POST FALLS, Idaho — With Idaho officially back in Phase 2 of its reopening plan, the City of Post Falls has decided its next steps in handling coronavirus.
City council members previously rejected a mask mandate that would enforce residents to wear face coverings in public. The latest vote on Tuesday enforces the wearing of masks only on city property.
“All persons in the City of Post Falls are encouraged to wear a face covering,” Legal Services Director Warren Wilson said while reading the new resolution.
Anyone who violates the new order on city property will be asked to mask up or leave. The city council can revisit the resolution any time within the next 90 days.
Social gatherings now have a 10-person limit throughout Idaho but mask mandates are still up to individual cities.
Post Falls is choosing not to require masks in public, unlike its neighbors in Coeur d’Alene who have opted for masks across the city.
For now, there’s only a strong recommendation that residents in Post Falls wear a face covering in public. Places like retail stores or gas stations can decide whether a customer needs one before entering their business.
“You have the right to set rules and regulations for how the public property is used,” Warren explained.
In previous meetings, council members expressed concern over a city-wide mandate. Some said they believed enforcing it would cause division.
Panhandle Health District reported 204 new COVID-19 cases in Idaho's five northern counties on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Kootenai County remains in the high-risk category for coronavirus spread.