Commissioners: No countywide mask mandate being issued

​​County Commissioners Issue Statement Regarding Mask Guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently came out with new guidelines regarding the wearing of masks. They also called for all children to wear masks in school.  The new CDC guidelines conflict with prior guidance and reflect circumstances that exist in other places that are different from the conditions experienced in Montgomery County, Indiana.

In dealing with local conditions related to the pandemic, our local authorities should exercise common sense.

In Montgomery County, we believe health decisions are best made by individuals, not public health agencies.

Each individual should decide whether a mask provides them with the protection that they desire. In Montgomery County, persons who wish to be vaccinated have ample opportunities to do so. Similarly, we respect the right of individuals to choose whether to wear a mask and whether to be vaccinated.

We have all lived with Covid-19 for more than 18 months and citizens have been provided with information regarding how to protect themselves from Covid-19 and are fully capable of making their own decisions.

Although we understand that federal and state government agencies have a role to play in providing information to citizens regarding the pandemic, we do not support governmental mandates and orders regarding how individuals choose to move forward.

We respect the authority of our local school boards and their citizen members to make decisions regarding the reentry of students to our schools but we continue to believe that parents are in the best position to make medical decisions for their children and that these parents rights should be strongly considered as such decisions are made by our local school boards.

In conclusion, we believe that given the amount of information available regarding COVID-19, that our citizens can make intelligent decisions about what is best for them and their families. We will continue to do everything within our power to see that necessary services for testing and vaccination are made available to everyone in the County and we look forward to the time when we are able to move the past [sic] the COVID-19 pandemic.

There will be no countywide mask mandate issued in Montgomery County, the Board of Commissioners said Friday.

The announcement came as mask orders are being enacted across the nation following recent changes in mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Citing new information about the ability of the delta variant to spread among vaccinated people, the CDC recommends vaccinated people wear face coverings in indoor public spaces in areas of substantial or high transmission of COVID-19, which includes Montgomery County.

The new guidelines “conflict with prior guidance” and are based on “circumstances that exist in other places that are different from the conditions experienced” in the county, commissioners John Frey, Jim Fulwider and Dan Guard said in a joint statement issued to the media.

“In dealing with local conditions related to the pandemic, our local authorities should exercise common sense. In Montgomery County, we believe health decisions are best made by individuals, not public health agencies,” the commissioners said.

“We have all lived with COVID-19 for more than 18 months and citizens have been provided with information regarding how to protect themselves from COVID-19 and are fully capable of making their own decisions,” they added.

Indiana’s statewide mask mandate expired in April and local governments were left to decide whether to continue requiring residents to wear masks.

While federal and state government agencies have a role in providing information about COVID-19 to the public, the statement continues, “we do not support governmental mandates and orders regarding how individuals choose to move forward.”

The commissioners said they would continue “to do everything within our power” to provide testing and vaccination services to residents. Free testing and vaccines are provided at the Montgomery County Health Department’s offices, 308 W. Market St., Crawfordsville.

The commissioners also weighed in on the CDC’s guidance on universal masking in K-12 schools. Crawfordsville Community School Corp.’s board on Wednesday upheld the district’s mask-optional policy for the upcoming school year. Masks are also optional at North and South Montgomery schools, except on school buses where face coverings are required under federal rules for public transportation.

“We respect the authority of our local school boards and their citizen members to make decisions regarding the reentry of students to our schools but we continue to believe that parents are in the best position to make medical decisions for their children and that these parents rights should be strongly considered as such decisions are made by our local school boards,” the commissioners said.