Less than a week after they opted not to mandate masks, but rather “highly recommend them”, Saline County Commissioners on Wednesday reversed course and will mandate them.

By a vote of 3-2 commissioners voted to pass an ordinance which parallels a mask ordinance passed on Monday of this week.

Saline County Health Officer Jason Tiller Jason Tiller was in support of the mask mandate.

Commissioners Rodger Sparks and Mike White cast the two dissenting votes.

Like the city ordinance, the county ordinance mandates that face coverings are worn when individuals are in any public space where social distancing of six feet at all times is not possible. It also requires that all businesses, organizations and non-profit associations in Saline County must require employees, customers, visitors, members, or members of the public to wear a mask or other face covering when in a facility managed by the business or organization.

The county ordinance will be reviewed on July 28th, and then continuously every two weeks after that.

The Saline County mask ordinance goes into effect at 12:01 am Thursday.