Villa Rica Mayor Gil McDougal on Thursday suggested the city of gold’s mask mandate for everyone inside city government buildings remains in effect, despite Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s order Wednesday banning local governments from requiring masks on public property.

Last Thursday, McDougal issued the executive order requiring city employees to wear masks on the job and that anyone visiting city buildings wear one as well.

McDougal spoke with WLBB Radio Thursday about the governor’s order.

“It is disappointing that the governor has gone out of his way to specifically deny local governments the ability to enact ordinances or orders to address their individual situations.  My own order applied solely to city employees in public spaces of city owned buildings and those entering into public spaces of city owned buildings”. He said. “These seem clearly within the reasonable scope of any employer, and city employees should not have to be at a greater risk than say employees of Walmart, which just issued mandatory orders in their stores.”

The mayor said he plans to seek the advice of the city’s lead council on what to do next.

“Unfortunately, at the moment, the city’s lead council is hospitalized – being treated for COVID-19,” he said.