During Monday’s Greene County Supervisors meeting, a discussion was held about the new federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

County Attorney Thomas Laehn provided an update from the rules and regulations that were released last week by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) for companies that are over 100 employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4th or be subject to weekly testing. He believed that the county would qualify and those employees must also provide proof of vaccination, otherwise those employees must wear a mask while at work. Another part of the mandate is any company or government entity found in violation of the mandate would also be subject to a $13,653 fine per violation per week. 

Laehn lashed out at the Biden Administration’s executive order saying this mandate is unconstitutional.

“The federal government thinks that it can force elected officials at the local level out of their offices because of some unilateral executive action by the President. This is just outrageous. I mean the federal government is saying that if the President had some whim  and we don’t go along with it, they will destroy our livelihoods, our places of business, and shutdown local governments. I mean they would effectively bankrupt a county that refused to comply.”  

Laehn further went on to suggest that the county could file a lawsuit against the federal government. He added that he would rather resign his position as county attorney instead of complying with the mandate. 

Supervisor Chair John Muir said he wants to watch and see what happens on the issue.

“I don’t want to, and I’m using this word loosely, waste your time with frivolous lawsuits against the federal government that I agree with you they shouldn’t even be able to be doing what they are doing. It’s so ridiculous that it’s even gotten to this point. But for now I appreciate your insight and all the information that you can give us to what is occurring, and I think we want to monitor it.”

Ahead of the deadline of January 4th, those businesses and industries that are impacted by the new mandate will have to have a policy put in place and enforce it, which Laehn pointed out he would be unwilling to do.