Originally posted 8:08 p.m. Monday, January 24th, 2022
Updated 8:37 a.m. January 25th, 2022
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(KNSI) — An emergency mask mandate measure failed to pass at the St. Cloud City Council meeting Monday night.
The mandate would have required masks in all public indoor spaces. Violations wouldn’t have been a criminal offense, but those who failed to comply could have been asked to leave and face trespassing charges if they refused. The council discussed declaring a state of emergency, which would have allowed the council to put the mandate in place with a supermajority vote, or five out of seven council members.
During part of the debate, Councilman George Hontos accused the mayors in the St. Cloud area of turning their backs on CentraCare and the medical community, saying, “when CentraCarre officials, [and] leaders came to the area city mayors and asked for their help for a short term, mandatory mask mandate to help them get through the difficult time that they’re having, while they try to save and help all of our friends, neighbors, and residents. And what happened was the mayors basically turned her back on them. The mayors rejected, taking the hand of CentraCare and saying ‘we will be a partner in trying to overcome this difficult time.'”
Mayor Dave Kleis took exception with Hontos’s accusation, saying that area mayors, county commissioners, and other public officials were called to a meeting via Zoom and they all listened to the ask from CentraCare, CentraCare’s COVID-19 Incident Commander Dr. George Morris, and CentraCare CEO Dr. Ken Holmen. Mayor Kleis said, he “does not question the asks that was given to wear a mask” saying he wears a mask, he has been vaccinated and has received his booster shot because he believes in all of that, but said “as a city, I do not believe that, first of all, that this is the role of a city, and I don’t think I’m alone in that. There are 853 cities in Minnesota. As of last week, only seven of those cities have put a mask mandate in place. There are 87 counties in Minnesota I know of none that have done that. I know of none in the service area that CentraCare had asked. Even the folks that were in on that call. I gave my reasons because of the principle aspect of it. It is not the role of a city to mandate this.”
On January 7th, CentraCare Health made a plea to the mayors around the St. Cloud area for the communities to pass a public mask mandate. The mayors rejected the request and instead signed a letter to encourage the public to wear masks.
Hontos said that the voluntary ask is not working, “and so here we are. We’re faced with a difficult situation. No one wants to be here. I’m certain that the medical community does not want to be where they’re at today, with the difficulties they’ve had. And I don’t know why we cannot overlook our personal opinions, our political opinions, and just take one for the team.”
It was at that point in the meeting when members of the public who were in attendance began shouting. The meeting was gaveled back into order with a warning that anyone shouting would be escorted out. One person was asked to leave.
Councilman Mike Conway was one of two no votes. He said a three week mask mandate isn’t going to change anything as cases are already starting to decline. He said Ireland and the UK have already gotten rid of all of their mandates and that to put a mask mandate in place now in St. Cloud would only put businesses at risk. He also said that an ordinance with no enforcement does nothing but pit people against one another. He closed by saying, “If you want to wear a mask, feel free, wear a mask. God love you. I support you in doing that. But I’m not going to go ahead and mandate it for anybody.”
Councilman Paul Brandmire was the other no vote. Council President Jeff Goerger was absent.
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