The City of Shelbyville has extended its mask mandate for all city-controlled buildings to Oct. 31.
The mask mandate was put in place in September by the Common Council to assist in slowing down the spread of COVID-19, which was pushing Major Health Partners Medical Center to near maximum capacity.
At Monday’s Common Council meeting, the council extended the mandate by nearly three weeks until Oct. 31 by a vote of 5-1. Councilman Tyson Conrady voted against the extension.
“Are we ever going to stop wearing a mask?” asked Conrady before the vote was taken. “I have seen the numbers. I know all the statistics and data but I’m going to say no at this point because I think it’s time we move on with our lives.”
Councilman Scott Furgeson (R-4th Ward) and Shelbyville mayor Tom DeBaun were not at the meeting Monday.
While the mask mandate was extended Monday for city buildings, including City Hall, it was not enforced at either the Redevelopment Commission meeting Monday, which was held one hour earlier than the Common Council meeting, or the council meeting.
Redevelopment Commission member Mark McNeely listened to commentary from Tom Davis, of Genesis Property Development, with his mask dangling from his left ear. Davis did not wear a mask during the meeting.
And a man sitting in the audience for both meetings was not asked to put on a mask.
The city’s mask mandate is set to expire at the end of the month as is the Shelby County Commissioners’ mandate that students and staff at all Shelby County schools wear masks while indoors during instructional hours.
In other business Monday, the council approved seven grants totaling $140,000 for the Blue River Community Foundation to distribute.
The seven grant recipients are Grover Center Museum & Historical Society, Shelby Senior Services, Strand Theatre, Shelby Arts Guild Association, Girls Inc. of Shelbyville/Shelby County, J. Kenneth Self Boys & Girls Club of Shelby County, and Morrison Park Group.
The non-profits will be able to use the funds, budgeted by the city from racino dollars, for various programs and facility upgrades.
