BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The mask debate has made its way to Brown County.
“This is bad. This is really bad business and I can’t support any of it,” said committee member Patrick Evans.
Committee member Kathy Lefebvre said, “I don’t know anything in our constitution that says we cannot put a mandate in for public health.”
Brown County’s Human Services Committee voted to draft three ordinances and a resolution to bring to the full board of supervisors. They will then decide which may suit best.
The suggested ordinances are: to require face masks when leaving your home or hosting mass gatherings at home, mandatory masks at essential businesses, or requires masks on county owned property.
There is also a resolution to just encourage essential businesses to require masks.
“It’s broken down three ways people can discuss this,” said Lefebvre, “I think I have no qualms on this.”
Many people spoke against any type of mandate during public comment. Some, criticized Green Bay for passing a city-wide order.
Ann Tess of Bellevue said, “I hope unlike Green Bay City Council the Brown County Board will not rush through a mandate without listening to the public.”
The drafted ordinances do come with consequences. It would begin with education, then a written citation, then a fine ranging from five to five *hundred dollars.
“There will be plenty of people that will be self policing and calling in violations,” said Evans, “the sheriff’s department and police have enough to do”
However, majority of the committee voted to move forward.
Human Services Committee Chairwoman, Joan Brusky said, “kindness, compassion, and cooperation should be the absolute rule. We must not be confrontational for this to work”
The next meeting for the full Brown County Board of Supervisors will be August 19th.
