JENNINGS, Mo. — A group of north St. Louis County Democrats are calling for a county-wide mask mandate, just after two of their own joined Republicans to vote down a mask ordinance.
"Just in the past weekend I've heard of ten people that I know personally that encountered the virus," said Jennings councilman Terry Wilson. "And out of the ten, three had passed away."
Wilson said the virus is serious and agrees with public health officials in the St. Louis area and the region's pandemic task force that a mask mandate could help.
"I think it's a guide for the community to know, this is what's expected. This is what we should be doing. This will help keep the community safe," said Wilison.
Wednesday, he was one of the 14 north county Democrats calling for a mask mandate.
But just the night before, county council Democrats Sholanda Webb and Chairwoman Rita Days joined the three Republicans on the council to vote down a mask mandate.
Over the past two weeks data from the St. Louis County health department shows the highest rates of COVID-19 infections have mostly been in north St. Louis County, areas Days and Webb represent in Districts one and four.
Asked if he was disappointed in their votes Wilson, who is running to replace Days on the county council, said, "I respect the process of legislation, but I think as leaders of the community, we need to make sure that we're putting the community first in all the decisions that we make."
At Tuesday's council meeting before her vote against the mask ordinance, Councilwoman Webb told the audience, "My focus is always north county. I focus to always make sure that they are safe."
Webb told the crowd she, too, had lost a loved one to COVID and the virus had hospitalized others.
"I know it's not a game. I know it's just not talk. I know it's just not a figment of our imagination," Webb said. "What I will not continue to sit here and allow is that we talk about making things better and no actions to actually do it."
"We really need to talk to this and not just jump on the bandwagon," she said before casting a voice vote against masking.
A debate Wilson said has become too political.
"I mean, that's obvious. Anybody could see that," he said.
Wilson is encouraging people in his community to get the vaccine and wear a mask regardless of any mandate.
The county health department's mask mandate is suspended under a judge's temporary restraining order while a lawsuit to stop it works its way through court. A hearing is scheduled next week.
Republicans on the county council have said they are concerned a mask mandate will infringe on personal freedoms.
County Councilman Tim Fitch, (R) District 3, said he had concerns about the way the council’s mask ordinance was worded when it came to penalties for not complying with a mask mandate. Fitch said under state law it could lead to a $2,000 fine and up to a year in jail. He joined his two fellow Republicans, Webb, and Days to vote down that mandate.