Oconto Falls City Council extends mask mandate

Oconto Falls Mayor Brad Rice broke a tie April 13 and extended a mask requirement at City Council meetings through July.

The council voted 3-3 on the extension, and Rice exercised his tie-breaking power in favor of wearing masks as a safety precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aldermen Kevin Rusch, Mat McDermid and Marty Coopman supported the requirement, while Devin Wirtz, Jeff McDonald and Tim Holman were opposed.

“I personally don’t have a problem wearing a mask if it puts people at ease,” McDermid said, “but obviously I want to revisit it. I don’t want this to go on forever. What constitutes when it ends? When everybody’s vaccinated? When the numbers fall below a certain point? When will we know again?”

Wirtz said COVID numbers in Texas went down after the mask mandate there was rescinded.

“Missouri never had a mask mandate, and their numbers were lower than everyone else’s,” he added.

“The masks are not for your own personal consideration; they’re for other people to protect,” Rice said.

The vote was the last for Rusch, who chose not to run for reelection April 6. Ashley Bahrke, who ran unopposed for the District 2 seat, was due to be sworn into office at the council’s reorganizational meeting April 20.