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HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - September 1, 2020, Special Meeting of the Ames City Council MinutesMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AMES CITY COUNCIL AMES, IOWA SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 The Special Meeting of the Ames City Council was called to order by Mayor Haila at 6:00 p.m. on the 1st day of September, 2020. The Mayor announced that due to the Governor of Iowa declaring a public health emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic, City Council meetings are being held electronically, as allowed by Section 21.8 of the Iowa Code. He explained how the public could participate in the meeting via the internet or by phone. City Council members participating in the meeting electronically were Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Gloria Betcher, Amber Corrieri, Tim Gartin, Rachel Junck, and David Martin. Ex officio Member Nicole Whitlock was also present. Mayor Haila commented that he had stated at the August 25, 2020, meeting that the Council would not be considering the first reading of the Mandatory Face Covering Ordinance until next week. He said that he had made that comment not knowing or anticipating how much could change in the course of a few days. However, the COVID-19 infection rate has skyrocketed, and the Governor has now closed bars. Reflecting on that, the Mayor felt it was important for the Council to consider the Ordinance earlier. A Press Release was issued and social media was used in an attempt to get notice of the Special Meeting out as soon as possible. Mayor Haila noted that he does not take lightly making changes to what has been told to people during Council meetings; however, it was an extraordinary situation that he believed warranted the calling of a Special Meeting. There is one item on this meeting’s Agenda, which is the first reading of a Mandatory Face Covering Ordinance, as prepared by the City Attorney at the direction of the City Council . PUBLIC FORUM: Mayor Haila opened Public Forum. There being no one indicating that they wished to speak, the Mayor closed Public Forum. MANDATORY FACE COVERING ORDINANCE: Mayor Haila asked City Attorney Mark Lambert to provide highlights of the proposed Ordinance. City Attorney Lambert explained that he had drafted the Ordinance with the recommendations made by the City Council members after they had reviewed the Draft at their meeting held August 25, 2020. He specifically noted that he had added language as directed, which was to: 1. Clarify that a childcare facility is not considered a public setting or a facility where the public is invited in. 2. Remove any penalties and replace with language saying that compliance with the Ordinance shall be obtained through education and encouragement only. There is no penalty for a violation of the Ordinance. Moved by Junck, seconded Corrieri, to reconsider the motion made at the Council’s last meeting, specifically the motion to approve the Draft Ordinance, but replace Section 4 with a statement explaining that there will be no penalty. Roll Call Vote: 3-3. Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Corrieri, Junck. Voting nay: Betcher, Gartin, Martin. Motion failed. Mayor Haila stated that the Council had received an email from a member of the public requesting clarification about members of a household being out walking around together. The Mayor felt the author’s intent was to ask if it might be an exemption if a person was walking with someone they live with. He asked Attorney Lambert to comment. Mr. Lambert pointed out that under Section (1)a., it states, “Outside whenever the person cannot stay at least six (6) feet away from others.” He felt the author of the email seemed to be suggesting to add to that “who are not family members.” Council Member Martin said that the suggestion was to modify Section (1)a. The Ordinance currently reads that every person must wear a face covering under the following circumstances: “(1)a. Outside whenever the person cannot stay at least six (6) feet away from others;” The proposal is to change that to read, “Outside whenever the person cannot stay at least six (6) feet away from others not in the person’s household.” Moved by Martin, seconded by Corrieri, to modify Section (1)a. so that it reads “Outside whenever the person cannot stay six (6) feet away from others not in the person’s household.” Council Member Gartin asked how someone would know who is in someone’s household and how would they go about proving that. He believes people from the same household should be able to walk on the streets together. Mr. Gartin recognized that there is no enforcement at this time, but if there ever was an enforcement mechanism, it would make it very difficult for the Police to enforce. City Attorney Lambert stated that the idea is to put the rule in place and hope that people comply. He does not think the Police will be pulling people over to check to see if they are family members. Council Member Gartin questioned if that would include roommates. Mr. Lambert replied that it would include roommates. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Moved by Martin, seconded by Gartin, to state that the Ordinance would sunset on December 31, 2020, unless the date is amended or the Ordinance is sooner repealed. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Public Comment: Cynthia Paschen, 2117 Graeber Street, Ames, stated that she was married to Dr. Paschen, who is the Chair of Story County Board of Health. Ms. Paschen said that Dr. Paschen had gotten a lot of international press today about the opening up of football games at Iowa State; 25,000 people are expected at the first home football game on September 12, 2020. People were indicating in the comment sections of newspapers from Great Britain to Germany to New York what they thought about that decision; it mostly was not good. Ms. Paschen said she was speaking as a surrogate for her husband because he was at work taking care of patients. The question was asked by Ms. Paschen that, if the City Council passes an ordinance with no teeth (no penalty), how does that interface with an ordinance passed by the Story County Board of Supervisors, based on the recommendations of the Board of Health, that may have a penalty or may have a stronger recommendation than what is being considered by the Ames City Council. Mayor Haila advised that City Attorney Lambert will be asked to answer that question after all public input had been received. 2 Lissa Rosengren, 614 Hodge Avenue, Ames, asked if the role of government is to protect people from themselves; and at what point, is it to guard liberties. She questioned if government was more or less effective when it creates more laws. Ms. Rosengren indicated that she was opposed to the mask mandate, in general, but definitely as written. She also questioned if the purpose of masking was to have fewer positive cases or fewer hospitalizations. Ms. Rosengren said she would like to see parameters added to the Ordinance so that the decisions are based on data in context. It was also asked by Ms. Rosengren what else could be expected or anticipated in future ordinances regarding COVID, e.g., requiring eye wear. Ms. Rosengren stated that she would also like to see exemptions, in writing, for places of worship. Vanessa Burnett, 2805 Northridge Parkway, #104, Ames, stated that she had sent, on March 27, 2020, a letter to every City Council member; however, had received no indication that any of them had read it with the exception of Mayor Haila. According to Ms. Burnett, her letter was full of information about how Ames could get ahead of the virus based on her experience as a disaster management professional. She alleged that the Council cannot even pass the most basic public health measure to mandate the wearing of masks in Ames with a penalty, which point she didn’t even include in her March 27th letter because she assumed that was commonsense. Noting that it was now September and now Ames is a world’s coronavirus hotspot because it took five months for the Council to get to this point. Ms. Burnett said that she moved to Ames from the Washington, D.C., area because she thought it would be the safest place to be in the case of a huge catastrophe, which she felt was likely to be inevitable; however, she believes she would be safer back in the D.C. area with 5.5 million people than she is back here “in the sticks” with a bunch of people who don’t believe in science. Ms. Burnett commented that the Council members were elected to serve, which means to her trying to keep its residents alive, not trying to protect freedoms for people who are too selfish to help others by following even the most basic virus mitigation measures. She asked the Council to please take care of those living here. Abbie Berger, 420 Ash Avenue, Ames, stated that she is against the Mask Ordinance in all forms. She believes it is an infringement of individual liberties that are very important. Ms. Berger commented that she does not believe it is healthy, specifically for children, but for all people to wear masks. She said she is not anti-science; however, science needs to look at actual facts and actual numbers in context, and she does not believe the virus necessitates the wearing of masks. Dickson Jensen, 4611 Mortensen Road, Ames, Iowa, acknowledged the trauma, destruction, and even death that has been caused by the virus in Ames, in the State, Country, and World; the consequences have been overwhelming and have changed the world as it functions. He stated his belief that the City Council and the citizens of Ames all want the same thing: they want the virus to go away and life to be normal again; however, that is not going to happen in the near future. Medical experts are stating that to help lessen the spread of the virus, people should live differently by using higher hygiene standards and wearing face coverings. Mr. Jensen noted that the main goal of the Ordinance, according to the City Council, is to educate and encourage Ames citizens on how important face coverings are to slow the spread. The Ordinance has no penalty for violations for not wearing a mask. Mr. Jensen said he was offering an additional idea for educating citizens on social distancing and wearing face coverings. The idea is not to add a penalty for violation of the Ordinance, but instead, publicize through signage, social media, etc., the importance of the Ordinance. He also suggested offering rewards in the form of gift certificates to be handed out by the Police Department to those individuals abiding by the Ordinance. The safety and well-being of Ames citizens is of the utmost importance, but as stated by 3 the Council, so is a strong economy. Ames needs the students of Iowa State University (ISU) living in Ames, ISU football games played in Ames, and events and activities occurring in Ames. Mr. Jensen stated that Ames businesses are hurting, and some businesses are dying because of the virus. He offered to donate $10,000 tonight to buy gift certificates from Ames restaurants and to start a strong campaign to educate citizens on the importance of wearing masks. Likewise, he wants the City to add to that fund to help pay for the education and for more gift certificates. He suggested that other contributions to the fund be made by the City in the amount of $100,000; by ISU in the amount of $100,000, as ISU needs Ames just like Ames needs ISU; other organizations, such as the Ames Chamber and Visitors Bureau, Mary Greeley Medical Center, McFarland Clinic, financial institutions, other large business owners, churches, and other concerned citizens, who should all give freely to help stop the spread and to keep the hospitality industry alive. Mr. Jensen believes an obtainable goal of $500K or more is very realistic. He asked that Ames find a way to come together and be an example for other cities that is positive and encouraging, not negative. Mr. Jensen asked that the City “jump on board” and help get the community back to normal. Ernie Brown, 1219-24th Street, Ames, asked if the houses of worship were going to be exempted from the mandate. He said he was not going to give his opinion on masks or no masks, but said he does have a concern about houses of worship. Paige McGovern, 531Crystal Street, Ames, expressed her disapproval of moving forward with a mask mandate. She asked the Council to implicitly describe the end goal and what numbers would be looked at in order to end the mandate. Ms. McGovern recalled that the Council had previously given three factors that would need to be present before they would move forward with a mask mandate, but none of those factors have been met and yet the Council decided to move forward with issuing the mandate. Ms. McGovern asked that the Council communicate the end goal to the citizens. Mayor Haila noted that some of the Council members were having internet issues; however, they were all still participating in this meeting. Sasha Aarsen, 3320 Weston Drive, Ames, stated that she is strongly against the mask mandate, face coverings, and masking on anyone who is healthy. She believes that those who are not can be protected, as has been done before. Ms. Aarsen commented that the virus can be passed around to the healthy people, who can get over it and build up their immunities; herd immunity is real. According to Ms. Aarsen, hospitalizations dropped a while ago, and she questioned why the City Council was even discussing a mask mandate now. She asked that she be sent what the Council is seeing to make these decisions. In all the material that she has searched, not one has shown that a mask prevents viral spread. According to Ms. Aarsen, the fear that is being pushed and the comments from a few in the medical field are being outweighed by the hundreds, and there are answers: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and several other things that people who take care of themselves use on a regular basis. She doesn’t believe she needs to wear a mask because she is not a sick person; she does everything to keep herself and her family healthy. She takes pride in her body, and if others are going to fast-food restaurants for every meal of the day, they are not taking pride in their health. Ms. Aarsen asked why she should have to wear a mask because others are making poor choices. To her, that makes no sense. She further commented that she has children, and she is not going to allow this to be normalized for them. Ms. Aarsen questioned who is looking at the social, emotional, and psychological damage being caused. It is her belief that her children should be in school, but she is home-schooling this year and she is not 4 a home-school parent. In Ms. Aarsen’s opinion, this has gone too far; when fear is the driving force, decisions are not made correctly. Naomi Maynes, 427-13th Street, Ames, said that she would like to know the metrics to show when the mandate is to be over, specifically, when is everyone going to get to stop wearing masks. She asked to see the science that is being used to make the decisions. All the research that she has done indicates that masks, especially those made of cloth, seem to spread the illness. Ms. Maynes has been told how much children, and adults as well, are touching their masks, adjusting them, and taking them on and off repeatedly. She has small children and requested to know how much research the Council has done in regards to the emotional, psychological, and even physical damage that could possibly be caused because there are no studies on that. Ms. Maynes stated that she was also greatly concerned about the lack of religious exemption. The ability to worship how and where people please is a source of pride for many Americans. According to Ms. Maynes, an article in the New York Times stated that there is concern over the COVID-19 tests as they are showing evidence of someone being infected, but in such a small amount that they are not actually spreading the virus. Ms. Maynes said that for people who are sick and think that they could be spreading the virus, it makes perfect sense to her that they should wear a mask and avoid contact with others if they are not able to stay home. However, to require people who are healthy and to require three-year-old child who is healthy to wear a mask and not be able to see people’s faces or see people smile is wrong and is not acceptable. Ashley Smith, 4144 Eisenhower Lane, Ames, spoke in favor of the mask mandate. She has seen some people taking this lightly and citing the low death rate as the reason; however, she thinks it is very important to note there is not a binary between “living happily after or dying from COVID.” Ms. Smith commented that there is a lot that is unknown about the long-term effects: there is evidence now that people who recover from COVID have permanent neurological or heart damage. She recalled that there were some legal ramifications that prevented Council from moving forward with the mask mandate; however, she thinks that the federal and state governments have failed its people, and if city government is not willing to move forward with something to protect its people, there is no one left to provide that protection. Ms. Smith encouraged the Council to move forward with the mandate. She would like to see a penalty because she does not think people will comply without one. She noted that she has heard that grocery store workers have been assaulted when they have required shoppers to put on a mask. Even though she wants a penalty included, if it is the path of least resistance to do something with positive reenforcement, that would be helpful. Ms. Smith noted that a few of the speakers had commented that healthy people do not need to wear masks; however, that is exactly the issue: it is not known when they could be spreading the virus, so masks are needed at all times. If everyone is not compliant, it will not work. Noting the comments about places of worship, Ms. Smith said her personal opinion is that there should be no exemptions; the virus does not care where you are, especially if people are indoors. Jon Rosengren, 614 Hodge, Ames, stated that he is very much against the mask mandate. He said that the thresholds for triggering a mandate have never been met and the thresholds for ending it have never been stated; however, if the Council is basing its decision on science, he believes there needs to be actual measurable triggers in place. At this point, it appears to him that actions are being taken out of fear, panicking to rush and get the Ordinance in place as soon as possible to deal with something that there is not a lot known about. Mr. Rosengren commented that Ames has been dealing with this for over five months. Statistics have shown that there are spikes, and Ames may be having a higher 5 percentage of positives at the moment, but the general trend is that this is on the downside; the virus is declining and death rates are declining. The rates of testing have changed because they are no longer testing those who are asymptomatic per CDC recommendations. Naturally, there are going to be higher positivity rates because the only people who are being tested are sick. In the opinion of Mr. Rosengren, the trigger that Ames is a hotspot is an artificial statistic; it should be a randomized statistic, not simply testing a group of people who are sick to find out how many people are sick with a particular disease. Mr. Rosengren reiterated that he is very much opposed to the mask mandate in any form. Andrew Piltser Cowan, Somerville, Massachusetts, stated that his parents live at 2015 Clark Avenue in Ames, which is where he grew up. Mr. Piltser Cowan indicated that he had not intended to speak during this meeting; however, he has watched with alarm the rising number of cases in Story County over the past days and weeks. He shared his experience in living in the most dense city in New England where they have been under a mask mandate since April. His view, after living under that mask mandate for the past several months, is that it is the smallest of the impositions upon people’s liberties and helps to save lives. Mr. Piltser Cowan stated that a range of civil penalties were included in the Massachusetts mask mandate; however, since April, the number of coercive enforcement actions of that mask mandate statewide has been in the tens. Their mask mandate has been enforced, like Ames is proposed to be done, by education and encouragement, and it has worked. Mr. Piltser Cowan encouraged the Council to adopt the proposed mask mandate. Vivian Cook, 2316 Aspen Road, Unit #102, Ames, voiced her support for an enforceable mask mandate. She acknowledged that this is a City of Ames meeting, but pointed out that it, above all else, is due to the dangerous decisions of Iowa State University that have resulted in Ames’ recent listing as the No. 1 worst COVID outbreak in the nation. However, Iowa State University Administrators have also informed the community that they had been in close conversation with the City of Ames in making these decisions. Ms. Cook pointed out that Iowa State University is not self-contained, and its actions will affect the entire community as a whole and is already doing so. She encouraged the Council to apply pressure to Iowa State University to discourage in-person gatherings of any kind. It is more than clear to Ms. Cook that the actions of the nation, Iowa, and ISU, are showing disregard for the scientific evidence and the lives of those in all communities. Ames has far exceeded the thresholds of other communities that have slowed the spread by taking actions such as mandating face coverings, and federal public health guidelines are being disregarded. Ms. Cook urged the Council members to do everything they can, including passing a face covering mandate, to mitigate the spread. Reid Kruger, 1160 Oklahoma Drive, Ames, stated that he has been a small business owner in Ames since 1982. He is really concerned about the lack of consequences of the Ordinance. Mr. Kruger commented that he loved the idea of the gift certificates and would like to chip in some money himself. He noted that, in his own business, there are signs that ask people to wear masks; however, it is a daily battle with some of the people entering his shop. The same people who are touting their liberties don’t even respect other people’s own liberties to run their businesses how they want. He has heard of young people being berated in front of HyVee and Target because they are trying to enforce the store’s policy. Mr. Kruger sees it as being hypocritical of these people to fight for only their own liberties. It is his opinion that those people who are so set against a mandate are still not going to wear masks. He noted that he personally cannot get sick because he is a small essential business owner with one employee, and if gets sick, he and his one employee will have to close down his business. On a personal level, his wife has a severe underlying condition and is at high risk; he can’t bring the virus home. His family 6 has been social distancing and has basically sequestered in their home since March, hoping that other people will do the right thing and care for other people, but that hasn’t happened in the past five months. The science is out there and it’s not going away. He is tired of going to work scared out of his mind. Everyone wants it to be over. Mr. Kruger said he would like the Council to consider some kind of consequence in order to help for helping to enforce a mask mandate. Leanne Wilson, 5326 Springbrook Drive, Ames, thanked the Council for holding this Special Meeting as she believes this is a decision that cannot be delayed. She pointed out that the number of active COVID cases was coming down until mid-August, but now it is rising rapidly due to spread inside Ames. According to Ms. Wilson, if there are no changes, about 2,500 more cases will be identified in Story County in the next two weeks. The lag between new cases and hospitalizations is about ten days; therefore, there will be a rise in hospitalizations. However, if the slope can be changed now, a much worse rise could be avoided. Ms. Wilson urged the City Council to pass the mandate in whatever form they can agree on as soon as possible to avoid a much worse situation; action is needed now. Rebekah Bunting, 5247 Harvest Road, Ames, voiced her opposition to a mask mandate in any form. She asked those who are citing statistics and science to state where they are getting their statistics. Ms. Bunting said that she works in clinical trial drug development and management, specifically for fatty liver disease where she sees morbidly obese patients on a global level, but also in many sites in the United States. She manages 23,000 patients and has only seen six patients with COVID, and those six patients have recovered and continued on with their trial studies. Ms. Bunting believes that a lot of economic decisions and decisions regarding individual liberties are being based on a 2.4% positivity rate and out of fear. According to Ms. Bunting, Story County has a 2.4% positivity rate; statistically, that is an insignificant number. She clarified that she was not saying that it was insignificant if someone were to contract COVID and become severely ill or even die. There have been a lot of tests coming back positive, but it doesn’t mean that those people are symptomatic and it doesn’t even mean that these people are in the hospital. Ms. Bunting said that the numbers don’t even show that Story County is having a “crazy” increase in numbers, but that is what the media is wanting people to think. She suggested that people look at the COVID website for information. Gift cards are a wonderful idea, but that would still be encouraging making decisions based on fear, rather than confidence. Ms. Bunting asked the Council to consider the consequences to children, families, churches, and businesses. She also noted that it is the owner’s right to require people to wear masks in order to come into their businesses, which do need to be respected. That means she won’t give her business to those establishments, just like she won’t give her business to Wheatsfield because she’s not welcome in that store now. Yonas Michael, 3001 Heathrow Drive, Ames, said he was shocked to hear that people are so passionate about not wearing masks. He believes that the science is clear that wearing masks helps to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Mr. Michael commented that he kept hearing statements about acting out of fear, but he is fearful that the lack of responsibility as a community will not keep him and his neighbors safe. He is fearful that he will succumb to his underlying health condition if he contracts the virus. Mr. Michael said that what is being talked about is wearing a mask to help keep people healthy and alive. After hearing the last speaker talk about how they are not going to shop at certain places because masks are required, he commented that those are the places where he does shop and supports because he does feel comfortable and safe there. From an economics perspective, he now has turned to buying most of what he needs online because he is too worried about entering businesses because 7 he is afraid of being exposed to the virus. In Mr. Michael’s opinion, there are so many reasons why the mask mandate is needed; however, the reality is that the science is clear: currently, the Ames community is not healthy. The positivity rate in Ames continues to go up, and to return to business as usual, everyone has to do their part now. He said he lacks faith in people using the commonsense that science has put out there. Mr. Michael encouraged the Council to support a mask mandate. John Carter, 619 Duff Avenue, Ames, indicated that was speaking on behalf of himself and his wife, Chelcie. Mr. Carter indicated that they moved to Ames approximately a year ago from East Central, Indiana, for graduate school. He initially wasn’t sure he wanted to live in a larger community, but he actually really loves Ames. The thing that has shocked him the most this evening is the disregard some community members seem to have for other members of the community. In his opinion, individual liberties stop where others can begin to be harmed. He is amazed at the lengths that people go to in order not wear a mask on their face. Mr. Carter urged the Council to not only pass a mask mandate, but to have one “with teeth.” For him, it was really disheartening to know that there are so many community members who seem to not care about the impact of the virus on other people’s lives, specifically that it can harm and kill people. He believes the psychological trauma that needs to be considered is that which will occur when friends or family members become sick, die, and or have life- long aftereffects. Sehba Faheem, Ames, advised that she is in favor of the mask mandate. She wants to make sure that throughout this discussion they are not losing sight of the overall goal, which is to save people’s lives. The CDC has said that masks will stop the spread of the virus; the CDC is the best source of information. Ms. Faheem pointed out that it is a novel coronavirus and some things are unknown; however, masks have been proven to reduce the spread of the virus as they form a barrier from droplets from the mouth of a person who might be carrying the virus to everyone else. Having everyone wear a mask will reduce the spread of the virus overall. Ms. Faheem believes that it is a simple ask to save lives. It should have been implemented months ago, but it is still being discussed. She wants to ensure that, if a mask mandate is implemented, it actually puts some enforcement behind it; it needs an actual penalty for not having a mask on. Ms. Faheem asked the Council to make the right decision to keep citizens safe. Citizens need the Council’s help to keep them safe; the Governor has failed the citizens of Iowa, and it is on the Council’s shoulders now to protect community members’ lives. Tim Sklenar, 320 S. 2nd Street, Ames, voiced his support of a mask mandate “with teeth.” He has a compromising condition and is at risk. Mr. Sklenar noted that people do not have a personal liberty right to drink and drive because it endangers other people’s lives, but he doesn’t fear it because there are rules against it with penalties. Mr. Sklenar believes the same thing should apply to a mask mandate. According to Mr. Sklenar, it worked in the influenza outbreak in 1918. He would like to go out in the Ames community and not be worried that others are going to be selfish and potentially kill him. Mr. Sklenar added that he has been religiously wearing a mask since February, and wearing a mask has not affected him negatively or physically at all. Lena Menefee-Cook, 3105 Bayberry Road, Ames, stated that she is in favor of enacting an enforceable mandate. She is deeply concerned about now many of her friends, family members, teachers, students, and other Ames community members are going to get COVID-19 and could possibly die, partially due to a lack of community-oriented safety measures. She asked the Council to please protect the people of Ames with an enforceable mandate. 8 Luke Gran, 65584-260th Street, Nevada, advised that he is a business owner in Story County and employs people who work in Ames. He has a company-wide mask mandate. Mr. Gran shared that one of his employee’s roommates was infected with COVID. He had ridden in a car for over an hour with that employee, who could have potentially transmitted the virus to him. Mr. Gran specified that he had a mask on. According to Mr. Gran, he has now had two tests and both were negative. Of the three people who were riding in the vehicle, one person is at home for two weeks with terrible symptoms of the virus, but he is healthy and free of the virus. From his personal experience, Mr. Gran believes that masking works. He feels that it is very important to mandate masks be worn in public spaces, and the mandate needs to “have teeth” so people will do it. Aditya Ramamoorthy, 2634 Somerset Drive, Ames, said he strongly supports a mask mandate “with teeth.” Something that he knows as an academic, is that even though the 2.4% might currently be a low positivity rate, there is the possibility of exponential growth in the number of positive cases. Mr. Ramamoorthy cautioned that people need to be very, very careful, and having a mask mandate is not something that is extremely infringing on people’s rights. As others have pointed out, if his wearing of a mask is helping someone else not get sick, he thinks he should be doing it. Mr. Ramamoorthy believes that Ames is in a situation of a pandemic and needs to learn from what countries around the world have done. He advised that Singapore, which has 5.7 million people, has had under 60,000 COVID cases because of extreme discipline by the people in wearing masks and strong contact tracing. While Ames cannot do contact tracing at that level, people can certainly wear masks; scientific evidence clearly shows that it helps. Mr. Ramamoorthy reiterated his support for a mask mandate. He noted that Ames is an extremely welcoming community; he has lived in Ames for over 14 years, and he has nothing but good things to say about Ames, as a whole. However, in this one aspect, he noted his disappointment. He believes that Ames should work together and have a mask mandate that helps everyone. Serena Paulson, 3213 West Street, Ames, thanked some of the Council members for stepping up to fight for a mask mandate “with teeth.” Se said her level of disappointment in some of Ames’ residents rises every day. Some are only concerned about themselves, not about protecting others, especially when they say that people with underlying health conditions don’t deserve to be protected. If someone can save one life by wearing a mask, they should do so. Ms. Paulson believes that someone’s right to freedom to not wear a mask does not supersede another person’s right to live. Long-term consequences from the virus are still being discovered. She believes that an enforceable mandate would save lives. Adopting one “without teeth” does nothing. Ms. Paulson asked the Council to pass an enforceable mask mandate and to do it now. Kiley Waite, 4231 Cartier Avenue, Ames, said she and her husband continue to stand in opposition to the Mask Ordinance. She stated that before that should be recommended, people need to understand whether masks are helpful or not. Ms. Waite read a CDC article called, “Effectiveness of Cloth Masks for Protecting Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - Coronavirus II.” In summary, the article noted that cloth masks “may provide some protection if well-designed and used correctly...Multi-layer cloth masks designed to fit around the face and made of water-resistant fabric may provide protection.” Ms. Waite commented that her conclusion after reading the article was that there is not enough clear evidence to support mandating masks in the City of Ames. She advised that the article also stated that only one randomized controlled study has been done to determine the efficacy of cloth masks. According to Ms. Waite, the study also stated that the risk for infection was higher for those wearing 9 cloth masks. She also alleged that citizens of Ames do not wear masks correctly. Wearers touch and adjust their masks repeatedly, and once the mask is touched by the wearer, it is contaminated. Ms. Waite commented that some people never wash their masks. Taking the mask on and off is high-risk because pathogens may be on the outer surface of the mask and may result in self-contamination. Ms. Waite questioned whether a three-year-old or a ten-year-old can wear a mask correctly if an adult cannot wear a mask correctly, She asked for the Council to strongly consider not including children ten and under in the Ordinance. Julianna Starling, 1428 Walton Drive, #106, Ames, explained that she had moved to Ames from another country and has lived in Ames for ten years now. She was born in a communist country; it was shocking to her that this is being pushed on people at the local level. Ms. Starling said that she has a degree in Health Information Management. She stated her belief that the biggest thing out of this is that people are living in fear because of confusion and panic, and as a result, there is a lot of tension here. Ms. Starling asked that people take a look at the science that the Governor has provided, which very clearly states that there is no evidence that masks provide protection from the virus. She also noted that CDC has issued a statement saying that research indicates that masks may be helpful to those who are infected, but there is less information as to whether or not masks offer any protection to those exposed to anyone who is symptomatic or asymptomatic. Ms. Starling noted that the virus is spread by droplets; it can come from any fluid that the body excretes, not just from the nose or mouth. She believes that people should not be looking at positive tests, but at deaths. The number of deaths is decreasing, not only in the country, but in Iowa as well. Ms. Starling quoted Benjamin Franklin saying, “Those who would give up an essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” She believes that the job of Council members is not to protect people, but to ensure order in the City. It is the job of people to protect themselves and to take care of themselves. Ms. Starling said that they have chosen to home-school this year, not because they are scared of the virus, but because they are scared of the physical, emotional, and mental impact it is going to have on children because this doesn’t affect them. According to Ms. Starling, it has been noted in scientific studies that it is very rare that children even spread the virus. In conclusion, Ms. Starling pointed out that there is so much that they don’t know, and mask-wearing is really just an experiment on the American people because there is really nothing to prove that masks truly work on the majority of the population. She does not think that a mask mandate is the right thing to do, not only for the City, but for the whole country. Jennifer Hill, 3807 Columbine Avenue, Ames, shared that her husband was in China in January 2020, and after he came home, they didn’t get sick. She offered that her husband, her daughter, and she all have underlying health conditions. They have been mask-free the entire time, not because they don’t care about society, but it was the decision that they made. Ms. Hill shared that she had ensured an horrific incident at the age of nine during which her mouth was covered. Every time she puts a mask on, she re-lives that traumatic incident. She now works at a school and has to put a mask on. It is very difficult for her to do so, but she does it because she loves teaching and she wants the students to be educated and feel the connection of personal teaching. People not wearing masks does not mean that they are selfish; like her, they may have other reasons. Ms. Hill said that it is very important for people to be in charge of themselves. She doesn’t rely on the City Council to make her children behave; that is her responsibility. Ms. Hill asked the Council members to hear people on both sides before they make their decision. 10 Sarah Carney, 320 S. 2nd Street, Ames, stated her support for an enforceable mask mandate in Ames. She said that there is scientific consensus on the effectiveness of cloth face coverings in controlling the spread of the virus, and the sooner Ames comes together as a community and wears masks, the more lives and livelihoods can be saved. Ms. Carney thinks that a mask mandate will improve freedom of movement throughout Ames for all people. Taking measured precautions against the spread of the pandemic to protect the most-vulnerable people is not necessarily an act of fear, but an act of love. Ms. Carney urged the Council to pass the mask mandate. Brandy Howe said she lives in Story County, but her daughter lives at 905 Dickinson Avenue in Ames and is a 21-year-old college student. Ms. Howe said that, in talking with her daughter this afternoon about this meeting, her daughter shared that six of her friends are not doing well mentally or emotionally because the CDC has recently released a study that showed that 25% of adults ages 18 to 24 have considered suicide in the last 30 days with everything that is associated with the pandemic. According to Ms. Howe, there is a .05 chance of dying from COVID and 90% of those who die of COVID are of an advanced age. She said that the average age of those dying from COVID is 78, which is also the average life span of people in the United States. She believes that children are not doing well. It is the belief of Ms. Howe that a mask mandate can be passed, but a week after the masks come off, there will be another spike in positive cases. According to Ms. Howe, the nature of a virus is that it mutates to become less deadly, but spreads faster. All people have thousands of viruses in their bodies every day, and she believes if tests for something are done, you will find it. Ms. Howe thinks that masks are very de-humanizing to especially children and young adults. It is extremely harmful, especially when you combine a mask mandate with not allowing people to gather in groups larger than ten. Ms. Howe asks the Council to keep in mind that everyone is responsible for their own health, and that includes their mental health. Mayor Haila asked Ms. Howe to clarify whether the 18- to 24-year-olds who were contemplating suicide within the last 30 days was because of having to wear a mask. Ms. Howe answered that it was specific to the pandemic and everything that young people are faced with, whether that it is because they now can’t gather in groups, and they can’t go to college as they expected, as well as having to wear masks, which are de-humanizing; every aspect of their lives has been changed. Ms. Howe stated that she was 100% against the mask mandate. April Finley, 4701 Todd Drive, Unit #205, Ames, said that the first thing she heard when she and her husband moved here from Alabama was “Iowa Nice” and that some of the people here are some of the nicest people. Ms. Finley said that truly “Iowa Nice” means to do whatever it takes to protect your fellow Iowa citizens. She pointed out that she is a neighbor, her husband is a neighbor, and they both have underlying health conditions. Ms. Finley commented that she and her husband are members of the Ames community and are both strongly in favor of the mask mandate. She believes that having a mask mandate is not living in fear; it is living in safety. Ms. Finley noted that Ames has a high positivity rate, but it also has an opportunity to correct that and be an example for the rest of the country to follow. She agreed that it is a little bit overdue, but encouraged Ames to be that example of how it corrected that through dynamic leadership. The mandate can be adapted as circumstances change. Ms. Finley shared that in her home state of Alabama, a mask mandate was implemented with a rolling deadline; it can be extended or lifted depending on the number of cases. According to Ms. Finley, it has dramatically taken down the number of cases in the entire state of Alabama; there are examples that 11 show that mask mandates do work. She urged the Council to pass the mask mandate for the safety of all Ames citizens. Andrew Mizerak, 3306 Preston Circle, Ames, stated that he does support the wearing of masks, but does not support a mask mandate, and he is strongly opposed to a mask mandate “with teeth.” He believes that a mask mandate “with teeth” could cause unintended consequences, including, but not limited to, patients being less likely to be honest with their physicians about wearing a mask or sharing where they have been if they have had an exposure. Mr. Mizerak also thinks that putting the force of law behind a mask mandate could empower both sides to experience unintended consequences. He acknowledged that he is a front-line health care worker who has worked with COVID-positive patients. There are people who are going to be sick with COVID, and the most-vulnerable people should be protected. The most-vulnerable people are over the age of 60 with pre-existing health conditions. Those people should be wearing masks and others should be wearing masks around those people. Jennifer Flugge, 1304 Alberta, Ames, voiced her strong support for a mask mandate. She still has lingering issues from having COVID in May. She was out in the community when she was positive and infected, and if she had not been wearing her mask, she would have spread it to others. Ms. Flugge said she can sleep at night because she knows that she was wearing her mask and not infecting others. She said she will continue to wear her mask because it is unknown whether she can get COVID again or be infectious again. She sees wearing a mask as the very least that a person can do for their community. Katie Bents, 2147-160th Street, Ames, asked that the Council look at the people beyond COVID - those who have severe anxiety attacks every time they put on a mask, the people who can’t wear them because it just sends them into a full-on meltdown. These people may have Asperger’s Syndrome or autism or other conditions that other people can’t see. Ms. Bents shared that her older two sons have conditions where they can’t wear a mask. If people see them in public, they won’t know that; the public won’t know that wearing a mask will send them “into orbit” and will cause them physical pain to be restricted in that way. Ms. Bents said that if they are made to wear a mask, they won’t be able to function. They are trying their hardest; they are washing their hands, using hand sanitizer, and social- distancing. Ms. Bents said that there are many people in this community who have underlying issues and won’t be able to wear a mask. She also shared that she has younger children and pointed out that on every cartoon, “bad guys wear masks.” Small children have been conditioned that bad guys wear masks, and even if they are told that it is ok to wear masks now, it will be hard for them to understand. Ms. Bents is also concerned that children could actually be kidnapped and people are not going to know it because their mouths will be taped shut under their masks; those are the types of things that the Council needs to think about. She again urged the Council to take into consideration the fact that there are people with underlying conditions who cannot wear masks. Dan Bell, 419-18th Street, Ames, said that after hearing a previous caller’s horrific experience and from the most-recent caller about the issues that could occur if certain people are made to wear masks, he was reminded that what really needed to be focused on was compassion. He doesn’t know what the answer is, but he believes it involves allowing some people to go out in public without a mask and additional guidelines. However, if the Ames community, which has to be one of the most-educated communities anywhere, can’t figure this out, he doesn’t know who can. 12 Jeremie Knutson, 2117 Stevenson Drive, Ames, wanted to address the effectiveness of cloth masks against acute respiratory syndrome - coronavirus. He noted that several people had quoted that study, but they had left out the part that said, “until cloth masks’ design is proven to be equally effective as the medical N95 masks, wearing cloth masks should not be mandated for healthcare workers. In community settings, however, cloth masks may be used to prevent community spread of infections by sick or asymptomatically infected persons and the public should be educated about their correct use.” Mr. Knutson strongly encouraged that, if the Council chooses to implement a City-wide mandate, they should also engage in educating the community as a part of that. In closing, Mr. Knutson said he wanted to leave the Council with the number 16, which is the number of Story County residents who have died because of contracting COVID-19. Mayor Haila asked Mr. Knutson to clarify what he was suggesting the community receive education on specifically. Mr. Knutson replied that it should be specifically on the proper wearing of masks and which cloth masks are most effective. Dan Marks, 2307 Timberland Road, Ames, stated that he had written to the Mayor and Council repeatedly since early July asking for a mask mandate to keep Iowa from becoming another New York. Florida, Arizona, or Texas. Now Ames is ranked as having the third highest positive COVID cases in the world and first in the U. S. Mr. Marks believes that if a mask mandate would have been put in place before ISU opened, they wouldn’t have to be concerned about the University being shut down or with sending students home early; bars would not be shut down for a second time, and most people would be more comfortable going into businesses knowing that a mask mandate was in place. According to Mr. Marks, the Story County Board of Health is going to vote on a mask mandate with a fine, and it is his desire that the City Council include a fine in the mask mandate in Ames. He feels that that is the only way to get people who don’t wear a mask to do the right thing. In Mr. Marks’ opinion, if everyone would wear a mask, the virus would have a difficult time spreading. The CDC, WHO, IDPH, the Story County Board of Health, and nearly all epidemiologists and scientists agree that masks work. When Ames has a mask mandate, it will also help the University to succeed, and Ames needs the University to succeed, which in turn helps the Ames community to succeed. Mr. Marks strongly encouraged the Council to vote yes on the mandate. Nick Paul, 1015 Curtis Avenue, Ames, advised that he had been a resident of Ames for 34 years. It was disheartening for him to hear some of the comments tonight, as he always thought that he lived in a community that cared. Mr. Paul said that he grew up with “No Shirt. No Shoes. No Service,” and there were no complaints about that because it made sense. Another example he gave was that people are not allowed to walk around in public naked. He hears people asking why masks work, and he thought the Ames community would be educated enough to understand it. Mr. Paul noted that surgeons have to wear a mask during surgeries, which can last many hours; however, you don’t hear them complaining. He also brought up an article that he had read about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as some people are claiming it is their civil right to not wear a mask. Mr. Paul said that the author of the article pointed out that there is no civil right to do as you choose if, by doing so, you present a risk of harm which infringes on the rights of others. He encouraged the passing of a mask mandate. Mr. Paul noted that the number of cases in Ames is not being compared to other states; the number is being compared to other countries. Mayor Haila closed public input. 13 The Mayor asked the City Attorney to comment on how the proposed Ames Ordinance would interface with one passed by the Story County Board of Supervisors should the Board decide to implement a mask mandate that may have different aspects or enforcement measures than the one proposed for Ames. City Attorney Lambert cited a provision in the Iowa Constitution that makes it clear that the City ordinance would supersede the County one within the City limits in Ames. The County’s would be effective everywhere else within the County, but not in Ames. Also, the County’s would be enforced by the County Sheriff’s Department. Mayor Haila asked whether there were any exceptions in the proposed face covering ordinance that would cover the type of concerns that were raised by Katie Bents regarding persons with Asperger’s, autism, or other underlying issues. Mr. Lambert stated that the exemption noted in Section (3)d. would cover those concerns, which states, “Anyone who has been advised by a medical or behavioral health professional not to wear face coverings.” If anyone had received that advice, they would be exempt from the Ordinance. Council Member Gartin asked what proof or documentation a person would have to carry with them of that advice. City Attorney Lambert stated that there is no requirement in the Ordinance that a person carry proof. If this was an ordinance with a penalty and a citation was issued, they would have to provide evidence and the prosecution of the citation would be dropped. Mr. Lambert said that since there will be no citations with the Ordinance in question, he did not believe that is even a real-world issue. Mr. Gartin noted that he felt the point is that there seems to be a stigma attached. He told of one of his clients being in a store yesterday. He did not have a mask on because he has difficulty breathing, and a store clerk berated him in front of a crowd, which was very embarrassing for him. Eventually, he was able to explain that he can’t physically wear a mask, but it was long after the damage was done. Mr. Gartin recognized that people will be judging others based on whether they are wearing a mask or not. Mayor Haila asked if any of the Council members wanted to follow-up after hearing from the 36 people who spoke earlier. Council Member Junck noted that she had heard a lot of people talking about a mandate “with teeth,” and she wanted to explain what had happened at the start of this meeting. She said that she had made a motion to reconsider the motion that the Council had approved at its meeting of August 25, which was to proceed with a mask mandate with no penalty. Ms. Junck said that she had voted in the affirmative for that on August 25, 2020, because she thought it would be better than nothing. However, after seeing the number of cases spike during the last week and getting more information from the Story County Board of Health, she wanted to bring it back up to be reconsidered. However, there were not enough votes to allow them to proceed with the reconsideration; so, right now, the Council will be voting on the Ordinance with no enforcement. Council Member Martin commented that he had noticed people in the community felt very strongly about this issue. He noted that one of the things he heard was that people were afraid that a mandate without a penalty was not even worth doing, and there were a lot of people on the calls tonight who were feeling an enormous amount of pressure from a mandate without a penalty. Mr. Martin asked City Attorney Lambert to confirm that his advice to Council hadn’t changed regarding whether adding penalties would be exceeding the City’s authority. Mr. Lambert confirmed that it was still his advice that an ordinance that has a penalty would infringe upon the Governor’s authority under the Emergency Management and Public Health Chapters of the Iowa Code. An ordinance with no penalties does not 14 infringe upon the Governor’s authority, and he does not believe that there is any case that can be made that it does if it doesn’t have penalties. Mr. Martin also inquired about the possibility that a different type of ordinance would come down from Story County, which would then be displaced by a local ordinance in Ames, if the Council does pass the Ordinance in question. Council Member Martin stated that he had heard one of the Story County Attorneys offering similar advice to the Board of Supervisors or the Board of Health that Mr. Lambert was offering to the Council, i.e., the County, in his opinion, would not have the authority to issue a mandate, which Mr. Martin assumed it to mean a mandate with penalties, although that was unclear at the time. Mr. Martin asked if City Attorney Lambert had any opinions about whether Story County’s abilities to pass an ordinance differ from Ames’ abilities with respect to penalties being in the ordinance. Mr. Lambert replied that he did not have any indication that they do differ. Continuing, Mr. Lambert stated that the Assistant Attorney General’s Opinion stated that County Boards of Health have authority to pass regulations, as provided in the Iowa Code, and those regulations have to be adopted by the County Boards of Supervisors; however, they would have the authority to do that only “if the Governor’s Proclamations went away.” If the Governor’s Proclamations are still in effect, they would not have the authority to do that. Mr. Lambert said that he had not studied the issue beyond that. It was also noted by Council Member Martin that the Council had actually earlier considered exempting houses of worship from the Draft Ordinance. He had made the motion, but it didn’t get the votes, so he is not going to bring it up again. Council Member Gartin said that he was struck by the division in the Ames community over this issue. He noted that the Council needs to recognize that people are in different spots on this. Mr. Gartin expressed his frustrations with people who are very dismissive of people’s different perspectives on this. He feels it is very unfair to criticize people for having those very passionate positions; there is a lot of pain on both sides of this. Council Member Betcher noted that there seems to be some misconception that she doesn’t support an enforceable ordinance. Ms. Betcher clarified that she does support the Ordinance, as written, but she would also support an ordinance that actually had “teeth in it” that she thinks would deter people from breaking the Ordinance. Her vote last week was not because she doesn’t support an enforceable ordinance, but it was because she doesn’t think a $50 penalty is going to change people’s behavior, and it could result in the worst of all possible worlds, which is that there is a fine that doesn’t change behavior and the police would be interacting with citizens because there is now an enforcement situation. She does not see that as a good situation; however, the Council has been advised that a penalty can be added to the Ordinance if it turns out that there is not compliance or if Story County decides that it is going to mandate masks with a different sort of enforcement mechanism. Council Member Betcher would like the Ordinance to be passed quickly, so they can begin educating the public. She is open to adding a penalty clause in the future. Council Member Beatty-Hansen commented that she liked Dickson Jensen’s suggestion about the positive reinforcement; however, that could be discussed separately from the Ordinance. She does want to revisit it, however. 15 Mayor Haila asked about the option of adding to the Ordinance in the future. City Attorney Lambert advised that it is always possible to amend an ordinance. The Council cannot pass two motions to reconsider the same topic at the same meeting; however, that doesn’t mean that changes can’t be made to the Ordinance in the future. He stated that the Council could come back at a future meeting to add penalties, if desired; however, it would not be allowed to consider penalties to the Ordinance at this meeting since the Council already decided not to reconsider the original motion made on August 25, 2020. Moved by Betcher, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to pass on first reading the Face Covering Ordinance, as amended as follows: 1. Modify Section (1)a. so that it reads, “Outside whenever the person cannot stay at least six (6) feet away from others “not in the person’s household.” 2. Change the sunset clause from May 31, 2021, to December 31, 2020. Council Member Corrieri stated that she had been very strongly opposed to any sort of ordinance that did not include enforcement because she thinks that the times call for some significant action. However, she is going to support the Ordinance, as written, only because of the need to take some action to try to get back to some sort of normalcy in the community. Ms. Corrieri shared that she had taken her son to the doctor for a sports injury. The sports injury doctor went through a list of precautionary measures that her son should go through to stay healthy, and at the end, he asked her son if he knew the one thing that he could do to keep playing this season and into the winter. Her son had replied that he did not know, and the doctor told him that he needed to wear a mask, and if he wore a mask, it was likely that the season could continue. Ms. Corrieri pointed out that it is unknown yet what other consequences will occur because of the positivity rates and numbers, so she is going to support the Ordinance in the hopes that the Ames community will start to step up and do the right thing for one another, not just for the sake of public health, but for the sake of the Ames economy and community. Council Member Gartin stated that he would not be supporting that motion because they would be doing it in the face of the City Attorney and in the face of the County Attorney, who have advised the Council not to do it because they don’t have the authority, and in the face of the Attorney General who has stated that cities do not have the authority. He also stated that also does not nullify the fact that all Council members took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and that is being ignored. Mr. Gartin recognized that if a Council member is voting in favor of the Ordinance, he does respect that they are doing it for the right reasons: that they care about the community and they want to do what’s best. He wanted to make it clear that even though they may disagree on the legal aspect of it, they all have his respect because they are doing it for the right reasons. Council Member Junck pointed out that the City Attorney has made it very clear to the Council that an ordinance with no enforcement would not be in conflict with the Governor’s orders. Mr. Gartin replied that he doesn’t know what a mandate without penalties does. He said that honestly what the Council will be doing is actually adopting a Resolution without any teeth to it. He indicated that he would have supported a Resolution, but instead they took a different path, perhaps to give it the 16 appearance of more importance, but it is difficult for him to understand the seriousness of this with no penalty. Council Member Martin stated that there had been a discussion and the Council agreed that it was unusual to have an ordinance without a penalty, and legally speaking, it was more like a Resolution, so the Council could stop everything and change it to a Resolution. However, he felt that the Council did not want to do that. He said that is completely different than saying that the City Attorney has advised the Council members that they do not have the authority to do this; that is just not what is going on here. Council Member Martin has said that the point of this compromise is to get them to a place where they actually have faith in what the Ordinance says: that it is the intent and belief of the Ames City Council that the Ordinance does not conflict with provisions of the Governor of Iowa’s Public Health Disaster Emergency Proclamation, which is currently in effect. He advised it was crucial to him to clarify that. Roll Call Vote: 5-1. Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Junck, Martin. Voting nay: Gartin. Motion declared carried. Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Junck, to suspend the rules necessary for the passage of an ordinance. Roll Call Vote: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Junck, to pass on second reading the Face Covering Ordinance, as amended. Roll Call Vote: 5-1. Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Junck, Martin. Voting nay: Gartin. Motion declared carried. Moved by Corrieri, seconded by Junck, to pass on third reading and adopt the Face Covering ORDINANCE NO. 4420, as amended. Roll Call Vote: 5-1. Voting aye: Beatty-Hansen, Betcher, Corrieri, Junck, Martin. Voting nay: Gartin. Ordinance declared adopted, signed by the Mayor, and hereby made a portion of these Minutes. DISPOSITION OF COMMUNICATIONS TO COUNCIL: Mayor Haila noted that the first item that had been included in the Council’s Non-Agenda Packet was a copy of his letter to landlords, property owners, and managers of rental housing units that he had sent on August 28, 2020. There was no action necessary to be taken by the Council. The second item was an email from Brigitta Malczovich requesting that all ragweed types be added to the noxious weed list. Moved by Beatty-Hansen, seconded by Corrieri, to request a memo from staff regarding the request. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. COUNCIL COMMENTS: Moved by Gartin, seconded by Corrieri, to request staff to look at the available balance in the Council Contingency account and propose an amount that could be used to purchase masks for the community and to follow the example of Des Moines in helping distribute the masks to the community. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. 17 Council Member Gartin indicated that he would like the privilege of working with Dickson Jensen’s proposal in a way to find a positive reinforcement of the behavior that is being sought. Mr. Gartin asked for City Manager Schainker to comment on whether it should be referred to staff first. Mr. Schainker indicated that there would be a lot of logistics involved. Council Member Corrieri commented that Council needed to recognize whether the City should be asking some of its partners to contribute as she knows the Chamber and the ACVB, in particular because they were mentioned, are struggling like a lot of entities and have had to lay-off staff. She thinks that is important to keep in mind when they would be asking them to donate to something that just might not be realistic for them. Ms. Corrieri pointed out that they also have the United Way campaign starting next week, and she doesn’t necessarily want the Council to fund-raise for something that would compete with the funds that support the human service agencies and all of the businesses that will be participating in that. Mr. Gartin asked Mr. Schainker if he had any thoughts on what the Council could do to accept Mr. Jensen’s generous offer of $10,000. Mr. Schainker replied that the Council would have to come up with some parameters as far as what amount would be on each card, where they want to get the cards from, who they want to give them to, etc. Moved by Gartin, seconded by Beatty-Hansen, to direct staff to visit further with Dickson Jensen about his offer and come back to the Council at its next practicable meeting with additional details that they might move on. Council Member Beatty-Hansen suggested that they ask who might be interested in chipping in if they have the means to. Council Member Betcher said that, overall, she likes the motion and she appreciates Mr. Jensen’s offer. She hopes that they can work something out even if it is not exactly what is proposed in the email. Mayor Haila suggested that perhaps staff could check with a few of the people suggested by Mr. Jensen to see if they have resources available; all that would take would be a phone call. Council Member Gartin thanked Dicksen Jensen for his leadership and creative thinking. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Noting a recent article in The Sun, Council Member Martin recognized and thanked the First National Bank for its recent donation of $10,000 to the Ames Public Library for the purchase of another 50 hotspots for the Ames community. Moved by Martin, seconded by Betcher, to ask staff to design signage referring to the Ordinance for placement in businesses and to consider the possibility of paying for the production and delivery of the signs to interested businesses. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Ex officio Council Member Nicole Whitlock stated that she was glad that the Ordinance was adopted tonight. 18 Moved by Betcher, seconded by Martin, to request the City Manager to contact ISU Athletic Director Jamie Pollard to see if it is possible for messages to be sent to the season ticket-holders regarding the requirements of the new Ordinance, as was done with the new “Game Day” parking fines. Vote on Motion: 6-0. Motion declared carried unanimously. Mayor Haila noted that 36 people had addressed the Council this evening. He requested that the community pull together and work together and avoid division like the City pulled together on August 10 and thereafter after the derecho hit. Council was aware that there would be people who would be pleased and those who would not be pleased, but it was being done with the intent to do what is best for the community of Ames. The Mayor noted that one thing that was brought up was education. Tomorrow, he will be discussing with staff ways to try and publicize that there are exemptions. There is no intent to put people with certain conditions in a position that would cause them to have issues. Mayor Haila expressed that he was disheartened to hear about potential shaming going on. It is his hope that through encouragement and discussion, there would be embracing through partnership with individual entities, starting with the Chamber, Iowa State, Main Street, and others, to get the message out that we are in this together and shaming is not an appropriate way to approach the situation. The Mayor reiterated that the Ordinance will be published on Friday, September 4, 2020, and be effective on that date. ADJOURNMENT: Moved by Martin to adjourn the meeting at 8:42 p.m. ________________________________ ____________________________________ Diane R. Voss, City Clerk John A. Haila, Mayor 19