Salina City Commissioners voted at the July 6 City Commission meeting to enact an ordinance to require the wearing of masks or other face coverings due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The local order is nearly identical to Governor Laura Kelly’s state executive order.

The ordinance (No. 20-11034) 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 Salina 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. Additional requirements related to specific circumstances can be found at salina-ks.gov (select the top link located within the Featured Items feed on the homepage).

This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption and publication once in the official city newspaper, the Salina Journal, which is anticipated to be Thursday, July 9. The mask requirement will remain in place until repealed by the City Commission.

The following individuals are exempt:

• Individuals who are five years or under (children two years and under in particular should not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation)
• Individuals with a medical condition, mental health condition or disability that prevents wearing a face covering
• Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or individuals who are communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, where the ability to see the mouth if essential for communication
• Individuals for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work (as determined by local, state or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines)
• Individuals who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service
• Individuals who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverage service, while they are eating or drinking, provided they maintain a six-foot distance between individuals (not including individuals who reside together or are seated together) with only infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity
• Athletes who are engaged in an organized sports activity that allows athletes to maintain a six foot distance from others with only infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity
• Individuals who are engaged in an activity that a professional or recreational association, regulatory entity, medical association, or other public health oriented entity has determined cannot be safely conducted while wearing a mask or other face covering
• Individuals engaged in an activity or event held or managed by the Kansas Legislature
• Individuals engaged in a court-related proceeding held or managed by the Kansas Judiciary
• Individuals engaged in any lawful activity during which wearing a mask or other face covering is prohibited by law

Any person, business, organization, or non-profit association violating the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of no less than twenty-five ($25.00) dollars upon a first violation, a fine of no less than fifty ($50.00) dollars upon a second violation, and a fine of no less than one hundred ($100.00) dollars upon a third or subsequent violation. Each occurrence of a violation of this ordinance shall be considered a separate and distinct violation. Violations of the ordinance can be reported by calling the Salina Police Department’s non-emergency line at (785) 826-7210. 9-1-1 should be reserved for emergency calls only. The City of Salina is asking for voluntarily compliance for this new ordinance. Calls for service are prioritized, and it is likely there will be a delay in response as other higher priority calls will be handled first.

To view the mask ordinance, COVID-19 related press releases and web-links, visit salina-ks.gov and select the top link located within the Featured Items feed on the homepage.

To slow the spread of COVID-19, individuals should:

• Stay home if sick
• Wear masks in public settings
• Maximize physical distance (six feet or more) in public settings
• Avoid socializing with large groups
• High-risk individuals should only leave the house for essential needs
• Wash hands frequently

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ORIGINAL: After much discussion Salina City Commissioners passed an ordinance Monday evening which requires masks in businesses, and in outdoor public places where social distance cannot be maintained.

The ordinance is similar to Governor Laura Kelly’s executive order on the same topic, and also has similar language to the indoor clean air ordinance which is in effect in Salina.

As part of the Salina ordinance, masks will be required inside businesses and organizations in the city of Salina. Masks will also be required in public outdoor spaces where six feet of social distance cannot be maintained.

The city will make signs available on its website for businesses to print and display.

The ordinance will be enforced much like the clean air ordinance. Public education and voluntary compliance methods  initially will be utilized, but those who do not comply with the ordinance can receive a citation, as can the business, much like the clean air ordinance.

The mask ordinance will go into effect when it is published in the Salina Journal, probably later this week.

The ordinance passed by a 4 – 1 vote, with Mayor Mike Hoppock casting the lone dissenting vote.

Full Ordinance:

http://www.salina-ks.gov/news/?FeedID=5800&fbclid=IwAR3Rgk0H_stDCiaGnv9SPfPc52OiW42-zzqRNI48XvIlkY8SF7rsppxsxGA