FOREST ACRES, S.C. — Forest Acres City Council held an emergency council meeting Thursday, July 2, to adopt an ordinance requiring the use of a face mask to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Council voted unanimously in favor of the rule the ordinance will go into effect Monday, July 6, and expire after 60 days.
The city is the latest to adopt an ordinance requiring face masks. Forest Acres Mayor Frank Brunson presented the ordinance that would require anyone over the age of 10 to wear a face covering when in a restaurant or retail business or structure open to the general public, including medical and dental offices, barber shops and hair salons.
Face coverings can be bandanas, medical masks, cloth masks, scarves, gaiters and face shields.
A member of the public not wearing a mask could be fined $25; businesses not complying to the face mask ordinance could be fined $100 per day.
Brunson said this is not about big government, this is about keeping Forest Acres a safe place to live, shop and visit.
In the past week cities and towns throughout the state have enacted a version of an ordinance requiring face coverings to be worn in public spaces.