The following is a press release from the City of Fort Bragg:
At Monday night’s meeting, the City Council directed the City Manager, in her role as Director of Emergency Services, to issue an emergency order establishing increased penalties for violations of the Mendocino County Health Officer’s Facial Covering Order and providing Enforcement Officers discretion on whether to issue a Notice of Violation that provides twenty-four (24) hours to abate the violation or a Citation for the Violation, without notice. Mendocino County, Ukiah, Point Arena and Willits have taken almost identical action to address facial coverings. The City Council, the City Manager and the Police Chief emphasized that education is always the preferred method of increasing compliance with the Facial Covering Order but acknowledged that there may be situations where a stronger tool is necessary for the health and safety of the
community.As confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to surge in Mendocino County and around the country, facial coverings are an essential tool in reducing the spread of the virus. It is critical that individuals wear facial coverings when entering and at all times while inside indoor facilities and outdoors, when unable to maintain a six-foot distance from other persons outside of their own household or Non-Distancing Stable Group. Health experts continue to stress that wearing facial coverings, social distancing, washing hands often and using hand sanitizer are the most useful tools we have today to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
If an individual does not comply with the Mendocino County Facial Covering Order after being asked to comply by an Enforcement Officer, Emergency Order No. 1 authorizes administrative citations for failing to wear a facial covering, with fines of $100 for the first violation, $250 for the second violation, and $500 for each subsequent violation. Individuals who are exempt from the requirement to wear a facial covering, will bear the burden to demonstrate the basis for the exemption. The emergency order went into effect at 8:00am on July 30, 2020.
Questions regarding this information should be directed to Tabatha Miler, City Manager at (707) 961-2829
The featured images if from WikiCommons and is from December of 1918 entitled “Policeman in Seattle wearing facemasks made by the Red Cross, during influenza epidemic.
