Councilors pass mask requirement on city property; here is where they stand on a citywide mandate

While discussion on a citywide mandate on wearing face masks or other coverings will wait for now, the city council took one small step Monday, approving a resolution requiring masks to be worn inside city buildings.

The resolution, approved by a 6-1 margin (President Randy Staver the lone nay), applies to the City of Rochester’s portion of the Government Center and all other buildings owned and operated entirely by the city. Mayor Kim Norton signed the measure last week, amid a recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Olmsted County and nationwide.

Council Member Nick Campion, after revealing plans to bring a resolution regarding a citywide mask mandate to the council at its next scheduled meeting July 6, was supportive of the measure on the table Monday — but made his belief clear that the city still has a long way to go.

“This is the basic sort of thing people should be doing,” said Campion. “What’s happening is, seemingly, people are getting complacent about a very serious issue.”

Some council members who voiced their opinions against a citywide mask mandate were in support of Monday’s resolution, citing more authority over city property than private property.

Council Member Shaun Palmer, who told Med City Beat last week that he would not support the larger mandate unless recommended by Mayo Clinic and Olmsted County Public Health, was more supportive of the city facility-only resolution passed Monday.

“I will vote for this, because we own the property and we control the property,” said Palmer. “The difficult part of this is, if you want to go to a different retail store and you don’t like the policy, you don’t go there. If you have to come to see the city clerk, you have to do it. We have an obligation to protect our constituents, but we also have an obligation to protect our employees.”

Public debate over the necessity and legality of a mask requirement simmered over the weekend, following Campion’s Facebook post. Mayo Clinic, which requires its employees to wear masks and ‘strongly recommends’ the general public wear masks in public settings, was noncommittal when asked if Rochester should implement such a mandate. 

Olmsted County Public Health also stopped short of specifically saying government bodies should implement a mask mandate, but in a carefully-timed press announcement, recommended all residents wear one in public whenever possible.

“We encourage those with concerns to consider that we wear masks to lessen the risk not for ourselves, but for those around us that cannot decide whether they are exposed or not,” Kari Etrheim, communications coordinator for Olmsted County Public Health, said Monday. “You as an individual can make that decision to protect others by wearing a mask. We do not want to see another round of business closure; wearing a mask in public settings will help ensure our businesses remain open and viable.”

Potential options for a citywide mask mandate, as stated above, will come before the council at their next scheduled meeting, July 6.

While Monday’s resolution passed with a vast majority of council support, it appears a citywide mask mandate may face some opposition. Here is where all seven council members landed on the topic of mandating mask-wearing in public places, through quotes taken from the council meeting in addition to our own reporting.

Mark Bilderback

At Monday’s council meeting: “I’ve said all along that I would support it on city property. That’s as far as I would go.”

Via email: “As I have asked the Mayor, who enforces this mandate? What are the penalties? I feel we can require masks be worn by employees when they are on duty or within city owned facilities. We can be good examples by wearing them and encourage people to wear them. I do not support telling other businesses that they need masks, without knowing my earlier questions.”

Nick Campion

At the meeting: “I am strongly in favor of a mandatory mask policy… That’s not what’s on the table right now. We’re having an uptick in the number of diagnosed cases, and then when cases go up, people say ‘hospitalizations are down for now.’ What we have to acknowledge — infections are a leading indicator, and hospitalizations and mortality are trailing indicators. If we don’t start to be responsive to the leading indicators, we’re going to be dealing with these trailing indicators, and that’s much more serious.”

Patrick Keane

In an email to Med City Beat: “It seems clear that masks are an important tool to protect from COVID-19. Wearing a mask does more to protect others which makes it frustrating to see our neighbors out without masks. Public health professionals inform us that all good behavior contributes, but reaching for 100 percent compliance in this one area distracts from the bigger health goals.

“Community Public Health officials are working closely with city, community, and medical leaders on best strategies for safely opening society. Plans include masks, social distancing, hand washing, and so much more. Plans include public education and we are also trying to establish a certification for ‘safely opened.’ 

“I fully support our city’s engagement / collaboration with the initiatives to safely open City services and private entities. I support a mandate to require masks in our city buildings — places where we have control like city hall and the Rec Center.  I commit to continually monitor local COVID-19 data along with the best legal and medical tools and techniques available to our community.”

Shaun Palmer

By email: “I have told the Mayor I would support a mask requirement if the Mayo Clinic and the Olmsted County Health Department recommended it. They have not. The City Attorney is not recommitting it. I have no interest in following St. Paul or Minneapolis for any policy. We have the best county health department in the United States and the world's best hospital, and believe we need to take our advice from them.”

Michael Wojcik

On Monday: “Council Member Palmer brought up the fact that we have an obligation to protect our employees. You’re absolutely right. We do have that obligation. We also have an obligation to protect our constituents, and that’s why the citywide [mandate] needs serious consideration. We can’t be putting low-wage workers in harm’s way because they have no choice but to work for employers who have dangerous policies… let’s follow the science. Every scientific organization is pointing to masking being a good policy, so let’s listen to them. Let’s follow the science.”

Randy Staver

During the council discussion: “This is an unusual one… in that on the surface, I don’t disagree with the proposed policy, so long as it’s limited to city-owned facilities.

“I would really like to see more specific criteria as to when this could end. I understand there’s a statement saying it could remain in effect until the end of the state’s emergency declaration… Some of these resolutions we’re seeing — not only on our local level, but on the state level and even nationally — but these open-ended resolutions and declarations are making me more uncomfortable as I read or hear more about them. I would be much more comfortable if this had specific criteria as to when it could end, other than some generic date when the state of emergency ends.”

Annalissa Johnson

Via Facebook message: “While wearing a face cover when social distancing is difficult helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19, I question how leadership can put more regulations and mandates in when the current ones aren't being followed and our city partners are encouraging social gatherings. I am struggling with how we would enforce a policy like this.”

Isaac Jahns is a Rochester native and a 2019 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. He reports on politics, business and music for Med City Beat.