GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich has announced plans for a city-wide face mask requirement.
“I feel like this is a very reasonable step to take,” Genrich told reporters. “It’s one that other communities in Wisconsin are contemplating or taking and about half of all US states have a face covering requirement in place, the vast majority of the country’s population is living with the requirement. I’m hopeful that the council will see the wisdom of having the safeguard in place and will follow suit.”
The ordinance would require face coverings to be worn indoors throughout businesses in the city. Violations would be dealt with like trespassing violations. There will be medical exemptions.
“We all want Packer season to be back and to be conducted in person, but in order to do that, we need to really push down this curve. We want our economy back going strong, but in order to do that we really need to bring the fight to the coronavirus,” Genrich said. “If businesses aren’t willing to do that and they have licensure with the city of Green Bay, that’s another way that this could be enforced, is with the revocation of licensure…There aren’t going to be mask police. We have faith in the people of Green Bay that they’re law abiding citizens and and they’re going to recognize the wisdom of the law, and and recognize the importance of protecting their health and the health of other citizens.”
Ahead of the press conference, protesters crowded the corner of Walnut and Jefferson in front of City Hall. The anti-mask demonstrators weren’t too keen on even considering an ordinance.
“I don’t think it’s right because it’s taking away that person’s freedom to feel safe. Masks don’t make me feel safe, I have a medical condition,” said one protester.
“So he’s going to step over businesses rights and tell them what they have to do? He said he’d take their licenses away. How does that work in a capitalist system? You have no right to tell a business what they can and can’t allow,” said another protester. “It’s our choice as business owners to decide what happens within our business. If the government gets their fingers in, what’s the next thing? How much do we pay our employees? What our hours are? They can’t step in and tell us what to do, that’s why we live in America.”
“The only time I will ever comply with wearing a mask is on Halloween,” said a third person.”Why is it for everything else, it’s your body, your choice and you can do what you want – but when it comes to masks, you can’t be in charge of your own health?”
“It would be different if it just affected them. Then you might have a real debate – like a helmet law – but this affects everyone,” Alderman Randy Scannell told WTAQ News, “We set speed limits and issue liquor licenses to keep our community safe. That’s our number one job. If you don’t have a safe community, you don’t have any government. All you have is chaos.”
When asked about remarks made by those opposed to the ordinance, Genrich said it’s important to consider the source of your information.
“Certainly there’s going to be a variety of opinions, but I think we really need to look to those who are identified as true experts,” Genrich told WTAQ News.
He pointed to recent comments from CDC Director Robert Redfield, who claimed that widespread masking could drive the spread of the virus into the ground within a matter of weeks.
Alderman Scannell initially proposed a similar ordinance, but that proposal was gridlocked with a tie vote on the committee level. He also spoke to comments regarding such an ordinance restricting freedom.
“That’s just playing around semantics. They are making a political statement, they’re using their political ideology – whatever it is – to make a decision on a medical matter, and it’s the wrong decision…I ask those who disagree that we save our politics for wrestling around with political issues in the medical issues to the doctors,” Scannell said. “I think it’s a morally bankrupt argument. You do not have the right to threaten and risk other people’s health.”
Meanwhile, five local healthcare systems are urging the city and Brown County to consider masking ordinances to cut down on the spread of COVID-19.
“This is a new virus and we’re learning as we go along,” said Bellin Health CEO Chris Woleske. “Cloth masks and face coverings, when worn widely in public, does slow significantly the spread of COVID-19…We need to flatten the curve as we’ve been saying. It’s not flattened. We see it every day. The cases are growing and hospitalizations today are twice what they were a week ago to 10 days ago.”
Woleske said she understands the protesters and others in the community who don’t want to be told to wear a mask – but points out that since the Safer at Home order was lifted with nothing to replace it, cases have continued to grow. She also says to take a look at how nurses and doctors have to treat every situation they face.
“They’re oftentimes dealing with patients who we know are bringing illnesses that are contagious, so they wear a mask to protect themselves. The masks that were asking the public to wear are to protect each other…If we have any hope of controlling the spread and being able to support our businesses staying open and being able to bring our kids back to school then wearing a mask is a simple sacrifice that we all can make,” Woleske said. “It’s one thing if someone says ‘I don’t mind if I get it’. The problem is – asymptomatic carriers are walking around in the community not knowing that they have the virus, spreading the virus.”
The announcement was initially supposed to be held outside before being moved into the council chambers. Protesters weren’t happy about that either.
“No opposing force was even allowed in…we couldn’t let our voices be heard.”
But those people may still get their wishes. Public comment will be allowed as the city council discusses the matter during their meeting at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday night.
See the full announcement below:
WTAQ’s Casey Nelson filed and contributed to this article.
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