Fresno City Council mandates masks for its members, despite objection from councilman
The Fresno City Council mandated council members Thursday to wear masks while entering and walking around inside City Hall — a policy the rest of the building’s occupants are already held to during the coronavirus pandemic.
The policy was proposed by Councilmember Miguel Arias, and was opposed only by Councilmember Garry Bredefeld, who claimed the policy was an effort to bully him into donning a mask.
City Hall employees and visitors were already required to wear a mask when visiting after an order from the city manager on Monday. The policy for the council members goes into effect immediately.
Bredefeld said he’s tried and he doesn’t like wearing a mask. He also said he believes there could be negative health effects from wearing one.
“I feel uncomfortable with the mask, physically,” Bredefeld said at a news conference. “There’s differing data that shows that wearing a mask, No. 1, doesn’t prevent COVID-19.”
“I think that it’s clear that it’s not definitively true that if you wear a mask it definitively protects you,” he said.
Bredefeld said multiple times before the meeting that he won’t be intimidated and won’t wear a mask. After the meeting, it was unclear if he’d stick to that plan.
Arias released a statement shortly after Bredefeld’s news conference on Thursday. Arias pointed to the Centers for Disease Control’s recommendation to wear a mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“The science is clear, facial coverings combined with other preventive measures, such as frequent hand-washing and social distancing, help slow the spread of COVID-19,” Arias’ statement said. “This resolution protects the health and safety of our essential employees and their families by ensuring council members and staff adhere to the same standards as other city employees and members of the public.”
Bredefeld noted the CDC recommendation is not a mandate.
County health officials said on May 22 that wearing a mask has only become more important as businesses and restaurants have started to reopen.
Councilmember Mike Karbassi said he wears masks, adding the policy was not onerous. It’s not only scientifically sound, but appreciated by others, he said.
“It shows compassion and makes other people feel comfortable around me,” he said.
About 46% of the people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in Fresno County contracted it during close contact – the kind of contact people could see at stores and restaurants. Officials say mask-wearing and social distancing measures are easy ways to prevent that kind of spread.
The supporters of the new policy on the council said businesses and employees of the city are required to wear masks so the council should too.
Bredefeld pointed to comments made on April 3 on CBS news program 60 Minutes by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert. On the show, Fauci said masks were not necessary. He and other health officials have since changed their minds and recommend masks
Bredefeld played the 60 Minutes clip during the meeting. Councilmember Nelson Esparza said it was “an embarrassment” for the council meeting to spread misinformation.
The World Health Organization says healthy people only need to wear a mask if they are caring for a sick person.
“For my own personal decision, I just don’t feel the need to wear a mask,” Bredefeld said. “People have said very different things, and they’ve been all over the map on masks.”
Asked about any scenario in which he’d be willing to wear a mask, Bredefeld said he wouldn’t discuss the hypothetical question.
Bredefeld said he was aware of the idea that masks are not meant to protect the mask wearer, but rather people near the mask wearer.
Council policy
The proposed policy would have punished a council member who doesn’t wear a mask by removing them from committee assignments. The policy was amended during the meeting and instead council members will not be allowed to enter City Hall without a mask.
Bredefeld said Arias has been known to be uncivil, pointing most recently to the incident with protesters at Arias’ home and another incident in which City Manager Wilma Quan threatened to sue the city because of Arias.
Arias was cited by police after the events at his home, but he has not been charged with a crime.
Arias said he didn’t want to address the personal attacks from Bredefeld.
“There are some things that matter more than rhetoric,” he said. “That’s facts and that’s human decency. To treat each other with respect.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2020 at 11:58 AM.
