GLENWOOD SPRINGS—A public rally was held late Monday afternoon in Glenwood Springs’ downtown business district as a plea for help. A number of business owners and workers are frustrated over the city’s mandatory and indefinite order to wear protective masks in public due to COVID-19. City Councilman Tony Hershey argued against the ordinance and was asked to resign after some heated discussions with the rest of the council during a recent executive session. As traffic whizzed by the rally at 8th Street and Grand Avenue, Hershey called out City Manager Debra Figueroa and City Attorney Karl Hanlon for going too far with regulations that have hurt the local economy. Hershey says, “they can threaten to recall me, they can send nasty letters about me, they can threaten my job at the District Attorney’s office, they can threaten to embarrass me in front of my mother, I’m not going to stop until the people of Glenwood Springs say to me I don’t want you representing me anymore.” Hershey encouraged people to make changes on the council by voting next April. Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario says during the early stages of the pandemic, governors around the country were granted too much authority. He says 30 day shutdowns were being extended to the point where desperate citizens and business owners were forced to take a stand at the risk of being treated like criminals. County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky says the Coronavirus is still a serious problem but it’s important to use common sense for the economy while keeping the most vulnerable people safe.
