Should New Bedford City Councilors wear masks, meet remotely? Debate erupts during meeting
NEW BEDFORD — The heated debate on wearing a mask to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus made its way to the City Council at its recent meeting.
Linda Morad and Naomi Carney, councilors-at-large, faced off last week during the council’s meeting when Morad attempted to extend to April 1 the council’s ability to meet remotely should they not be able to meet in person.
Morad was wearing a mask, Carney was not.
Morad said the city council chambers is going to undergo some renovations next month such as a rug replacement, electrical and microphone upgrades. She suggested members could meet remotely if the chambers might need to be closed during the renovations.
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Carney said she would only favor meeting remotely “only as a last resort.” Taking into consideration the fast-moving omicron variant of the virus, she said the symptoms are similar to a cold.
“If this variant wasn’t around and we were here, we’d have to work around the rugs being fixed in the chamber,” Carney surmised.
A visibly angered Morad stood and faced Carney who was seated next to her.
“Councilor, I cannot believe you made that speech,” Morad stated. “This isn’t a joke. It’s not a cold.”
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She referred to the Rev. David Lima’s opening prayer noting that a city employee recently lost her husband to the COVID-19 virus.
“People are dying. While you sit here with no mask while all the rest of us have their masks on,” Morad said, raising her voice. “Inappropriate. Totally inappropriate!”
Carney asked to respond to which Council President Ian Abreu asked for “appropriate level of decorum.”
At the beginning of the meeting, Carney was wearing her pink mask under her chin and later placed it on her desk. She said she has followed the science and acknowledged that some have died from the virus, but stressed people are going to restaurants and grocery stores, and the council needs to get back to a semblance of normalcy.
Morad abruptly motioned to adjourn the meeting, but did not receive a second.
Morad’s motion to extend the council’s ability to meet remotely, if needed, passed by a 10-1 vote with Carney opposed.
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According to the city’s website under the Coronavirus/COVID-19 updates it reads that “masks are required inside all New Bedford public buildings, including libraries and City Hall.”
City Clerk Dennis Farias clarified after the meeting that the city council chambers is exempt from Mayoral orders.
Standard-Times digital producer Linda Roy can be reached at lroy@s-t.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @LindaRoy_SCT. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford City Council extends ability for remote meetings
