Montgomery County, TN – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #27 today, Friday, February 26th, 2021, in order to extend the wearing of face masks by all residents in Montgomery County.
This emergency order includes a declaration of public health emergency and has been mandated as a result of county and state health data and discussions with the local health department and emergency services directors, and Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.
The extension, which is the fifth extension to Emergency Order #21 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.
Face coverings shall be worn within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County and City of Clarksville government facilities, including Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS); public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained and within 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.
The order also requires any business open to the public to post a sign, which can be found on the Montgomery County website, requiring masks on all public entrances.
“We want to make sure that our most vulnerable population, those 65-and-older who want a COVID-19 vaccination, are fully vaccinated before considering a change in the mask mandate. We have seen a significant downward trend with less deaths and cases per capita than every county that touches Montgomery County and we are the only one with a mask mandate,” said Mayor Durrett.
The local mandate will go into effect at 12:01am February 28th, 2021, and is set to expire at 11:59pm on March 27th, 2021. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order #77 extends authority for county mayors to issue emergency orders regarding mask mandates through April 28th, 2021.
Exceptions to the mandate are outlined in Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order #54.
The Montgomery County Government web site has a host of COVID-19 Coronavirus related information, to include a COVID-19 dashboard, videos, signage, advice and previous mandates. You can also call 931-648-5787 for questions.
