Montgomery County, TN – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Emergency Executive Order 13 today to extend Emergency Orders 11 and 12 which requires that all residents, businesses, and visitors of Montgomery County wear face-coverings.
The order states that cloth or other face-coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; in public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within the publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.
In addition, the order states that businesses and facilities shall post signage at public entrances informing patrons of the requirement to wear a mask within the establishment and shall enforce the requirement within the establishment.
Emergency Order 13 will go into effect at 12:01am on August 3rd, 2020. and will expire on August 10th, 2020, at 12:01am unless sooner canceled or extended. The local state of emergency under this statute is limited to seven days, but it may be extended in seven-day increments.
Exceptions under the emergency order are:
- Any person who is of age 12 or under;
- Any person who cannot safely wear a face covering because he/she has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering;
- Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face-covering without assistance;
- Persons in a private residence;
- Persons who are outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate 6-foot social distancing from others outside of the person’s household;
- Persons while eating or drinking;
- Persons in a place of worship or participating in any type of religious ceremony or activity attendant thereto (unless a face-covering is required by the place of worship or other location where the religious ceremony is taking place), although persons in places of worship or otherwise participating in religious ceremonies or activities attendant thereto are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus;
- Persons within private motor vehicles, unless such vehicle is being used for public transportation or a vehicle for hire;
- Persons working under conditions where appropriate social distancing of at least six feet from others outside the person’s household is substantially maintained;
- Persons present in government facilities, or on government premises, who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the governmental entity operating the facility or premises. • Persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County government facilities will wear cloth or other face-coverings, subject to the age and health restrictions outlined herein, and subject to number
- Other local governmental entities may issue their own directives regarding their facilities;
- Persons in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election; although such persons are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus;
- Persons who are engaging in strenuous exercise and/or physical activity, provided, however, that such persons shall maintain 6-foot social distancing when not wearing a face covering;
- Persons for whom wearing a face-covering would pose a safety or security risk;
A State of Local Emergency was declared on July 17th, granting to the County Mayor certain powers as allowed under TCA 58-2-110 that gives political subdivisions of Tennessee State Government, Montgomery County, the ability to waive procedures relative to performance of public works and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community.
For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 Coronavirus information to include question and answer sheets for residents and businesses, visit mcgtn.net or call 931.648.5787.
