A mask mandate request was rejected by the Washington County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

After leaders from the Halcyon House nursing facility presented a mask mandate petition to the Board last week, several people spoke on the matter during the public comment period, including fellow Halcyon House employees, and two residents who were opposed to a mandate. Halcyon House Executive Director Chris Marshall mentioned during Tuesday’s meeting that her mandate request was not for forever, but for the next 6-8 weeks while the COVID-19 vaccine distribution is expected to begin for local long term care facilities. Mandate proponents explained that the mandate would help further lower the county’s 14-day average positivity rate to below 10%, in which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would allow indoor visitation at long term care centers.

The Supervisors mentioned an email that was sent by Assistant County Attorney Anthony Janney Tuesday stating that a county mask mandate would place “an additional burden on individual liberty” which would be in conflict with the state’s jurisdiction. For this reason and that the mandate would be non-enforceable, the Board voted unanimously to reject the petition.