Around Edmond: City Council vote on mask mandate causes further discord. Op Ed about Covid 19, non masked shoppers and our Congresswoman takes charge with Friday meeting with all state health professionals.

Monday, the Mayor and four City Council members met via Zoom to take a vote finally, after failing to do so two weeks prior, on mandating the temporary use of face coverings.

In Edmond, our city charter requires two votes, one to cause immediate implementation, after a vote on an issue has occurred.

This last Monday, Councilmen Josh Moore, Darryl Davis, David Chapman and Mayor O’Neil all voted for a mask mandate in Edmond, with Nic Massey voting no, passing the measure after all members of the Council considered their politics, expert information, and after three weeks of contentious resident concerns were heard by email and by way of Zoom public meetings.

Then, shockingly, the vote occurred for emergency immediate ordinance implementation, and it failed to bring immediate implementation because Mayor O’Neil didn’t want to cause further discord, causing the ordinance to be implemented to require masks August 26, 2020 lasting only until September 8, 2020. 12 Days.

Besides the failure to make a clear cut decision to alleviate any further public discord by the Mayor, was the blatant effort to please both sides, without actually making a decision that would either a) make a solid difference in slowing the increasing spread down and b) stop further public discord and chaos caused by the clear lack of decision making by the Mayor.

In a city of over 94,000, we need leaders who will, right or wrong, make solid concise decisions based on fact and in this case science.

Covid 19 is not a political issue. It was not born to cause discord, conspiracy theories or any other purpose but its purpose. Please do not feel that wearing a mask means someone is weak, I do so to prevent my saliva from spreading something I may not know I have, as I know for a fact my disposable masks and cloth masks won’t prevent me from contracting this horrible virus. And, to be clear, even though I try to stay healthy, I am pretty sure I will end up in the ICU should I contract it. I still try to live my life normally and mostly virtually, due to my respiratory sensitivities.

On the subject of insensitive, there were a group of people forming a group on Facebook this week that were bound and determined to “make” everyone who wears or requires masks understand they are not the enemy.

Again let me be clear. No one thinks you are the enemy if you don’t “want” to wear a mask, just don’t force yourself on others who do not want you in their space. Patrick at the Lost Ogle clearly stated what many people are thinking. Wear a damn mask when you are in public spaces where you can’t socially distance.

Or stay away from people if you choose not to. Simple. One would think grown adults would understand even on a basic level a little something about the greater good (not having anything to do with fear or sheep or whatever else) but alas, people seem to think this virus is about them and not acknowledging their selfish behavior makes clear their clear cut decision not to care about those around them.

It’s really not about fear, wearing a mask is about compassion and caring for your fellow man, based on information we currently are aware of.

I’m positive 12 days won’t do anything to slow anything down and the decision to implement the facial covering policy in late August is just sad, and it directly caused further anxiety and discord between neighbor’s and residents.

Science is pretty clear on this subject.

On Friday, Congresswoman Kendra Horn (OK-5) and Dean Gary Raskob of the OU Hudson College of Public Health will gather public health officials and hospital administrators to discuss the increase of COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma and steps forward. The Public Health Roundtable will be broadcast for the public on Zoom and on Facebook Live.

Public Health Roundtable with Congresswoman Kendra Horn

Time: 9:30AM – 11:00AM, Friday, July 31

Watch Via Zoom: Meeting ID 936 1893 7608, Password 74525374

Streamed Live on Facebook

“Oklahoma is still in the thick of the COVID-19 crisis, with record increases in cases. Responding to this unprecedented health and economic crisis, requires the expertise and insight of our public health officials and healthcare leaders about what we can and should do to protect our communities,” said Congresswoman Kendra Horn.