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Following backlash from local business owners after passing a mask mandate that would subject them to penalties for noncompliance, the Webster County Board of Health amended the regulation Thursday, suspending civil penalties.
“They’re suspended to see how the public reacts and complies,” said Webster County Attorney Darren Driscoll, saying the Board of Health did not want to be too “heavy-handed” in their approach.
The mask regulation passed by the board on Dec. 3 would have added teeth to weaker rules at the state and city level with a civil penalty of up to $750 for the first offense and up to $1,000 for second or subsequent offenses. The regulation, which would apply to nearly all indoor and public areas, must still be cleared by Webster County Supervisors to go into effect.