A Montgomery County Council proposal to require patrons to show proof of vaccination prior to entering certain businesses is getting pushback from business owners and residents.

The resolution was introduced last week by County Executive Marc Elrich with the support of county health officials. It would require anyone entering “covered establishments and facilities,” including restaurants, fitness centers, indoor entertainment venues and hotels, to show proof of vaccination, except those with medical or religious exemptions. It also will not require proof of vaccination for patrons entering an establishment to pick up take-out or drop-off a delivery. The vast majority of county residents who testified at a council public hearing Tuesday said that while they were vaccinated, they opposed the mandate.

Resident Bethany Madel with Revive Montgomery, a community group opposed to the county’s COVID-19 restrictions and mandates, told councilmembers that the proposed vaccine mandate was “the final straw.”

Other residents weighed in with similar responses. “It’s time for the county’s reign of terror over COVID-related mandates to end,” Rob Van Alstyne told the council. Van Alstyne and other residents raised the issues of the county’s “flip-flopping” mask mandate in November and the COVID-related disruptions for Montgomery County Public School students while heading back to school earlier this month.”

“I ask anyone listening…to vote out any councilman who votes for this,” Jason Neuringer said during the public hearing, echoing the sentiments of others who spoke.

Earl Stoddard, the county’s acting chief administrative officer, told councilmembers following the public hearing that it’s possible the mandate would only slightly increase the vaccination rate, since the county already has one of the highest in the region. Stoddard added that health officials included children five to 11-years-old in the mandate because it’s aligned with D.C.’s mandate, and “that’s where we need to see an uptake in the vaccine.”

Around 95% of all residents five years and older have at least one dose of a vaccine, according to county health data. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children five to 11-years-old lag behind the rest of the population in being fully vaccinated.

But Councilmember Andrew Friedson asked Stoddard why Elrich wasn’t working with county schools to mandate vaccines, or demanding a school vaccine requirement at the state level, if the goal is to get more five to 11-year-olds vaccinated.

Stoddard responded that Governor Larry Hogan and his team will not implement additional mandates and, he said he didn’t know if the county schools had the authority to require vaccinations.

Several business owners and chambers of commerce representatives also expressed stark opposition to the mandate. Nicole Eckenrode, owner of Team Eckenrode Gym and Fitness in Kensington, told councilmembers that membership at her gym is down by almost half from pre-pandemic levels and they’ve struggled to keep up with the “flip-flopping” mask mandate.

“It is us, the small businesses, that have tried to bank with the tide. We’ve taken on the debt to try to make life better for everyone, and now the thank you we get is further government overreach,” Eckenrode told councilmembers.

Matt Libber, executive director of the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, said he opposed the mandate because he would have to hire more staff to check for proof of vaccine.

“I can’t give jobs away right now,” Libber told councilmembers. “I’ve had jobs listed for six months and I can’t fill them.”

The county’s chamber of commerce wrote in a statement to the council that the mandate would adversely affect businesses “already struggling with a tight labor market,” and it would add “another requirement to implement health policies on overburdened employers and employees.”

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce also voiced their opposition to the mandate, stating that because the measure gives police the authority to ensure compliance of the mandate, it would increase social inequities for businesses and their patrons. Councilmember Nancy Navarro requested a social equity and racial equality report for the mandate given the concerns raised by the HCC and others.

Melvin Thompson from the Restaurant Association of Maryland told councilmembers that his members gave mixed opinions about the mandate. Thompson also suggested making changes to the mandate, including giving businesses more time to implement by allowing two weeks prior to the mandate taking effect, and providing financial assistance to businesses that have to hire additional staff to check proof of vaccination.

The measure was supposed to go into effect Friday, but after the feedback at the public hearing Tuesday, the council will now hold a second public hearing next week, with councilmembers scheduled to vote on the mandate then.