City council passes first reading of a masking ordinance 4-1
The West Plains City Council will decide at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday (11/4) whether to pass its proposed mask ordinance, which would make face masks mandatory. The city council held and passed the first reading of Monday afternoon. You can read the proposed ordinance here.
Prior to voting on the measure, Mayor Jack Pahlman allowed two citizens to speak in favor and two citizens to speak in opposition of the mandate. No members of the community opted to speak in favor of the ordinance. Two citizens, Wayne Hunter and Clifton Earls, spoke in opposition. Each were allowed three minutes.
Once the council voted, it voted in favor of passing the first reading four votes to one. Mayor Jack Pahlman and council members Josh Cotter, Jessica Nease and Johnny Murrell each voted yes. Council member Mike Topliff voted no.
Wednesday, the mayor will again allow two citizens to speak in favor and two citizens to speak in opposition of the mandate before voting on the mandate. If the mandate passes, it will go into effect immediately.
