Irwin Council: Masks are optional at future meetings

Irwin Council decided Wednesday to no longer require anyone attending their meetings to wear a mask in spite of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation to do so in order the slow the spread of covid-19.

Meeting online through Irwin’s Facebook page, council decided 6-1 to return to the public works building for meetings starting in March until further notice.

Masks will be optional and there will not be a limit on the number of people allowed in the room.

Only Councilman Ron Romeo opposed having an in-person meeting without requiring masks, except for those with medical conditions.

The decision appears to violate the Pennsylvania Department of Health order in November that requires people who are inside local government facilities and buildings, to wear a mask.

Councilman Frank Rossi said he would not wear a mask but would not object to anyone wearing one. Council held public meetings for about nine months without such requirements, he said.

Councilwoman Leslie Savage quipped that, “I think we’ve been doing a great job not hugging and kissing in meetings.”

Rossi, 63, said he has gone to restaurants in Irwin where people are not wearing masks all the time.

“Nobody is wearing a mask, and nobody gives a crap,” Rossi said.

Rossi, who is not a medical professional, said he believes he had covid last year. So he believes he cannot spread the virus to others.

Romeo pointed out, however, that Rossi can’t be certain he would not spread the virus. There are variants of the disease and no way of knowing whether a person who had covid could not spread the new strain of virus.

Wearing a mask is for the protection of others, Romeo said.

In a debate last month over holding in-person meetings, Rossi called the governor’s covid-related restrictions “crap.” He voted in a workshop against conducting the regular monthly meeting in person because masks would have been required, but he was outvoted.

Council met in person Jan. 13, but then voted to hold the February meeting remotely.

Council members previously had discussed the possibility of broadcasting the meetings from the public works building, but it does not have the electronic capabilities. Cellphone service is poor at the site.