The St. Louis County Council on Tuesday voted 4-3 in favor of an following a rise in coronavirus cases across the St. Louis region.
The vote follows months of contentious debate among county council members and heated public comment at meetings, mostly from mask opponents. The order, which takes effect at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, applies to people age 5 and older in indoor public buildings and on public transportation.
The county lifted its mask order last month after a Cole County judge restricted local health departments from issuing COVID-19 restrictions.
The vote split along party lines. Democrats Shalonda Webb, Kelli Dunaway, Rita Days and Lisa Clancy voted in favor of the order. Clancy introduced the mandate, citing a significant increase in positive coronavirus cases across the state.
鈥淎s the parent of a 6-month-old, it鈥檚 going to be more serious if COVID hits my house,鈥� Clancy said. 鈥淚t's a whole new ballgame having a vulnerable person in my own household, and I know that many of my constituents and neighbors are in that situation, and we鈥檝e got to look out for each other.鈥�
Council members debated whether four or five votes were needed to immediately pass the order. County Counselor Beth Orwick said only four votes were necessary to enact the mandate.
Republicans Mark Harder, Ernie Trakas and Tim Fitch argued against the mandate, citing last year鈥檚 Cole County decision and warning that adopting the order could lead to legal troubles.
鈥淪t. Louis County doesn鈥檛 get to decide to ignore state law,鈥� Fitch said.
Fitch argued that the order would also lead to more confusion among county residents and that the mandate will likely be overturned by Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
Schmitt filed a lawsuit to block a previous mask order. He tweeted shortly after the vote that he would file another lawsuit Wednesday.
鈥淭he COVID tyrants are at it again in St. Louis Co with another illegal masking order,鈥� Schmitt said in his tweet. 鈥淭hey simply refuse to relinquish their power to the people who can make these decisions themselves.鈥�
馃毃The COVID tyrants are at it again in St. Louis Co with another illegal masking order
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt)
They simply refuse to relinquish their power to the people who can make these decisions themselves
As AG for the free people of this state I鈥檒l file suit tomorrow & win again.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Task Force warned Tuesday that the region is seeing Doctors and hospital leaders say that number could double over the coming weeks. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson ended the state of emergency order last week.
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page called for the council to approve a mandate Monday. Page said Tuesday that the order will keep residents safe and keep schools open and the economy going.
鈥淢asks aren鈥檛 restrictions, they鈥檙e the path towards more freedom to move about, stay healthy and look with optimism to the future,鈥� Page said.
Like the previous order, the new mandate does not authorize criminal penalties or enforcement.
Chair and vice chair elected
The council voted 6-1 to reelect Days as council chair. Dunaway voted against her, citing her previous objections to a mask mandate.
The council also elected Webb to serve as vice chair. The position was previously held by Harder.
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