Montco Looks To Enforce Rules On Large Social Gatherings

NORRISTOWN, PA — Montgomery County is looking at formalizing its ability to enforce limits on large social gatherings at the county level, as events continue to occur across the county with more than the recommended limit of individuals in a congregate setting.

The county board of health plans to meet in the coming days to codify their response to these events, noting that there are some existing legal ambiguities between what the law allows the county to enforce, and what is left to state officials and state agencies.

"Although we believe the health code (from the state) empowers us to enforce these limits as we see necessary, we're going to ask our board of health to codify that with a vote," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said Wednesday.

Gov. Wolf's order limits crowd sizes to 25 people indoors and 250 people outdoors, but that order was just ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge earlier this month. The governor's administration appealed the decision, but U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV refused to reverse his position, with the court noting that Wolf's administration had failed to show "imminent and irreparable harm will occur" if crowd sizes are not limited.

The county's own health code gives them some leeway in determining how they can limit gatherings during the pandemic, however. Even if the actual numbers cannot be pointed to as illegal, the county health code includes a "prohibition on mass gatherings which may endanger public health," according to Montgomery County Solicitor Josh Stein. That's something that can be interpreted widely.

"While there's no specific number associated with that, any large gathering in the county, the department of health could take action to prevent (gatherings)...if they believe it would present a health issue to the public," Stein said.

Specifically, the county is empowered by their current code to regulate any event that is outdoors or in a temporary structure, and any event that is at a school, including sporting events. Arkoosh noted that she'd seen two sporting events with large crowds and no social distancing over the weekend. And some school districts have significantly increased attendance at high school football games since the court ruling.

Over the weekend, Montgomery County stepped in to help disburse a large crowd at a middle and high school wrestling tournament at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks. The "Battle in the Burgh" event put on by Tyrant Wrestling had some 500 wrestlers registered, and spectators crowded close together, in some cases without masks, both indoors and out.

"They were in almost complete lack of compliance with the (coronavirus health and safety) plan that they submitted," Arkoosh said.

>>Montco Officials Break Up Huge Crowd At Wrestling Event

Furthermore, both the Expo Center and the county told Tyrant that they would not be permitted to hold their next scheduled tournament in Oaks on Oct. 9. Patch requests to Tyrant Wrestling for comment on the incident have not been answered.

In addition, the county has also intervened in multiple other large "business" gatherings where health protocols are not being followed.

Arkoosh urged spectators at all sporting events to social distance.

"Anything like yelling, which really requires a deep breath and then that big exhale, can spread a significant amount of virus," she said. "At sporting events in particular, it's really important that people keep masks on, even if more than six feet apart."

The county's numbers have slowly trended downwards after a late-August and early-September spike, officials said. There have been 533 cases in the last two weeks, a decrease from 615 in the two weeks prior.