LAKELAND, Fla (WFLA) – The Lakeland City Commission decided against implementing a mandatory face mask order during a special meeting Monday.
All of this comes after the first weekend with indoor mask orders went into effect for Tampa and St. Petersburg.
“The growing concern expressed at our recent Re-open Lakeland Task Force meeting underscored the need to provide more enforcement capability for business owners through mask requirements while indoors,” Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz said. “Meanwhile, positive test rates continue to climb and the healthcare system is even more alarmed.”
The meeting started around 9:30 a.m. The final decision to turn down the order came after a two-hour long discussion.
“So there is no motion to accept the executive order, and we will not do a mask mandate,” Mutz said. “And the result of that will be in the numbers.”
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