Chandler city council schedules action for Aug. 18
Over 15 people, scattered six feet apart, waited to have their voices heard.
Tuesday, Aug. 11, the Chandler City Council met and discussed mandating a face mask in public for the City of Chandler.
Chandler Mayor Gene Imel said he wanted to discuss the issue to receive input from the city council and Chandler community.
Since it was just a discussion and no action could be taken, the council agreed to have a special meeting Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 5:00 p.m. to take action.
Traci Soderstron, a Lincoln County resident for 25 years, said she hasn’t been able to hug or touch her father since March due to the pandemic and asked the council to seriously consider mandating a public facial mask ordinance.
“A mask is a minor inconvenience,” she said. “It’s like a seatbelt.”
Soderstron said requiring masks is going to help end the pandemic and hopes to see masks being worn on the streets.
“It’s a small inconvenience that could make a major difference in our community,” she said.
Chandler City Council Member Robin Crouch said she wears a mask wherever she goes, but doesn’t think it needs to be mandated.
“I’d like everyone to wear them on their own free will, but they’re not going to,” she said. “They’re not going to whether we mandate it or not.”
Crouch also brought up the ability to enforce the mandate and how enforcement will be done.
“How do you mandate something you can’t enforce?” she said. “I think our police officers have enough on their plate.”
Crouch said people are passionate about this topic and will get volatile if it’s mandated.
“You ought to put one on, to be kind to others, but it should not be mandated,” she said.
Rev. David Burgess didn’t get to see the birth of his first grandson due to CO-VID-19 and sees masks as a benefit to the community.
“I want to ask you, the leaders of this community, what is good sense?” he said. “What would it hurt to ask us to wear masks? To me it just makes good sense. You’re in the position to make that decision for our community.”
Burgess said this is a state of emergency that action should be done immediately.
“How many people are going to die while you wait to make a decision?” he said.
Burgess said everyone has a social responsibility to do what is right for the community.
To be discussed and decided on during the special meeting include whether the mandate will be universal and public or just in relation to city property, what the exemptions will be, how it will be enforced, etc.
“The sooner we attempt to take some... ...action, the better we are,” Chandler City Council member Rick Evans said.
Other actions made by board members include:
Approval of the consent agenda Approval of the rezone request filed by Michael Bay/Shoofly Development LLC, to change the zoning of the property North of Hwy 66 on Post Road from C-2 (General Commercial) to R-2 (General Residential)
Approval of Ordinance 2020-02 Rezoning Property Located at 15th St. and Iowa From Ag-1 (Agriculture) to I-2 (General Industrial), rezoning was approved on July 14, 2020.
Approval of the contract for Veterinary Services with Countryside Veterinary Service.
Tabled any action regarding the Franchise Renewal Agreement with Vyve Broadband.
Approval of the Budget Amendment in the amount of $1,000.00 for the Police Department derived from the Wal-Mart Grant.
Approval of the Budget Amendment in the amount of $18,850.00 for the Police Department derived from Donations
Approval of the Budget Amendment in the amount of $812.75 for the Library Department derived from State Aid.
Approval of the Budget Amendment in the amount of $215,837.87 for Chandler Regional Airport derived from the FAA and OAC Grant.
Acting as the Chandler Municipal Authority, the City Council approved going out for bids regarding the back-up generator at the water plant.