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Boone Town Council Votes to Require Masks to be Worn in Businesses Indoors

By Nathan Ham

The Boone Town Council met remotely on Tuesday and passed a mandate requiring face coverings for anyone choosing to enter an indoor establishment. The vote passed by a 3-2 margin with Sam Furgiuele, Loretta Clawson, and Connie Ulmer voting in favor of the mandate while Nancy LaPlaca and Dustin Hicks voted against the motion.

The mask requirement will go into effect this Saturday, June 20.

This is the second time that a mask requirement vote has taken place in a council meeting in the last month. This time, however, the motion passed after a previous 3-2 vote against the motion. Ulmer’s vote changed from the previous vote to yesterday’s vote. Councilman Furgiuele put the motion up for a vote in each circumstance.

The face cover mandate does include some exceptions, most notably for folks eating or drinking at bars and restaurants. Also, people who have health issues, and children under the age of 10 will not be required to wear a mask.

According to the amendment to the town’s state of emergency declaration, a violation of this is punishable by a citation, however a warning will be given first.