An anti-mask rally outside Wausua City Hall. MWC photo by Mike Leischner.
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Wausau’s Public Health and Safety Committee has passed a resolution that requires residents to wear masks in all public indoor spaces and taxi and ride-sharing services.
The measure, which was presented to the committee in both ordinance and resolution form, would be designed to take the place of the statewide mask order. “Assuming the situation in Madison continues to have the climate that it has and that order is not renewed, that leaves our community with absolutely no provisions. There are a number of citizens that are concerned that it really does throw off all the guardrails,” said Chairperson Lisa Rasmussen.
The state’s current mask mandate is set to expire on November 21st. The mandate has been in effect since mid-August and was originally set to expire in late September.
Rasmussen and District 1 Alder Pat Peckham both recommended taking the resolution route, which does not come with any enforcement action, as a way of putting the least-invasive option in place first.
The ordinance version of the measure, which would come with potential civil forfeitures (fines) would remain on the shelf and could then be passed by the committee and onto the council at a later date if need be.
Mayor Katie Rosenberg noted that it wouldn’t be good for the city to be without a measure encouraging the use of masks given that the number of COVID-19 positive cases is skyrocketing. “One out of 52 Marathon County residents has an active infection,” she said, quoting numbers provided by Aspirus Health on October 30th. “The average out of Wisconsin as a whole is one out of 129. This isn’t good for us, this is bad.
“We gotta do something, we gotta get the infection rate under control,” added Rosenberg. “This is coming from a place of needing to find solutions.”
The measure passed the committee on a 3-2 vote. Alders Jim Wadinski and Becky McElhaney voted no. Rasmussen, Peckham, and Alder Dawn Herbst voted yes.
The measure now moves on to the full council for consideration at its November 10th meeting.
Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven told the committee that he supports the wearing of masks but added calls to enforce the ordinance, should one be put in place later, would be a low priority given his department’s current staffing. He also expressed concern about the current polarized nature of the mask debate.
“Putting law enforcement in the middle of this debate, which is undoubtedly political right now, is a really terrible idea in terms of building trust within our community. I think it will be difficult for our officers to handle the situation well when there will be people that challenge this ordinance just for the sake of challenging it.
“Because they don’t like it, don’t think it’s legal, whatever their issue is. So we will respond to situations where people are inside a location not wearing a mask, and they will challenge law enforcement. [That makes us] the pawn in that battle between Government and citizens who don’t want to wear masks,” added Bliven.
Ahead of Monday’s meeting, an anti-mask rally was organized by the conservative group Get Involved Wisconsin, INC. Dozens of people packed in outside the steps of the building with some standing on the sidewalk across the street as well. The group’s leader, Meg Ellefson, said they wanted those on the council to know that they don’t think that masks work, and they want each resident to decide for themselves.
“We are asking them to hear us. We should have the right to breathe unobstructed air,” said Ellefson.
She added that she just doesn’t think that masks work, period. “I don’t think that a porous piece of fabric can protect me from a microscopic virus.”
Speakers at the rally included WSAU Wisconsin Morning News host Ben Armstrong and former Marathon County Republican Party Chair Kevin Hermeling.
(1/17/21 Editors note: Ben Armstrong was let go by Midwest Communications in late November 2020. Meg Ellefson is now employed by Midwest Communications as host of the WSAU Wisconsin Morning News. She was not employed by the company at the time this story was originally published.)
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