GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — Brown County is joining the list of local governments considering a face mask ordinance.
The Brown County Board of Supervisors Human Services Committee is expected to consider multiple options, from mandating masks in government buildings to mandating them in every indoor business.
District 14 Supervisor Joan Brusky says she knows there’s concern from law enforcement about having to enforce any masking rules.
“I understand that they don’t want to get overly involved,” Brusky said. “We hope it doesn’t get to that. We don’t want there to be confrontation.”
Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach said last month that he questions the legality and enforceability of a mask mandate. On Monday, Green Bay officials announced their plans to propose a mask rule within the city.
Brusky supports a mask mandate, similar to one put into place in Milwaukee.
“I support something similar to what the city of Milwaukee has. People take a mask with them, and when they go into a public building… or vehicle… that they would put the mask on,” Brusky told WTAQ.
One thing Brusky hopes to avoid is a surge in the sort of busybody vigilantism that undercut Governor Tony Evers’ ‘Safer at Home’ order, which ended in May. Local police were inundated with calls from neighbors reporting other neighbors, businesses, and passersby for violating the 10 person gathering limit or closure mandates.
“We don’t want people to be watching businesses,” said Brusky. “We want a cooperative measure, not to have anyone be a vigilante.”
The board’s Human Services Committee will take up the issue on Thursday at 5:00 in a virtual meeting.
Comments