Sumter County Council plans to consider mask mandate again

Eight months after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and two months after voting down a mask ordinance, the Sumter County Council will once again look over and consider a countywide mask mandate.

The plan came about after Councilman Eugene Baten urged council to consider approving a mask ordinance during Tuesday’s meeting, which he has done at many meetings since early September.

“The present thing we have now is a mask resolution,” Baten said. “We don’t have an ordinance … and one of the things is we’re urging, not requiring, urging people to wear a mask.”

In late August, Sumter County Council voted down the emergency mask ordinance 3-4, with Councilman Artie Baker, Councilman Jimmy Byrd, Councilman Charles Edens and Councilman Chris Sumpter voting in opposition. It required a two-thirds vote to be approved.

The majority opposition vote followed after Baker said he had concerns with the wording in the ordinance and how it would affect county businesses, especially employees of outdoor businesses, which he thought shouldn’t be required to wear masks.

The ordinance proposed repeated violations at any business or establishment could result in the county seeking suspension or revocation of the business license issued by the county.

Owning an outdoor business himself, Baker said this was inappropriate, especially for the sake of his employees.

“In order for me to support a mask ordinance, there would have to be a lot of changes,” Baker said. “Like outdoor businesses, which I own, and they were talking about how they could shut your business down as a penalty.”

Baker said he would look at a new mask ordinance, but he can’t commit to it. He needs to see changes made to the requirements and penalties for the sake of his business and other outdoor businesses, as well as the rights of county residents.

“I feel like we could do another resolution,” Baker said. “I think people understand the importance of wearing a mask. I certainly wear a mask when I’m around somebody and I can’t social distance, and I certainly try to keep my distance when I can.”

However, Chairman Jim McCain is for the mask mandate and is looking to adopt the city’s ordinance.

“Cases are still going up in South Carolina and Sumter as well, and Councilman Baten has been pushing for it,” McCain said. “Since he called on the leadership of council to bring it up again, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

McCain originally voted in favor of the countywide mask ordinance, and he continues to support it, especially after friends and other community members died because of COVID-19.

McCain understood the concerns that were brought to council’s attention when they originally attempted to pass the mask mandate, so he and Sumter County Administrator Gary Mixon plan to look at the city’s ordinance and try to adopt it.

The City of Sumter’s ordinance requires customers and staff to wear face coverings in retail and food service establishments in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, which includes restaurants, drive-throughs and anywhere that sells food, as well as grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, liquor stores, laundromats and any business that sells goods or services and not outdoor establishments.

Baten hopes council will approve a new mask ordinance rather than another resolution soon, for the sake of Sumter County residents.

“More and more people are dying. More and more people are contracting and showing up positive (for COVID-19),” Baten said. “I want council members to look at the fact that mask wearing will save lives.”