A Mount Airy resident is hoping a series of sometimes pithy emails between him and some city officials — particularly Commissioner Tom Koch — will spur Mount Airy commissioners to initiate a mask give-away program, similar to ones underway in Winston-Salem and Greensboro.
The masks would be used as a means to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Retired attorney Richard Fawcett began his campaign to get city commissioners to supply masks to city residents with a letter to the editor published in The Mount Airy News (“More needed from city leaders?” April 23), in which he highlighted the fact that Winston-Salem city officials had begun a mask give-away program for its residents. In that letter, he accused Mount Airy leaders of having “basically stuck their collective heads in the sand in response to the coronavirus pandemic.”
The federal Center for Disease Control (CDC) earlier this month changed its initial guidelines regarding the wearing of mask, urging individuals to wear them in public. The CDC says on its website the use of masks — even homemade cloth masks — can aid in the prevention of spreading the coronavirus which causes COVID-19.
Recently, Winston-Salem leaders announced calls for city residents to maintain another 40 days of social distancing, and the city unveiled plans to distribute low-cost or free masks to its residents after reaching a deal with Mount Airy-based Renfro Corp. to produce the masks.
According to published media reports, Winston-Salem officials are distributing free masks to low-income and other high-risk individuals living in the city, and they have been for sale for $2.50 at several Lowe’s Foods stores in the area.
Fawcett, in his letter to the editor and subsequent emails, questioned why Mount Airy officials aren’t doing something similar, particularly with Renfro based in the city.
“Winston-Salem, it looks to me like they’ve taken the bull by the horn and taken the lead, and partnered with our dear Renfro Corp. and got the ball rolling to provide a massive number of masks for all the citizens of Winston-Salem,” Fawcett said on Wednesday. He also pointed out that Greensboro had just announced a similar program in that city, in which Greensboro officials are supplying masks free of charge to its residents.
“To me, the pieces of the puzzle were on the table,” Fawcett said “Why not follow Winston-Salem’s lead, after all we’ve got Renfro Corp. right here. Surely there could be some communication between our city officials, Winston-Salem, and Renfro, seeing if we can’t learn from their good experiences and bad experiences, and have Mask Mayberry and do the same thing here. What’s the downside?”
Mount Airy David Rowe doesn’t disagree with Fawcett.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get involved with some type of program like this early on,” the mayor said Thursday. “Only after Winston-Salem took the masks from Renfro did we think about it. I’ve been sort of stunned by this whole affair…this whole COVID-19 thing… in not knowing not what to do. There’s nothing in our annals that tells us how to react in a situation like this”
Koch, the city commissioner who has exchanged most of the emails with Fawcett, said he and some other members of the board have talked about the idea.
”We haven’t reached a consensus, but we’ve talked about it. We have talked about trying to reach a deal with Renfro, potentially how we might pay for it.” In the email exchange between Koch, Fawcett, and other city officials, the city commissioner pledged $500 of his own money toward a program that would supply masks to Mount Airy residents, a sum matched by the mayor.
Koch said that while he didn’t appreciate the tone of some of Fawcett’s emails — accusing the city resident of being overly critical toward the commissioners on a number of issues rather than working for solutions to various issues — he did say the idea of getting masks into the hands of Mount Airy residents is a good one.
“Especially with the county asking the governor to ease up restrictions on Surry County, the availability of masks for citizens could be even more important. Personally I think the city should do something about masks, we’re talking about it, we’re trying, but I can’t promise what’s going to come of it.”
City Manager Barbara Jones said the city has received 48 donated masks from Renfro for use by city staff and board members while at city hall. She said setting up a mask program for city residents, possibly negotiating costs and production with Renfro, will be part of the May 7 commissioners meeting agenda.
Koch said he’d like to see the city be able to negotiate a bulk purchase of masks — enough for every city resident — with the masks given out free of charge, though he’d like to see those who are financially able to make a donation do so to help defray costs.
“If people feel like they can donate money to the program for the masks, I think that would be wonderful, and if they don’t feel like they can donate, I feel like we should give it them,” he said.
“Great,” is the reaction Fawcett had upon hearing the commissioners were going to discuss the issue, adding he doesn’t care who gets credit for the idea, so long as it is implemented.
A key aspect of such a program, he said, is getting the masks in the hands of city residents.
“One of my big concerns with this type of project is an effective means of distribution, regardless of whether they’re given away or whether they’re sold, that issue needs to be addressed early on in order to avoid a complete disaster,” he said “Nothing would be worse than having 10,000 masks sitting in a location and you’ve got no clue how you’re going to distribute.
”I honestly have no suggestions as to the appropriate way to distribute…how that should or could or would be handled. Again, Greensboro and Winston-Salem are dealing with it, tap onto them and see.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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