- Andy Ogles, as Maury County Mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed quarantines and temporary facility closures following outbreaks among county solid waste and highway department employees (The Daily Herald, 9/20/20; Daily Herald, 9/24/20).
- Ogles reported operational challenges, such as staffing shortages and early closures at waste convenience centers, yet emphasized continued waste management services through cooperation with outside contractors (The Daily Herald, 9/20/20; Daily Herald, 9/24/20).
- He instituted sanitation measures at county facilities and limited public interaction during quarantine periods to reduce potential viral spread (The Daily Herald, 9/20/20).
- Despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19, Ogles consistently opposed instituting a countywide mask mandate, citing concerns over personal freedoms (Daily Herald, 4/13/21).
- Ogles advocated for planning and conducting public events in safer ways, emphasizing intentionality over mandated restrictions (Daily Herald, 3/10/21).
- A potential vulnerability in Ogles' approach was the limited use of more assertive public health measures, such as mask mandates, which could have further mitigated COVID-19 transmission risks within the county.
September 2020: Andy Ogles Confirmed Quarantine Of Maury County Solid Waste Employees After COVID-19 Outbreak According to The Daily Herald, "Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles told The Daily Herald on Thursday that a total of 13 department employees are currently quarantining after testing positive for the virus." [The Daily Herald, 9/20/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Explained Staffing Shortages And COVID-19 Exposure At Solid Waste Department According to The Daily Herald, "We have a couple of employees out, so we are short staffed, but we have been able to keep them open and running," Ogles told the commissioners. "We have some employees that either have or have been exposed to COVID, so the office is closed out of an abundance of cation." [The Daily Herald, 9/20/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Acknowledged Early Closures At Convenience Centers Due To Lack Of Drivers According to The Daily Herald, Ogles said, "If a center fills up ... and we don't have a driver, we have to go ahead and close that center early for the day. Solid waste is doing a really good job of staying open, despite the fact that we have employees out that either have or were exposed to COVID." [The Daily Herald, 9/20/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Indicated Sanitation Of Facility After Labor Day Weekend According to The Daily Herald, "During the meeting on Monday, Ogles said the facility at Lawson White Drive was sanitized shortly after Labor Day weekend." [The Daily Herald, 9/20/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Confirmed COVID-19 Death Of Maury County Solid Waste Employee According to Daily Herald, "Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles confirmed the fatality to members of the county commission, stating that the employee, who was not identified, died over the weekend. 'I won't say their name out of respect to the family,' Ogles said. 'Just know that prayers are appreciated for the family.'" [Daily Herald, 9/24/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Noted Continued Waste Management Operations Despite COVID-19 Challenges According to Daily Herald, "Despite the closure and the decrease in staff, the mayor said the county has been able to continue managing residents' waste with assistance from the City of Columbia and United Waste Haulers, a Mt. Pleasant pleasant-based solid waste contractor." [Daily Herald, 9/24/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Reported COVID-19 Positive Case In Maury County Highway Department According to Daily Herald, "The Maury County Highway Department was also temporality shuttered this week after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, Ogles told the county commission." [Daily Herald, 9/24/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Stated Intention To Reopen Lawson White Drive Facility Soon After COVID-19 Closure According to The Daily Herald, "Ogles said the facility on Lawson White Drive is planned to reopen soon." [The Daily Herald, 9/20/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Stated Limited Public Contact Policy At Solid Waste Center During Quarantine According to The Daily Herald, "We have limited contact with the public until we get out of that quarantine period," Ogles said. [The Daily Herald, 9/20/20]
September 2020: Andy Ogles Confirmed COVID-19 Quarantines And Closure Of Waste Facility According to Daily Herald, "Ogles previously confirmed to The Daily Herald that a total of 13 department employees are currently quarantining after testing positive for the virus. To prevent any additional spread of the virus, the county's waste transfer and collection center on Lawson White Drive has remained closed to the public since shortly after Labor Day." [Daily Herald, 9/24/20]
2021: Andy Ogles Advocated For Safe Event Practices Amid COVID-19 According to Daily Herald, "Ogles said he remains confident the upcoming alternative celebration, including a concert and parade in downtown Columbia, can be safely held amid the continued presence of the COVID-19 virus — the reason for Mule Day's second consecutive cancellation. 'There is a way do things safer, and you have to be intentional about it,' Ogles said." [Daily Herald, 3/10/21]
2021: Andy Ogles Vowed Not To Implement A Mandatory Mask Mandate In Maury County According to Daily Herald, "Ogles continued the organization's sentiment, vowing not to implement a mandatory mask mandate in the county, stating that the order would infringe on the personal freedoms of its citizens." [Daily Herald, 4/13/21]