These three Johnson County cities will require masks in public starting next Tuesday
Three Johnson County cities passed rules requiring that masks be worn in public spaces on Wednesday night as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the Kansas City area, overwhelming area hospitals and raising alarm among local health officials.
City councils of Roeland Park, Mission and Prairie Village passed individual ordinances as part of a collaborative effort led by elected officials to address public health concerns once again. The rules are similar across the municipalities, requiring those visiting public spaces wear masks or face a $25 fine.
The rules take effect Jan. 18.
Earlier mask mandates in the cities have largely put businesses in charge of enforcing them. A key change to the most recent set of requirements is the placement of responsibility on individuals, several leaders noted.
Ahead of the vote in Prairie Village, elected officials were briefed on the COVID-19 situation by Johnson County Public Health Director Sanmi Areola. Areola said Johnson County is doing relatively well compared to neighboring communities on the subject of vaccinating the population.
“Except we don’t have walls around the county. We have people that live here, work in other counties and vice versa. And so the regional number I think is as important as the county numbers, perhaps even more important,” said Areola, who said he was supportive of the cities putting mask mandates in place.
The cities are the first in Johnson County to reinstate mask-wearing since the emergence of the omicron variant, which has played a large role in the resurgence of the virus over recent weeks. Johnson County commissioners last week decided to continue a mask requirement in schools for students up to the sixth grade, the only rule in place for Johnson County residents until Wednesday night.
City government leaders taking the action Wednesday cited in their reasoning the advice of health care professionals amid the latest wave of COVID-19. Several also expressed frustration with having to institute special rules that apply only within the boundaries of their respective cities, pointing to an absence of leadership at the state and county levels.
“The county commission has had ample opportunity to put in place meaningful countywide mitigation measures, but appears to lack political will,” Mission Mayor Sollie Flora said during the city’s special meeting. “And so here we are, a city of roughly 10,000 people trying to do our best.
“I’m sure no one wants to be here tonight talking about masks and COVID mitigation yet again, and I recognize that none of the options in front of us are ideal or good options. But being an elected official often means doing the best with the hand that you’re dealt.”
Roeland Park Mayor Mike Kelly said he is still disappointed by the “abdication of leadership” from state and county officials with greater resources and pull.
“Frankly, I think we’re all really disappointed in the state legislature deliberately trying to take tools away from local governments during this pandemic,” he said.
Over the past two years, local governments have had varied approaches to addressing COVID-19. The result has been a patchwork of different regulations that change from place to place as people move freely across state and county lines.
The rules passed in the Johnson County cities are scheduled to remain in place until mid-February unless local leaders decide to alter or repeal them.
Meanwhile, cases of COVID-19 have greatly increased in the Kansas City metropolitan area as of late.
As of Tuesday, the rolling average of new COVID-19 cases had risen to 3,554 per day over seven days across Kansas City and Jackson, Platte, Clay, Johnson and Wyandotte counties, according to data maintained by The Star. Last week’s average was 2,120 per day.
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 7:19 AM.
