Despite a mask mandate being in place with full support from both city and county mayors, it is largely being ignored throughout the city. Law enforcement officers are responding to calls without masks, local politicians and business owners are mingling for hours unmasked and not socially distanced at various events drawing hundreds of the city’s elite.
On October 31st, Emergency Order #21 was extended until November 20th by Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett who stated in an October 27th press release, “Our trajectory is moving in the wrong direction. While I appreciate there are differing opinions about masks, our local data suggests they work to reduce the incidence of this virus. Based on my conversations with other community leaders, we feel the mask mandate is in the best health interest of our residents”.
Clarksville City Mayor Joe Pitts and Mayor Durrett have been in agreement on each mandate and in the same press release Mayor Pitts stated, “I am in full support of Mayor Durrett’s mask mandate. The City of Clarksville will do all we can to reinforce the County’s emergency order”.
Hannah Price Team VIP Event 
Public figures at VIP Event 
Yaipak charity event 
Hannah Price Team Halloween event 
Be The Hope Yaipak Charity Dinner 
Clarksville Police Officers on Strawberry Alley 
Be The Hope charity event 
Newly elected city councilor Trisha Butler at charity event 
Clarksville Police Officers respond to incident on Strawberry Alley
However, in spite of these statements and mandates, the wearing of masks is not standard throughout the city. This includes multiple recent events attended by Clarksville’s elite, where local politicians and business owners mingled unmasked and more often than not ignored social distance guidelines. Clarksville police officers were also observed this week ignoring the mask mandate.
Between November 4th and 11th, the Tennessee Department of Health reported 551 new cases of COVID in Montgomery County. Montgomery County’s Order #21 states, “cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee”.
Anyone can get a free COVID-19 test at the Saint Bethlehem Civitan Sports Complex located at 650 Bellamy Lane. The hours of testing are Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
