MEDINA, Ohio — It’s not just the major cities that are taking action to get people to wear masks in Ohio.
In the heart of Medina, groups are socially distant, and some are wearing masks.
“I’d say overall, people are taking it seriously,” said Medina resident Jessica Dannery, who was enjoying some time outside, while still adjusting to the new normal. “I have a lot of friends from California who live in LA, so I’ve seen it impact their lives, them lose family members over this, so I take it really seriously at home.”
Medina city leaders compromised on a mask recommendation as opposed to a mask mandate. The county currently sits at a Level 2 emergency, hoping to avoid becoming a Level 3, when masks would then become mandatory.
“Because our health director was not suggesting we mandate them. And we’ve taken all the directions since the COVID from the health director locally here, both state and local, and it didn’t make sense to me if she was not supporting it that we would do so,” said Medina Mayor Dennis Hanwell.
Mayor Dennis Hanwell says the cities in Medina County are taking on the mask recommendation, which encourages masks, but doesn’t include civil penalties, and encourages businesses to make customers wear masks.
“Some of these business owners have elderly folks or compromised children with health issues, they don’t want to go home with something like this, so they have a right to protect themselves,” said Mayor Hanwell.
Some police departments have shown concern over enforcing mask mandates. The Bedford Police Department in Cuyahoga County, on its Facebook page, says it won’t respond to mask complaints unless it gets clarification on enforcing the order, but adds that it would enforce trespassing if someone doesn’t listen to a business asking customers to wear a mask.
The Village of Yellow Springs passed a mask ordinance back in June.
“Part of our attitude from the beginning has been that this is a no-brainer. This is the right thing to do. We need to maintain public safety. We’re a small town, we have a small downtown,” said Council President Brian Housh.
The ordinance in the southwest Ohio city of less than 4,000 requires people to wear masks in the central business district. Not wearing one can result in a warning and fines.
Housh adds that the city has a Mask Ambassador Initiative that encourages and gives away masks in the hometown of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
“We’re a small police force. We were concerned about the enforcement from the get go. But what’s happening is conversations,” said Housh. “We’re hoping that the soft touch, a welcoming approach of putting masks in people’s hands, makes them do the right thing.”
