Springdale council backs aways from mask mandate, opts for resolution

SPRINGDALE -- The City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution supporting local businesses who ask customers to wear face coverings.

Residents attending the meeting in person and via Zoom asked for more -- they wanted a mask mandate.

Bentonville's City Council on Tuesday approved a mask ordinance requiring residents to wear face coverings as suggested by the Arkansas Department of Health.

Fayetteville and Rogers also have passed ordinances requiring masks.

"I will take my business to Fayetteville where the city will protect me," said a woman named Sylvia. Her last name wasn't understandable as she spoke to the council from the online platform.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced July 3 an executive order allowing cities to adopt a model ordinance to require face masks in response to the covid-19 pandemic.

Mayor Doug Sprouse and city staff worked Tuesday afternoon to strengthen the language in that resolution, based on feedback from local businesses. Both the model resolution and ordinance were from the state's Municipal League, he said.

"We added more assurance to make it clear to the local businesses that they have the right to require their customers to wear masks," Sprouse said. "We clarified that our police department will enforce their mandates when they are asked to."

Sprouse said some local business owners didn't know they had that right. Council member Amelia Williams said she had heard the same comments.

Sprouse said the decision wasn't about masks, but who should make the mandates.

Sprouse for many years owned a small upholstery business in Springdale before he was elected mayor. He said he wouldn't have wanted a mandate from the city.

"Businesses owners need to decide what's right for their businesses," he said. "And they will live with the consequences if people don't patronize their business because of their decisions.

"I think the majority of business owners will ask their customers to do the right thing and wear masks," he said.

Rep. Megan Godfrey, speaking before the council, said a resolution would only encourage and recommend masks. Godfrey represents part of Springdale in the state legislature.

"But think about the members of our community who are most impacted -- the Marshallese and the Hispanic communities. They are not here tonight to vote. Is your individual thinking more important than theirs?"

Workers in food processing plants nationwide have been hard hit by the virus. Many of those workers in Springdale plants come from the Marshallese and Hispanic communities.

Misty Orpin, whose family owns Black Apple Crossing cidery, told the council, because of health care disparity among various cultures in the city, they have a higher burden to keep people safe than any other community in Arkansas.

She said she was moved by the stories shared during the meeting of friends and family members who are covid-19 patients.

"These are the people who live beside us," she said. "What is the kindest and most respectful thing you can do for them?

"The resolution is a great start, but don't stop there. Let's keep the conversation going."

The city still has the opportunity to do more and we will do more if needed," said council member Brian Powell. "This is a good foundation to start somewhere. You always need to build a stable foundation.

"I don't know what else we can do just by saying the word 'mandate'?"

The number of coronavirus cases in Arkansas rose Tuesday to just shy of 30,000, while eight additional people have died, Hutchinson announced. Cases rose 794, bringing the state's overall total to 29,733 since the virus was first reported in Arkansas in March, he said.

"It's a great city and the people here need to be protected as best as possible," said Pedro Manon as he asked the council for a mandate.