Now that they have the go-ahead to consider an indoor mask mandate, Chittenden County communities have begun discussing what they want to do.
Seven of the 18 cities and towns plan to discuss the often contentious topic over this week. Two municipalities, Burlington and Hinesburg, have already reached conclusions — with Burlington for and Hinesburg against.
This week, Bolton, Charlotte, the town of Essex, Shelburne, Richmond, South Burlington and Winooski are all slated to decide whether to institute a mandate.
At least four communities — Westford, Underhill, Huntington and Milton — don’t plan to broach the subject at all right now.
Last week, Burlington became the first municipality in the state’s most populous county to enact an indoor mask mandate. City councilors voted unanimously Wednesday to instruct businesses to require employees and patrons to prove they are vaccinated against Covid-19 or mask up when the virus spread is high or substantial.
The city’s masking ordinance excludes places of worship and, if all patrons are vaccinated, restaurants, convenience stores and gyms, leaving retail stores as one of the main targets of the mandate.
Hinesburg decided on the same day against instituting a mask mandate, after selectboard members spent the day speaking with business owners who said that most people who came inside were masked and respectful and that they weren’t interested in enforcing a mandate.
These discussions follow the passage of a bill signed into law last month by Gov. Phil Scott, allowing municipalities to institute temporary mask mandates as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the state. Scott had resisted calls to implement a statewide directive but said he offered “an olive branch” to the Legislature, allowing it to decide whether to let towns make their own call. The new law expires April 30, 2022.
[Looking for data on breakthrough cases? See our reporting on the latest available statistics.]
Hinesburg Selectboard member Phil Pouech said he was frustrated that towns are having this conversation when masking should be decided at a state level.
“I’m a bit angry at the governor and the Legislature for throwing this at us,” Pouech said. He thinks having a patchwork of mandates across the state will cause more confusion and anger and minimize effectiveness.
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