The Edgartown board of health cracked down on mask use on Thursday, issuing an order requiring all people over the age of two to wear face coverings downtown.
After a bustling Fourth of July, the Edgartown board of health cracked down on mask use on Thursday, issuing an order requiring all people over the age of two to wear face coverings in most of the tight-packed downtown business district, regardless of whether they can socially distance.
While other towns have mulled more stringent mask rules (Nantucket adopted a mandatory mask rule last week), Edgartown became the first Vineyard town to officially do so Thursday evening.
“This makes it pretty black and white,” town administrator James Hagerty said in a phone call after the meeting.
Map delineates downtown area where masks are required for everyone over the age of two.
Map delineates downtown area where masks are required for everyone over the age of two.
The order goes into effect at 8 a.m. on Friday, and is active from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily. The vote by the board of health was unanimous.
In May, Gov. Charlie Baker issued a statewide order requiring people to wear masks in public if they could not socially distance. But with the Island heating up and summer entering full swing, compliance has become an issue in many of the Vineyard’s more crowded areas, including the Oak Bluffs harbor, Menemsha and downtown Edgartown.
A petition circulated recently in Edgartown, garnering more than 300 signatures from residents who requested the town issue a tougher mask order.
The board of health decided to act on the petition Thursday, going beyond the governor’s order and requiring face coverings for all people in the downtown area regardless of whether they are six feet apart from others.
“The petition wasn’t exactly the catalyst for us to have the order,” Mr. Hagerty explained. “We’ve heard concerns from a number of people.”
Businesses are required to put signs on their doors saying that masks are mandatory, and must refuse entrance to anyone not wearing a face covering, according to the order. Exemptions include children under the age of two and pre-existing medical conditions.
The boundary for the mask requirement is slightly smaller than the town’s B1 commercial downtown zoning district, but generally encompasses Main street from Pease’s Point Way to the water. It stretches along the harbor from the Chappy ferry entrance to Davis Lane, and includes all of Kelley and Winter streets as well.
Mr. Hagerty said the town decided to include only part of the B1 district in the order because there are areas within the district that are less heavily traveled by pedestrians.
The order will be enforced by the board of health, and includes a ladder of increasing fines that start at $50 for first-time offenders and extends to $300. Mr. Hagerty said the town would likely hire individuals to help with enforcement and education.
“Ultimately, we are going to try to retain some ambassadors to educate,” Mr. Hagerty said.
The order further explains the town’s enforcement mechanism.
“Agents, officers and town-authorized ambassadors are encouraged to educate offenders and exercise their judgment on a case-by-case basis, and have discretion to issue verbal or written warnings as a measure before determining that a fine-able offense has occurred,” the order states.
Mr. Hagerty said he hoped the order would help limit the number of people without face coverings in the downtown district. Both Oak Bluffs and Chilmark have discussed taking similar steps, especially as summer kicks into gear.
“We were doing the best we can with what we have, and hopefully this will bring down some of the numbers in the downtown areas,” Mr. Hagerty said.
Comments
Thank you.
OB RNThank you.
Doesn’t look as if many
Carl Grimm EdgartownDoesn’t look as if many pedestrians are taking masks seriously from my observation.
Great first step, but
AM 02539Great first step, but enforcement is the key - put real teeth in this and it will help, but if everyone looks the other way, it will have limited impact. Keep your nerve, Edgartown, and follow through on this.
Please, please inforce this
Phyllis Whorton EdgartownPlease, please inforce this for all our sakes, with this in place and are vigilant with it, we can beat this in time! Best steps taken, thank you! There should be no question with this, strictly wear your mask, period!
When do you think it should
David New EnglandWhen do you think it should stop? And how will you know wheN to stop?
The rest of the entire island
Samuel - WW2 Veteran Oak BluffsThe rest of the entire island better follow Edgartown's lead Especially Oak Bluffs!!!!!!
Thank you, Edgartown! Hope
greenflash edgartownThank you, Edgartown! Hope this can be enforced and that it will decrease the number of positive cases. Perhaps it will encourage the rest of the island to follow suit.
How about also mandating that
G. Mammone EdgartownHow about also mandating that people wear masks up over their nose?
Seriously. Do we need
Katydid EdgartownSeriously. Do we need infographics so people actually wear the masks correctly? It's ridiculous.
The right thing to do!
KGH EdgartownThe right thing to do!
Lottsa luck collecting fines
SELottsa luck collecting fines from out of staters!
thank you, this will help us
John Edgartownthank you, this will help us all stay safer. hopefully the other towns will follow
It's hard to believe this is
JayEff EdgartownIt's hard to believe this is necessary. People who refuse to wear masks are being irresponsible (other words would apply). The town(s) shouldn't have to police what should be common-sense behavior. Like wearing a seat belt, not smoking. We applaud the town for taking this step. I'm hoping other island towns will do the same. We have the police interns; let them roam downtown and "educate" violators.
Whats the point without
Paul Oak BluffsWhats the point without enforcement. You have Beach rules and then just allowed everyone to (and continue to) violate them.
This should be for all of m.v
LBL V.H.This should be for all of m.v. Please....
Wonderful news! Let's make
Alice Thompson Vineyard HavenWonderful news! Let's make it mandatory for the entire island.
How about including face
Angry EdgartownHow about including face masks on Bike paths that are barely 6 feet across!
On the bike path people pass
MarieOn the bike path people pass quickly. And there is plenty of room for 6’ separation.
From OSHA analysis: “successful infection = exposure to virus + time
When a person speaks, they release nearly 200 particles per minute. Therefore, scientists agree that it would take about five minutes of speaking with someone face-to-face to receive the required dose of particles to get infected.... Running, walking or cycling outside, however, is a relatively low-risk. The outdoor air is well circulated, and if you are passing someone on a path, you should keep your distance still, but you are likely not being exposed to their particles for long enough to get infected.”
While I agree that the risk
Mike S EdgartownWhile I agree that the risk is “low” it still exists. What is so difficult about wearing a mask while passing others? Are we that selfish that we cannot wear a simple mask for the well being of each other? Even while jogging or cycling wearing a gator style mask that can easily be pulled up to cover your nose and mouth is simple. Joggers and cyclists are by far the least likely to wear masks but are far more likely than walkers to spread the virus. Everyone talks about the sacrifices those of the greatest generation made. I hardly consider wearing a mask a sacrifice but it seems like it’s the least we could do for each other’s sake. You want to be a patriot.? How about starting by wearing a mask.
What’s so hard about stepping
MarieWhat’s so hard about stepping aside so you are 6’ away. If you don’t speak you should be fine.
The rule is distance outdoors. I follow the rules.
Your comment makes it sounds
Angry EdgartownYour comment makes it sounds safe, right? Yesterday a biker sneezed right in front of me while we were passing on our bikes on the bike path. It was so crazy that I thought the young girl was mocking my mask. She should have had a mask on!!!!!
Despite concerns about
August West EdgartownDespite concerns about freedom and liberty I've heard around town, this seems like a reasonable response to a global pandemic.
Smart move for the island.
Charles Hodge MDSmart move for the island.
Thank you for being proactive
Elaine Boettcher EdgartownThank you for being proactive, Edgartown. An uplifting banner over Main St. would be a helpful reminder.
about 40% compliance in town
Scott Chappyabout 40% compliance in town today. People walking around with them on their necks. The police must be more forceful with compliance or we will see a spike after the months of hard work keeping this virus down on MV.
As far as I can see there is
Work in Edgartown EdgartownAs far as I can see there is no education or enforcement going on.
What does this mean for
Grey H.What does this mean for outdoor dining...is that still allowed? Thank you.
Excellent leadership
Right Whale HooterExcellent leadership Edgartown. Hagerty for president !! The cases are already going up, Island wide mandatory masks would be a prudent measure to keep this from spiraling out of control.
What's the point of having
In EdgartownWhat's the point of having all the traffic people around if they can't do anything about people not wearing masks. Get rid of a few of them and actually hire people to enforce wearing masks. Saw people walking around with no masks and the traffic people not even saying something. If there's no enforcement, then don't bother making it mandatory.
Ambassadors have no authority
Hal EdgartownAmbassadors have no authority to enforce - only educate - how's that gonna work?
Unless the police are
Mark EdgartownUnless the police are involved in enforcement, I don’t see the fines being effective. Who is going to hand over their personal information to a town ambassador for a fine? Without police involvement this has no teeth.
It is like education on bike
Year round in... EdgartownIt is like education on bike helmets (which unfortunately many kids here do not wear despite the law). Start with kids and talk to them If the parents won't do the right thing, let the kids know that it is wrong. Kids can exert subtle pressure on parents to do the right thing. "Educators" should have masks to offer people and if those people refuse to put the mask on or to put it on their children, they should politely ask them to leave. Like a life jacket on a boat, it is not optional. If they want to board, they have to "get on board."
This is great news. But who
KWD EdgartownThis is great news. But who is in charge of enforcement? Edgartown Police have said this is not their job. Edgartown Dept of Health does not answer phone or return emails. Who's in charge?
What's really missing, however, is an island-wide enforceable mask policy. Why the towns cannot act in concert to protect the well-being of all Island residents seems bizarre given the small healthcare infrastructure here. It's helpful to have strict mask rules in Edgartown, but why put residents and visitors in Oak Bluffs or VH at risk without same rules?
OORAH James, Outstanding work
Lima 3/5 Edgartown - NativeOORAH James, Outstanding work, planning, executing and getting everyone on board!
Thankfully you walked point on this then both Oak Bluffs and Chilmark starts `discussing` taking similar steps, especially as summer kicks into gear.
You have made Edgartown proud!
Very disappointed by the lack
AM 02539Very disappointed by the lack of compliance in town today....and the seemingly complete absence of an enforcement. We need to see info on fines published on a real-time basis (not unlike cases of the virus) in order to keep the heat on those that need to make sure this is adhered to.
For those calling for Oak
Flying Horse Oak BluffsFor those calling for Oak Bluffs to follow in Edgartown’s leadership, you need to understand something. In just the past couple years our town has become a “banana republic.” Brian Packish rules with an iron fist and makes all decisions. The good news is, he will flip in an instant if he gets enough pressure. There is zero moral leadership here. It is all about who is loudest (it helps if you are from here though, but it helps even more if you can make him look good and have money). Don’t hold your breath waiting for Oak Bluffs to do the right thing. There is old school Tammany Hall politics at work here. Ugly situation.
Enforcement is key. The towns
SB Vineyard HavenEnforcement is key. The towns need to walk the walk. All well and good to mandate it but if follow through isn’t enforced, it’s useless. And then we look the fool.
Hardly anyone was wearing a
Kevin D KatamaHardly anyone was wearing a mask last evening in downtown Edgartown. There is no enforcement at all. It’s ridiculous how little the masses care about their health As well as others. People are just stupid.
I was in Edgartown last night
Ken EdgartownI was in Edgartown last night and saw MANY people with no masks and police officers close by. Why isn't it being enforced? If we parked illegally we'd get a ticket. Why not have the same enforcement for these people putting all of us in harms way?
Just how long are other
MS Vineyard HavenJust how long are other Boards of Health going to wait ? Edgartown Board of Health has set an excellent example. Over the past week and a half I have observed a disturbing number of people of different ages totally ignoring wearing a mask in downtown Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs. Unless boundaries are set and rules enforced, this will continue. People have to think beyond their own noses and be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.
Sounds like a lot of people
EdSounds like a lot of people are not comfortable visiting downtowns. If I felt unsafe for any reason - crime or Covid- I would not visit a town or business establishment. Follow your instinct.
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