Longstanding tensions between two Democratic members of the St. Louis County Council came to a head Tuesday over whether the county鈥檚 indoor mask mandate should apply to the council鈥檚 meeting.
Since late September, St. Louis County has required masks to be worn indoors as a way to combat COVID-19. But the face covering order does not have an enforcement mechanism.
At the beginning of Tuesday鈥檚 meeting, Councilwoman Lisa Clancy made two motions for the mask order to be enforced in chambers. In addition to pointing out that the county agenda states that masks are required in council chambers, Clancy added that she 鈥渏oined in-person meetings tonight because I hoped tonight鈥檚 meeting would be masked and safe for all.鈥�
鈥淟ocal and national public health experts have reminded us over and over again that mask mandates work 鈥� and that the majority of the council has duly recognized that by passing a resolution in support of masking,鈥� said Clancy, D-Maplewood. 鈥淚t is my sincere hope that we take seriously our duties, our responsibilities and our own agenda.鈥�
Councilman Tim Fitch, R-St. Louis County, pointed out that the mask mandate does not allow for criminal or civil enforcement.
鈥淟et鈥檚 assume that the motion passes,鈥� Fitch said. 鈥淐an we ask Councilwoman Clancy how she intends to enforce it?鈥�
In response, Clancy said: 鈥淲hen there are violations of rules in the chamber, we give a verbal warning. And that has happened from time to time when time has exceeded public comment or when there has been unruly behavior in the chamber.
鈥淎nd there has also been a suggestion that if the behavior does not change, the person who is in violation will be escorted out by security,鈥� Clancy said.
Ultimately, Clancy鈥檚 motions to enforce masking in the chamber failed. That prompted Chairwoman Rita Days, D-Bel Nor, to say that Clancy鈥檚 moves 鈥渨ere an exercise to embarrass this council鈥� and that 鈥渢his was an exercise to embarrass me as the chair.鈥�
鈥淚n no way are you going to ask me to put these officers in jeopardy for an issue that they do not control,鈥� Days said. 鈥淚 am not going to do that. They do not have the authority to remove anyone from this chamber for any reason unless we say, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e acting out and you鈥檙e doing something that鈥檚 disruptive.鈥欌��
After Days was nearly finished with her remarks, Clancy asked to speak. Days said: 鈥淣o, ma鈥檃m. No, ma鈥檃m. You are not recognized. I鈥檓 talking.鈥�
Clancy then walked out of the chambers and participated in the rest of the meeting from her office.
While Days and Clancy previously voted for a resolution in support of the mask mandate, they鈥檝e been in different factions in a schism that revolves around support for Page. Days has been a critic of Page鈥檚 administration, while Clancy has been supportive.
Clancy said after the meeting that masking 鈥渦nfortunately continues to be a very political issue.鈥�
鈥淚 want to put the politics aside. I want to stand on the principles of public health,鈥� Clancy said. 鈥淎nd tonight when I entered the chamber, I was looking forward to returning to in-person in the chamber tonight. And then it looked like we weren鈥檛 going to take our own guidelines related to the masking order.
鈥淚 sought to clarify that tonight,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd I got my answer.鈥�
Days contended after the meeting that not only did the council not have authority to kick audience members out of the chamber, she didn鈥檛 have the ability to tell three Republican council members who weren't wearing masks 鈥� Fitch, Ernie Trakas and Mark Harder 鈥� to leave, either.
鈥淭hey have been elected by their people, and they govern themselves,鈥� Days said.
Council votes down bid to open Khan report
Near the end of Tuesday鈥檚 meeting, council members voted down an effort from Fitch to open up records of an investigation involving acting Health Director Faisal Khan.
Last month, Page revealed that an investigation into Khan was completed and that he had been reprimanded for giving the middle finger to a crowd after a contentious council meeting in July. But Page declined to say if the inquiry revealed whether Khan's statements about being subjected to racial epithets and an assault were true.
Clancy and council members Trakas, R-St. Louis County; Kelli Dunaway, D-Chesterfield; and Shalonda Webb, D-St. Louis County; voted against Fitch鈥檚 resolution. Trakas said that he didn鈥檛 believe the council had the authority to open up a record from the executive branch.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 conduct the investigation,鈥� Trakas said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 create the report that鈥檚 in question. That was created by [Page鈥檚 administration]. And the Sunshine law is clear: We are not the governmental body authorized to release that document.鈥�
Trakas added that he requested Khan 鈥渨aive any confidentiality rights in respect to the record, and to my knowledge no action was taken on that.鈥�
After his motion failed, Fitch said, 鈥淚 would just say to the media and to the public: Make your sunshine request for this report.鈥�
鈥淎nd if they don鈥檛 give it to you, somebody needs to sue St. Louis County to get it,鈥� Fitch said.
Follow Jason on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
