Whitfield County Board of Commissioners Vote Down Mask Mandate

WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) – The decision to not institute a mask mandate came in a County Commission meeting Monday night.

The motion failed two-to-one, with Barry Robins and Roger Crossen voting against it.

Both commissioners have tested positive for the virus themselves. Robbins is quarantining at home and exhibiting no symptoms – while Crossen is still in the intensive care unit fighting for his life.

Board Chairman Lynn Laughter has long been an advocate for implementing a mask mandate in Whitfield County but has struggled to get her fellow commissioners on board.

Laughter, who is quarantining at home after her husband tested positive for Coronavirus, says that she was puzzled by her colleagues who were against the motion.

“I think it’s an issue of personal freedom. I’m sad to say I think the virus has been turned into a political issue. Not just in our county but statewide and countrywide,” says Lynn Laughter.

Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger also gave his thoughts on a mask mandate, saying that it was a necessary step to get rising COVID numbers under control.

“Well I’m not familiar with the situation in North Georgia but what I do know here – just recently I had to study to confirm from Vanderbilt, it was actually out yesterday – we know that masks make a difference. It certainly makes a difference in the number of deaths that occur in respective counties and also in being able to help minimize the spread. Although our numbers are up significantly this week it’s hard to say how high they would be if we didn’t have a mask mandate,” says Jim Coppinger.

Coppiner expressed concern that nearby counties without mask mandates – such as Whitfield – were bringing COVID cases to Hamilton County, where cases continue to top previously set records.