DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – De Pere’s common council has approved a law to mandate masks in public, indoor spaces within the city.
“We’re just hoping to get more people masking up because the evidence is overwhelming that face masks do mitigate the spread of the coronavirus,” De Pere Mayor James Boyd says.
De Pere alder Dean Raasch tells FOX 11 he’s worried the issue will pit neighbors against each other.
“I think we all know the story now of the elderly woman who maced the couple that was eating lunch at the dog park because they didn’t have their masks on while they were eating their lunch. I think we’re going to see a lot more of that.”
Raasch says that wasn’t the only incident.
“A woman mentioned last night where somebody threw an avocado at her at Woodman’s.”
“We would hope that residents wouldn’t shame each other. We would hope that residents wouldn’t single residents out and that everyone would be in compliance,” Mayor Boyd says.
Raasch feels the city should let businesses decide whether to enforce masking.
“Suggesting that people be courteous, comply with what the store’s requirements are if they have those, or shop some place else if you don’t want to go because they’re forcing you to wear a mask.”
He hopes the city council will compromise and change the mask ordinance to a mask advisory.
De Pere’s mask ordinance is not in effect right now.
The city is still trying to work out whether a first offense should be a warning, or a fine.
A second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for August 4th.
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