Decorah City Council votes 6-1 in favor of a mask mandate

Wearing a mask will now be a requirement in the City of Decorah.

The Decorah City Council voted 6-1 Monday night (with council member Randy Schissel voting "no") in favor of the requirement to wear masks when visiting businesses, restaurants and other indoor spaces.  A complete copy of the ordinance is attached below.

City council member Kirk Johnson told the meeting, "We're in a global pandemic--we need to do everything we can."  He added that he sees a lot of people not protecting one another by wearing a mask and called that "crazy."

City council member Emily Neal says the mask mandate was a case of "being proactive" and said she preferred to "err on the side of caution."

That sentiment was echoed by council member Andy Carlson, who added, "If it saves one life, it's worth it."

The ordinance will need to be published before it officially goes into effect, but city officials are hoping that happens on Thursday.