30-A communities implemented their own mask mandate
NEWS
by:
Alexia Tsiropoulos
SOUTH WALTON COUNTY Fla. (WMBB) — Last week Walton County Commissioners did not move forward with a mask ordinance, but some 30-A communities do not agree.
Signs are lining 30-A asking visitors and employees to wear a mask to protect the community.
These are rules in place for Seaside’s mask mandate they have put in place.
“I am not antimask, I am anti mandate,” said a Walton County resident.
“We do not agree with a mask mandate,” said another.
After dozens of residents voiced their opinions at last week’s Walton County Commissioners meeting on the mask debate, commissioners chose not to enact a mask ordinance.
“I felt like I was risking my own health and safety to just come and speak to the county commissioners for them, to make health and safety a priority,” said Kerri Parker, Seaside’s Executive Director of Communications.
Parker also spoke to commissioners but feels like her voice was not heard.
“We are not a municipality,” said Parker. “But we have a commercial district, and we do make rules.”
Seaside has had its own mask mandate in place for visitors, and many other 30-A communities have followed suit.
“It did help others to take that step forward,” said Parker. “And say, you know what, if they can do it, we can do it too.”
Visitors are aware when they come to 30-A masks are necessary.
“So they are making us wear masks, said Raymond Sutton a visitor to the area. “It is not required but when we do go into stores, the store clerks are asking us to wear them.”
Seaside and other 30-A communities, like Rosemary Beach, expect their mask mandates to be in place for quite some time.
Parker said masks are important to help limit the spread of this virus and it is necessary for their community.
Members of the Seaside commercial district have not given up talking to Walton County Commissioners. Parker plans to speak to them again.
30-A communities implemented their own mask mandate | MyPanhandle.com | WMBB-TV