The Sarasota City Commission Falls One Vote Short on Bringing Back a Face Mask Mandate, at Meeting Last Night
Yes, that's right. Last Night (3/15/21).
A motion was brought back to reinstate a face mask mandate to the City of Sarasota, however it failed Last night.
The vote on the motion to bring back the mask mandate in the City of Sarasota, failed with a Commissioners vote of 3-2, in favor of brining the mandate back..
There would have needed to be "at least" a 4-1 vote, in favor... for a new face mask mandate to go into effect.
Sarasota City Commissioners Battie, Ahearn-Koch, and Alpert voted for it. Mayor Brody and Vice Mayor Arroyo, voted against it.
During the commission meeting multiple doctors spoke via ZOOM on why a mandate should be brought back to the city.
Last week Governor DeSantis put an order in place preventing local governments from collecting fines imposed by local mask mandates,
Sarasota Mayor Hagen Brody says if they pass an ordinance they should expect it to be enforced. He says it goes into the integrity of the city's law making authority. Based on the Governors order, they can't impose fines for the lack of mask wearing if there is a mask mandate again.
The Mayor Hagen Brody says he believes in CDC guidelines and people should follow them.
Here is a link to a copy of last night's meeting agenda: https://sarasota.granicus.com/player/event/4379?view_id=84&redirect=true