The Montgomery County Council might spend $350,000 on masks for vulnerable residents and working capital grants for businesses that switch to making personal protective equipment.
The two amounts were proposed at Thursday’s council meeting. The measures will be up for public hearings and votes on Tuesday. Both requests would be taken from the general fund reserves.
Council Members Gabe Albornoz and Hans Riemer worked on the initiatives and said it was vital that vulnerable people who can’t get a mask on their own be given one.
On April 9, Dr. Travis Gayles, the county’s health officer, issued a directive that required employees and customers in grocery stores, pharmacies, farmers markets, and large chain retail stores to wear face coverings.
“The county can purchase at a larger bulk and then ensure that we are able to do at least some distribution to communities where there is a greater need,” Riemer said at Thursday’s meeting.
Riemer said the washable and reusable masks could be distributed through nonprofit partners, affordable housing providers, police officers or bus drivers.
“It’s certainly not enough to provide a mask to everyone who needs one, but it’s for those who might have more difficulty in acquiring a mask. [Masks are] a peace of mind for a lot of us,” he said.
The county will be able to pass out “quite a few” of the masks, Riemer said, and continually will assess the need for more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines on face coverings, with directions on how people can make their own.
County Executive Marc Elrich made a 12-minute video demonstrating how to make a mask out of a shirt.
The $100,000 appropriation would support the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, or MCEDC, in helping local businesses to manufacture personal protective equipment, such as masks.
MCEDC will match the appropriation with $100,000 and seek private funding as well.
Albornoz said many community-based organizations on the front lines have been frustrated that they can’t get enough critical supplies.
“It’s not just a funding issue,” he said. “It’s a supply issue. We are doing everything we can to help increase that.”
Council Member Will Jawando said the pandemic won’t be the last time that masks might be needed.
“The face covering industry is going to be an emerging industry that is going to be with us for a very long time,” he said.
Briana Adhikusuma can be reached at briana.adhikusuma@moco360.media.
