City of Hailey keeps mask mandate in place

HAILEY, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — On Monday the Hailey city council took no action on the city’s indoor and outdoor mask mandate.

The city has had a mask mandate in place since September due to COVID-19 levels in the county being categorized as critical by the South Central Public Health District and the hospital system being overwhelmed.

The health order signed in September was a 30-day order that the council extended again during their October meeting. At the meeting last month, mayor Martha Burke requested that the order be extended 90 days into the new year, but council members felt a 30-day order was more justified.

However, when council members decided on Monday night to extend the health order again, they found out no action was needed because the health order signed in October was a 90-day order, so no action needed to be taken.

Mayor Burke said that was a clerical error on her part, but citizens do not need to worry because the health order can be rescinded at any point. The council will revisit and discuss the heath order again in 30 days.

Council members decided not to rescind the mask mandate at the Monday meeting because they wanted to stay consistent with what neighboring cities are doing, and the COVID-19 risk level in the county is high. Hailey also sees a lot of tourists during the holiday season.

One person who attended the meeting asked the council to rescind the mask mandate because he felt the issue is becoming more about emotion than logic. He said, “If you are worried about getting the virus then you can mask up and be protected, or if you have gotten the vaccination you should be able to be protected...the mandate to me doesn’t do anything right now since half the people I come in contact with are not wearing masks.”

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