Decorah City Council discusses options for enforcing the mask wearing ordinance

As the number of COVID-19 cases in Winneshiek County continues to spike, Decorah City Council members are discussing ways the ordinance requiring mask wearing in the city can be enforced.

City Council member Emily Neal Monday night called the current enforcement of the mask ordinance "fairly lax."  She complained that a recent Winneshiek County Republican Party event in Decorah was advertised as "no masks required."  Neal said, "We're watching what's happening to (nearby) counties that don't mask up."

Decorah Police have been emphasizing community policing techniques in recent months.  City council member Ross Hadley said that's the best kind of approach to take with mask wearing enforcement, so that the issue isn't confrontational.

City council members say they've heard from some local business owners who say they've had shoppers without masks come into their businesses, making for difficult situations.