Mayor’s plea for mask requirement falls on deaf ears

Grady County commissioners received encouragement from the mayor of Cairo Tuesday night on the board’s interest in implementing countywide zoning and for consideration of a mandatory mask policy for citizens entering county buildings.

Cairo Mayor Howard Thrower III, appeared before the county commission this week and he noted that he was speaking as mayor, but he was not speaking for the mayor and council.

“I commend you on your efforts on zoning. I believe it is an important issue for all citizens,” Mayor Thrower said. He urged the board to continue to move forward in the process.

The mayor also shared some thoughts on the ongoing pandemic. Mayor Thrower told county officials Tuesday night that he participated in a conference call with leaders from across the state earlier in the day that included public health experts.

According to the mayor, the call opened with a public health official declaring that the state is in “trouble” with regard to a resurgence of COVID-19.

Mayor Thrower said that while positive cases locally had decreased, he noted that the amount of testing has dropped and the fact that the results of rapid tests are not reported to the state department of health, which results in the underreporting of positive virus cases.

The Cairo mayor encouraged the county to consider installing devices in the air conditioning systems of county facilities that combat the virus while at the same time reduces mold and mildew.

Grady County Commission Chairman Keith Moye informed the mayor that the county is currently engaged with a firm that is replacing HVAC systems in all county facilities and the new equipment is equipped with the devices the mayor was suggesting.

The mayor also urged the commission to follow the lead of the city and implement a mandatory mask requirement for members of the public entering county buildings.

“I would encourage you to consider doing something like that,” Mayor Thrower said.

The board did not respond to the suggestion of a mask mandate for county facilities and it is unlikely the county will consider such a requirement based on comments by the commission chairman following the meeting.

“We discussed it (a mask requirement) before and the consensus was not to do it. I don’t see it changing,” Chairman Moye told The Messenger after the board adjourned.

Moye also said a mask mandate would not be a subject at the board’s workshop meeting on Dec. 1.