Gov. Gordon comments on Goshen County's resolution

Alex Hargrave ahargrave@torringtontelegram.com
Posted 8/5/20

CHEYENNE – Goshen County Commissioners approved a non-binding resolution Tuesday barring county-level COVID-19 related mandates including mask wearing, participation in contact tracing and social distancing. It’s already gained statewide attention Wednesday during Gov. Mark Gordon's press conference.

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Gov. Gordon comments on Goshen County's resolution

Posted

CHEYENNE – Goshen County Commissioners approved a non-binding resolution Tuesday barring county-level COVID-19 related mandates including mask wearing, participation in contact tracing and social distancing. It’s already gained statewide attention Wednesday during Gov. Mark Gordon's press conference.

When asked about the resolution, Gov. Mark Gordon acknowledged the “variety of conditions on the ground throughout Wyoming,” specifically in reference to the contrasts between Teton County, where a county-wide mask mandate is in place, and Goshen County where the resolution to ban such mandates was passed.

“The one piece to that resolution that I think is missing is they talk a lot about making your own decisions,” Gordon said. “I think we all need to make those decisions, but we need to know that the decisions that we're making also can affect what happens to our neighbors and our friends.”

He warned against careless behavior that could lead to an uptick in cases, using Arizona as an example. And, even as Gordon was addressing the resolution in his weekly press conference, the Goshen County Public Health Department was notifying to community of three newly-identified cases of COVID-19 in the county, confirmed by laboratory testing.

“Right in Torrington, on one of the churches is a sign that says ‘freedom is the right to be wrong, but not the right to do wrong,” Gordon said.

State Health Officer Alexia Harrist, MD, PhD, said she is confident in the state's current public health orders, but acknowledged that counties can apply for variances if they choose.

"We of course have been working closely with the attorney general's office on all the public health orders that we thought necessary for the state of Wyoming," Harrist said. "It is my duty as the state health officer to protect the public health, and I'm just trying to do the right thing to help protect people."

Because the resolution is non-binding, a statewide mandate would override it, according to County Attorney Eric Boyer.

In response to Commission Chair John Ellis' assertion that COVID-19 related mandates are unconstitutional, Gordon said he doesn’t see it that way.

“I appreciate their comments, I respect the point of view they come from,” Gordon said. “I am a staunch advocate of the Constitution, and everything we’ve done has been strictly constitutional.”

Look for the full story on the Goshen County Commission's non-binding resolution in Friday's Telegram.