PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Tuesday, the Portage City Council held a hybrid meeting that included both in-person attendance and remote viewing.
Council members who chose to attend in person, including Mayor Patricia Randall, sat far away from each other and wore face masks (unless speaking into a microphone) per social distancing guidelines.
One order of business that was discussed were appointments to the Portage Planning Commission. Before the 7 p.m. meeting started, the board voted to reappoint William Fries, as well as to appoint Reed Youngs and Rick Freiman to terms ending May 31, 2023.
Other appointments were made to different boards, as well.
Additionally, the Council set a meeting date for finding candidates to fill the vacant spot on the board left behind by former Council member Richard Ford. That meeting has been set for 5:30 p.m. on July 21 in Council Chambers.
Much of the discussion from Council members revolved around Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order mandating that civilians must wear masks inside stores and crowded public places. Council members said many questions fielded by Portage residents were regarding the order.
“There have been recent reports, even in the last hour or so, of violent encounters by people who were not interested in wearing a mask that wanted to enter a store or public facility,” Council member Terry Urban said. “What I say to those folks is that you’re more than welcome to not wear a mask, but you’re also not welcome in those businesses. It is the responsibility of those businesses to enforce the Governor’s order. Please respect that. Whether you agree with it or not, it is the law in Michigan at this point. Understand that we respect your desire to not wear a mask, but that also means you may not be welcome in all public spaces at this time.”
Other Council members made similar statements.
“It is so important to recognize that this is something that is statewide, and the Governor is watching the information that is coming out and making modifications based on that,” Council member Claudette Reid said. “If people want to not have to wear a mask, we need to get to the point where the data shows that it makes sense for us to not be wearing a mask. In the meantime, we have to do the things that we’re supposed to be doing – washing hands, social distancing and wearing masks in all public spaces.”
Reid pointed out that some citizens argue against wearing a mask based on scientific facts.
“We could be making a mistake in one of two ways,” Reid said. “One thing we could be doing is wearing masks where it doesn’t necessarily protect us the way we think it does. Or, we could not wear masks and we’re missing the protection that is there. If you make the first kind of mistake, it really doesn’t hurt anything, but if you make the second kind of mistake, it hurts people significantly.”
Reid said that if a mistake is going to be made, it should be made “in the right way,” and citizens should continue wearing masks in public.
Mayor Randall also commented on masks, along with the news that some police organizations will not be enforcing the order.
“We are exercising our power, and as people turn in different names of businesses where they’re not in compliance or people are not social distancing, we have been turning them in,” Randall said. “Our police do pay a visit and give a warning. If the behavior does not change, we turn them over to the county health department, and they have the option to remain open and follow the orders or to close. We are aggressively enforcing that.”
Randall says any complaints can be fielded to the Portage City Manager’s Office, where further action will be taken.
