Photo: Door County Tourism
STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Door County is looking at mandating wearing face masks in public.
Door County Administrator Ken Pabich admits there are several unknowns, but it could work in certain situations.
“There’s a lot of angst, people are anxious about what government should do,” Pabich said. “Sometimes I think when government steps in in this type of situation, it can build more divide, that’s my concern in this.”
If face masks were required in the county, law enforcement would issue warnings or fines to people who don’t mask up.
“That’s another concern from our standpoint given that our county is so long and narrow, and getting calls for other things and getting calls on masks,” Pabich said. “It’s very very difficult in that aspect, if we had to actually enforce it.”
“Oh definitely,” he replied. “It already is being challenged and that’s one of the things that we know. I know there’s a federal judge in Green Bay that is reviewing the case, I think there’s going to be a decision by the 17th, so we’re actually monitoring that.”
52 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Door County. Pabich believes eight of them are considered active.
I also asked Pabich if he thought a face mask requirement would be an overreaction from the county.
“I think if you do it where it’s targeted and you do it in the right situation, I think there’s value to it,” Pabich said.
One concern is the impact on tourism. Jon Jarosh works for Destination Door County.
“We are actually in favor of a mask ordinance or a measure of some sort. We are already and have been asking visitors and residents to wear a mask when they’re out in public, given the conditions,” Jarosh said.
Sue Neuman requires face coverings at Alley Katz Boutique in Sturgeon Bay. Not everyone is for it.
“They have turned around and left and said forget it then I’ll take off,” Neuman said. “I would prefer that they do leave because I think everybody should mask up.”
Friday’s meeting will focus on looking harder at the issue.
“This discussion even here with you being here, it helps educate people and make me look at it more seriously and say hey let’s do this on our own versus having the government say you have to do it,” Pabich said.
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