Face coverings now required at Dillard City Hall

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  • Photo from Unsplash.
    Photo from Unsplash.
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DILLARD--Dillard council members passed an ordinance mandating the wearing of masks on all city property at their meeting Tuesday. 

Council member Jack Roberts was not in attendance. 

“As far as coming in here [City Hall] or on any property that the city may own, we need to require that a mask is worn,” said Mayor Bill Robinson. 

He clarified that it’s only on city-owned property where masks are required and not within the entire city. 

“If you come in here [City Hall] from now on, until further notice, you will wear a mask,” Robinson said. 

Dillard joins the city of Clayton, as well as many cities across the country, in mandating the wearing of masks on city-owned property. 

Gov. Brian Kemp instituted an executive order allowing local governments to implement a mask mandate, after a change of heart from a July 15 executive order that barred local governments from mandating the wearing of masks on public property. 

Council members also signed a resolution to receive CARES Act funds from the federal government to cover expenses related to COVID-19. 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress on March 27 and provides “fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families and small businesses, and preserves jobs for our American industries,” according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury website. 

It covers costs for Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), cleaning products for disinfecting and sanitizing surfaces, as well as other expenses related to COVID-19. 

Glenda Enloe, Dillard city clerk, said that the city has already received $19,734 in CARES Act funds.

Council member Claude Dillard said that the signing of the resolution would document the receipt of the funds in writing and make it legal officially.

In other business, 

Dillard announced that the city is in discussion with the owner of the Farmers Market property, located across from the Valley Volunteer Fire Station, for the potential leasing of the property by the city to promote agritourism. 

Agritourism is any agriculturally-based operation that brings visitors to a particular area. 

Dillard said that Forward Rabun has been involved in the discussions. 

“As a city, that’s kind of the direction I think we need to look at,” Dillard said. “There’s all kinds of possibilities.”

Council members passed a resolution that requires door peddlers to pay a fee of $300 to the city of Dillard before beginning to sell. 

“[It’s] not a good idea having peddlers go from door to door to people’s houses,” Robinson said. 

Enloe said that the city has “an ordinance in place right now that allows it.” 

“I think with this virus, we shouldn’t have it at all,” Council Member Carron Grist noted. 

The original fee was $10 but council members noted that they hope the inflated price discourages people from partaking in the activity. 

“I think we prohibit it with the dollar amount,” Dillard added. He said that council members might be questioned as to whether the ordinance applies to certain situations, such as Girl Scouts selling cookies. 

“That is not solicitation,” City Attorney John Dickerson clarified.