Montgomery City Council about to consider a mandatory mask ordinance. Mayor Steven Reed: Our ICUs are at capacity. Our hospitalizations are up. ... I don’t want to see any more deaths in this city.

Urges the council to take action.

City Councilman Charles Jinrght suggested PSAs “to get the message out” instead of an ordinance.

Reed said people have heard the message and many still aren’t complying. Now they need some “guardrails.” Compares it to speed limits.

Councilman C.C. Calhoun said his phone rang all day and only one call was in opposition of mandatory masks. He said several council members are worried about how to enforce, but “we’re not in the enforcement business”

Jackson Hospital Pulmonologist William Salinsky speaking now, says situation in Montgomery is “beyond a pandemic.” Says about 80% of patients on ventilators here are African American. “If this continues the way it’s going, we will be overrun.”

Councilman Lyons questions whether six foot distancing actually works. Doctor says yes. Lyons asks if there is evidence. Doctor says yes.

Clarifying an earlier comment, doctor says around 90% in ICUs here are African American.

Another local doctor describes patients being taken out of the hospital dead within 30 minutes of each other.

Third local doctor speaking now. Says people here ask her everyday if the media is lying about the situation and whether it’s all a political ploy. She doesn’t think people believe that it’s serious.

Councilman Pruitt says the mask ordinance is unenforceable. Says he’s not going to vote for it.

Calhoun brings up seatbelts and stop signs. “That’s on them to enforce it. ... we need to give them something with teeth.”

Councilman Bollinger questions whether requiring masks for children as young as 2 would restrict their oxygen. Dr. Saliski says it’s not a danger.

Man speaking now says he’s lost six family members during the pandemic. “The question on the table is whether black lives matter.”

Man speaking now says this is about enforcement problems. Talks about enforcement problems in other places. Says the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

City clerk says the ordinance is enforceable. Says Birmingham has had success with a similar ordinance.

Lyons: at the end of the day if an illness or a pandemic comes through we do not throw our constitutional rights out the window. Calls it “overreach”. Doctors in crowd asking him to come to the hospital.

Mask ordinance fails 5-4. Doctors get up and walk out in disgust. One says “unbelievable.”

Vote was mostly along racial lines. Councilman Clay McInnis joined the three black council members in voting in favor.

The Council votes for a resolution urging people to wear masks. It passes 7-0 with Lyons abstaining.

And with that. Meeting adjourned.