Maryland State Wire

Mount Airy Mayor Patrick Rockinberg defied Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner's orders, choosing Gov. Larry Hogan's less-stringent COVID-19 restrictions instead.

The county executive office's explained that Mount Airy is not mandated to follow Frederick County orders since the town is divided into two counties.

Frederick County takes up 40 percent of the land while Carroll County takes up the rest. The town of Mount Airy and Frederick County have an agreement that allows them to follow Carroll County when it comes to business operating hours.

A press release from Gardner's office said she has worked hard to coordinate the municipalities during the pandemic, urging residents to actively participate in curbing the spread.

“She has worked hard throughout the pandemic to coordinate with the 12 municipalities in the county while recognizing the right of municipal leaders to make their own decisions. The county executive continues to urge every resident and business in the county to do their part to fight the spread of the virus and protect the health of themselves and their neighbors," the release said, as reported by WDVM-25.

To achieve consistency in the town, Rockinberg adopted Hogan’s orders and will apply the looser restrictions to businesses located on the Frederick County portion of the town.