MARILLA, N.Y. — The Town Board of Marilla, like the Town Board of Grand Island, will be sending a resolution to state and local leaders voicing their opposition to Erie County's COVID-19 mandates, as part of the county's recently announced strategy to lower transmission rates and decrease COVID hospitalizations.
During a town hall meeting on Tuesday, several members of the community and neighboring communities took to the microphone to voice their thoughts and feelings about the existing mask mandate policy, starting with Town Supervisor Earl Gingerich Jr.
"For every person who I've heard from that has disagreed, there have been more who agree," Gingerich Jr. says. "Just give us the necessary information and let us make our own choices. Don't tell us, don't force us, don't threaten us."
The Town of Marilla's "Resolution Regarding Erie County and NYS Covid-19 Response" reads, in part:
WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Marilla, New York (the Town Board) recognizes that the Covid-19 Pandemic virus has become a widespread global endemic disease that will likely never be eradicated due to its mutations and that managing it by declaring the State of Emergency and declaring mandates every time a new variant and/or spike in cases arises must not continue, due to negative impacts on mental and societal health, residents' rights and freedoms, and negative impacts on businesses and schools ability to cope with and manage through what will likely be regular occurrences in the coming months and years."
While resolutions are a collection of thoughts by a single body, they are not legally enforceable.
Per the resolution, the Town supports the choice of individuals and businesses to wear masks if they so choose.
Marilla County Store happens to be one of those businesses that stand with the county's decision.
Owner Sandy Grunzweg tells 2 On Your Side, "We feel this that this is what is the right thing to do for our business and for the health and wellness of the people that we serve and the people who also work here at the store."
Marilla's resolution will now make its way to the offices of Governor Kathy Hochul, County Executive Mark Poloncarz, and several other local leaders.