Blue Springs City Council says ‘No’ to any future mask mandates from Jackson County
The Blue Springs City Council in a special meeting on Monday adopted a resolution opposing any future mask mandates issued by the Jackson County legislators or health department.
The council unanimously approved the resolution which was in response to the Jackson County Legislature considering a measure to reinstate the mask mandate.
Legislators, however, on Monday voted 5-4 against requiring face coverings for people 5 and older in public spaces through Jan. 12.
Jackson County’s health orders only affect those parts of the county outside the city limits of Kansas City and Independence, both of which have their own independent health departments.
Blue Springs councilmembers Chris Lievsay and Kent Edmondson proposed the city’s resolution in opposition to the mask mandate.
“Even though the Jackson County Legislature did not pass the mask mandate on today’s (Monday’s) County agenda, the Blue Springs City Council felt it was important to pass this resolution in order to reiterate our position that we are opposed to any further mask mandates on Blue Springs residents and businesses,” Edmondson, who is also the mayor pro tem, said in a news release.
Jackson County considered reimposing the mask mandate because transmission of COVID-19 has been on the rise, with children and teens accounting for 30 percent of the cases, according to the Jackson County Health Department.
In mid-November, legislators voted 5-4 to end the previous mask order early despite data showing that a mask requirement was advisable under Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
This story was originally published December 14, 2021 at 7:06 AM.
