MONTAGUE — The Selectboard decided to implement a mask mandate for all town-owned buildings from Dec. 13 to April 4 during its Monday evening meeting, but opted not to institute a town-wide mandate amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Following the town’s highest positive case count since January with 27 new cases last week, Montague recorded 46 new cases in the week between Nov. 28 and Dec. 4.
In addition to a Nov. 29 Selectboard meeting that held discussion regarding the town’s response to the 27-case count, the Board of Health met last week for its own discussion to come up with a recommendation. The board, which was missing member Michael Nelson, voted 1-1 to recommend re-implementing a town-wide mask mandate.
The Selectboard was also split before arriving at its decision, with Clerk Matt Lord initially hesitant to endorse something more lenient than a town-wide mandate.
Health Director Daniel Wasiuk summarized the Board of Health’s vote to abstain from instituting a town-wide mask mandate as a matter of letting businesses and organizations decide on “policies as they see fit.” He added that although Nelson wasn’t present to formally vote, members weighed in at a 2-1 ratio in favor of not implementing a town-wide mandate.
According to Board of Health member Melanie Ames Zamojski, the third member, Nelson, provided “a comment sent in through Daniel (Wasiuk) saying that those who have been wearing masks will continue to wear masks and the issue comes from enforcement.”
Selectboard Vice Chair Chris Boutwell said he’d heard similar opinions from others outside the board.
“What I’ve been hearing in many communities is they consider it a personal issue up to the individual to decide whether they want to wear a mask or not,” Boutwell said.
Selectboard Chair Rich Kuklewicz said he was reluctant to re-institute the town-wide mask mandate, which was last rescinded on Nov. 1, due to concerns that going back and forth so frequently would send mixed messages and cause confusion.
“This is not something that’s going to go away in 60 days. This could be 60 months,” he said. “We’re just in this cycle of up and down, and that’s why I feel a little reluctant.”
Montague residents voiced their concern regarding lenient decision-making at the meeting. Jen Audley, chair of the Finance Committee, said she was particularly concerned about hospital capacity and insufficient COVID-19 vaccination rates.
“63%, which is a rate (of fully vaccinated residents) we have been stuck with for a considerable amount of time, is not very good,” she said. “We can do better than that.”
Council on Aging Director Roberta Potter said she’s observed that people at the Gill-Montague Senior Center are “very concerned about the rise in cases.” She said it is important for town buildings, at least, to have a mandate in place to set an example.
“I think town buildings can almost be a role model in that regard,” she said.
“I think it is important for this town to be on the leading edge rather than always be in a reactionary position,” Finance Committee member John Hanold added.
Lord, who eventually voted to approve the motion to impose a mandate for town-owned buildings and a “strong recommendation” for other public buildings, emphasized that he “thought it was never OK to not wear a mask.”
“Timing was probably not the best thing either,” he said in reference to lifting the mask mandate before the start of the holiday season.
Town buildings that the mandate encompasses include Town Hall, Department of Public Works, Police Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Senior Center and the three libraries. The Selectboard’s motion also encourages everyone to wear masks, wash their hands, practice social distancing and get vaccinated.
“I hope that this can have a positive impact and that this can encourage people,” Kuklewicz said, “because the numbers have really, really jumped.”
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.