Danville, NH, Selectmen Walk Out Of Meeting When Some In Crowd Show Up Unmasked
DANVILLE, N.H. (CBS) - Three members in Danville, New Hampshire, Board of Selectmen walked out of Monday's night meeting because people in the crowd weren't wearing masks.
Chairman Shawn O'Neil can be heard on a town recording of the public meeting saying, "Okay, folks, unfortunately, we're not going to be able to have a selectmen's hearing cause we only have two members here tonight."
The town has a rule in place requiring face coverings in public buildings.
None of the selectmen who left the meeting were willing to speak with WBZ-TV News on camera, but word of their walkout has people talking around the small town.
"It's just the way politicians are right now, I think, and it just carries on to small towns," said Norm Collins of Danville.
"I feel different about masks, but if it's posted, it's posted, so ..." said Jeff Sweet of Danville.
When the CDC updated its mask-wearing recommendations last week, it also said municipalities and businesses are still free to keep their own face-covering rules in place.
"Last week's announcement from the CDC, unfortunately, created a great deal of confusion," said Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig.
The Town of Durham is updating its mask mandate next week but plans to keep the requirement in place for municipal buildings.
"We believe locally in Durham, the town council believes it's still appropriate to maintain mask-wearing in certain settings," said Selig.
Back in Danville at the local market, the owner finds himself still in the middle of the mask debate.
"I can't really force them, you know what I mean. Fifty percent of the people wear it; 50 percent of the people don't wear it," said Danville Market owner Niranjan Bhagat.
