CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – County Mayor Jim Durrett has issued a letter to the community and a new executive order that will relax some aspects of his earlier mask-wearing mandates.
The new order, effective at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 8, will require that employees in businesses that serve customers and cannot consistently social distance wear masks. It also will require visitors who enter any County, City and School System facility must wear masks.
Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts, who met with Mayor Durrett to discuss the new executive order, said he supports the county’s new directive.
Highlights of the Mayor Durrett’s letter and order are:
The mandate, Emergency Order #17, for all Montgomery County residents and visitors to wear masks is active until midnight, Sept. 7.
Beginning Sept. 8, Mayor Durrett will halt the mandate for individuals to wear masks but is requesting that individuals continue wearing them and continue to social distance for the well-being of all residents.
The new mandate, Emergency Order 18, requires that employees in businesses that serve customers and cannot consistently social distance, be required to wear masks. This order has the same information as Emergency Order #9 that went into effect on July 6.
Visitors who enter any County, City and School System facility must wear masks upon entering their buildings until further notice.
The state has listened to Montgomery and other counties that have requested more up-to-date and accurate information regarding the number of active COVID-19 cases. The Tennessee Department of Health has adopted a new and more timely formula to calculate active cases.
The exceptions to Executive Order 18, outlined in Gov. Bill Lee’s Executive Order 54, are:
Within one’s residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance.
While eating or drinking.
While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person’s household.
While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person’s household is substantially maintained.
In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk.
Mayor Durrett’s full letter is available here.
Mayor Durrett’s Executive Order 18 is at this link.