too restrictive.”
“That’s one of the places I (would) make changes,” Wilson said. “I think we need to delineate between inside and outside gatherings.”
Council member Jon Eaton questioned the viability of an ordinance.
“I agree with the intent of making a resolution,” Eaton said. “I just don’t know how to make this thing actually work.”
Another council member, Randy Brachbill, said that an ordinance may not be necessary in a small borough such as Bellefonte.
“When you go around town, I don’t see long lines outside of restaurants. In most cases, if I am by myself, I have a mask in my pocket. If I need to go in somewhere, I can put that mask on. Where I see the issue is some of the businesses that aren’t wearing masks and I don’t know how you can enforce that,” Brachbill said.
An ordinance’s masking provisions largely reflect those in the Department of Health’s statewide mandate.
Face coverings are required:
• Inside any business, medical facility and government building.
• On all public transportation and ride-share services.
• While waiting to enter any building open to the public or waiting to board public.
• While working in any job that entails coming into contact with any member of the public unless separated by a physical barrier.
• When in contact with anyone who is not from the same household or family, “whether indoors or outdoors, including, but not limited to contact during gatherings, curbside pickup, drive-thru and food truck purchases, deliveries, and service calls.”
Additionally, parents are responsible for minor children wearing a mask, except those children under the age of 2, who are exempt from the state order.
Also exempt in the state and township order are those with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering.
Other exemptions include:
• Persons whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing a face covering.
• Persons who are hearing impaired, or who are communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
• Those for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk related to their work, as determined by local, state or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.
• Persons who are obtaining a service or treatment involving the nose or face or a medical procedure for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service.
• Persons who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverage service, and all requirements as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Health are followed.
Locations where wearing a mask may be advisable but is not required include private vehicles or homes; inside private business locations or in private offices when members of the public, clients or guests are not present and six feet of distance can be maintained; while participating in recreational fitness activities, and when among family members or people of the same household.
Bellefonte Borough Council is scheduled to meet again in September to discuss the ordinance.