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The Crisp County Board of Commissioners spent most of its October 13 meeting contemplating whether it should require all county employees, working in county-owned buildings to wear a mask.

   Commissioner Larry Felton expressed immediate support noting that one of his friends had recently succumbed to COVID-19.

   “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what’s going on around us,” he said. “Some people say they don’t have to wear a mask, but if society says we ought to wear a mask, there must be something to it. “

    Commissioner James Nance made a motion to require all county employees to wear a mask while physically engaged with the public, and also make it a requirement for masks to be worn by the public when entering county buildings or attending and visiting county facilities.

     Felton seconded the motion and the commissioners unanimously approved.

     “I think you are on the right track,” Crisp County Sheriff Billy Hancock said. “You are just going to have to do everything possible. I saw on the news this morning that several national chain stores are shutting down. This county has been hit hard with deaths and a lot of agencies have lost long-term employees that will sorely be missed.”

   Hancock expressed concern over the number of COVID-19 cases in the county detention center.

   “It took seven months for it to get in there (the jail] and we’re still not sure how it got in there. With no employees testing positive, we feel like it had to come in from the outside.”

           In other business, the commission:

• Approved a resolution honoring Red Ribbon Week, October 4-12

• Authorized a zoning change for ThermoKing to allow them to use a crush and run parking lot

• Authorized Griffin Grading and Concrete LLC to make drainage improvements and Robert & Company to provide construction administration and inspection at the Crisp County Cordele Airport