Benton County Approves Mask Requirement for Employees

FOLEY -- The Benton County Board of Commissioners has adopted a resolution requiring all county staff to wear face masks in county buildings.

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The board stopped short of requiring any members of the public from wearing masks but are requesting that they do.

County Administrator Monty Headley says it stemmed from a meeting with CentraCare officials on Friday who asked elected leaders in the area's counties and cities to enact an indoor mask policy for their communities.

Headley says their county policy for employees is set to sunset on February 22nd...

I think our board wanted to affix an end date to this. And, they had heard from the folks at CentraCare...they're expecting this peak caseload to trail off within about six weeks. So, that's why we adopted a policy which would end in six weeks. But, it could end earlier if conditions warrant that, or it could be extended if conditions determine it.

Headley says their board signed the same letter that St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, and Waite Park did which encourages members of the public to wear masks indoors to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.