COLUMBIA, S.C. — Richland County Council voted to extend their mask ordinance for another 60 days Tuesday night.
The item, the very last one on the county council's agenda, 20 (e), proposed extending the emergency mask ordinance.
Council member Chakisse Newton pushed for masks to remain in place.
"I support mask wearing, I will continue to mask and I think the county should encourage people to mask," Newton said.
Council member Joe Walker argued for constituents to have the choice, saying, "People on the ground should be able to choose to wear a mask or not."
Walker called for an end to the mask ordinance, saying Richland County is one of very counties in the state with a mask ordinance still in place.
"We continue to mandate and mandate. What's the sunset on this?" Walker asked. "When do we accept this as an endemic and not a pandemic, like every other municipality out there. Richland county continues to stand at a very aberrative position, mandating masks and not making them optional."
Meanwhile, council member Gretchen Barron said now is not the time to stop wearing masks. "If we are in a high area, then we need to continue to mask. Richland County is in a high area, and we need to continue to mask."
Council member Bill Malinowski asked for the number of mask citations issued across the county. According to county administrator Leonardo Brown, two people of the six people cited for not wearing a mask were found guilty.
Council voted to extend the mask ordinance for another 60 days. The ordinance will remain in place through the last week in April.
Council also approved the next step in the widening right-of-way project on Blythewood Road. This will allow council to obtain the necessary right of way.
They also approved a new processing system that will help the county approve and disperse county grant funds. According to Council member Barron, the funding will allow for the software to remain in place for five years.
"Allocation of $687,949 in American rescue funds to purchase comprehensive grant management software," Barron said.
According to the county, it will cost $129,000 a year to keep this software in place."