By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Before they voted last Thursday in favor of extending the city's face covering mandate through Oct. 5, both the mayor and vice-mayor of Hays said there must be stepped-up enforcement of the ordinance.
Hays city commissioners are concerned about a recent jump in coronavirus cases in Ellis County, which coincides with the return of students to Fort Hays State University and a dramatic increase in large gatherings near the campus.
RELATED: FHSU reports additional positive cases.
"We've educated the public about voluntary compliance to the point where we're basically talking to ourselves now," Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said during a Tuesday news conference. "We've been working with the Hays Chamber, the Downtown Hays Development Center and the Convention and Visitors Bureau to try and help businesses in being compliant with the ordinance."
The Hays Police Department has also been working with FHSU to educate students about the mask mandate and has provided guidance for safe health standards throughout the school year.
Fines for infractions, which have been in place since the ordinance was became effective on July 27, will now be enforced.
"Whether you agree with it or not, it is the law in the city of Hays, so we need to continue to follow the ordinance. We're looking for compliance from everyone," Scheibler said. "That doesn't mean there will be face mask check lanes on the sidewalk."
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) fliers and signs about the face mask ordinance have been created and distributed by the police department to businesses, restaurants and bars in Hays.
"We'll continue to try to educate those who are trying," Scheibler said, "and focus on those that are just blatantly disregarding the ordinance, where we're gonna have to take some sort of action."
Individuals and businesses can be fined up to $100 plus court costs for non-compliance with the ordinance.
Businesses will be considered out of compliance, Scheibler said, if "there are no signs on the door talking about the mask mandate and encouraging their customers to wear a mask. None of the employees are wearing masks. If they've made no effort to separate the tables to allow for social distancing.
"Those are all indications to me they've just chosen to ignore the law of the city of Hays, and the safety of the community is not their concern," he said. "So we're gonna have to take some action with those folks."
The "overwhelming majority" of citizens and businesses are complying with the ordinance, Scheibler pointed out.
"Some of the businesses have been super," he said, "going above and beyond the mask mandate, and I appreciate those businesses."
The ordinance calls for residents and visitors in Hays to wear a face-covering in public, indoors and outdoors, when they are unable to social distance by at least 6 feet.
There are 10 exemptions to the ordinance, primarily for medical conditions and for children younger than age 8.
Enforcement checks will mostly be complaint-driven, according to Scheibler.
"You can send a email to [email protected]. We get those emails every day. They're dispatched out to the officers to follow up on."
Complaints should not be made to the 911 emergency phone line or to the dispatch center.
Officers on patrol who see a person or business in obvious violation will address the issue at that time.
Scheibler said the police department has a list of about 30 businesses where they've been to provide information and signage, but are still getting complaints their about non-compliance with the ordinance.
"What we're looking for is voluntary compliance. Together we can get through this," he said. "Hopefully, by October, the [positive COVID-19] cases are down and we can get back to the new normal, whatever that might be."
Scheibler noted that persons violating any other city ordinance could also be cited for not wearing a face covering.
"If two guys are fighting in front of the bar and they're not wearing masks and they're not making any effort to social distance, they'll probably get a ticket for the mask mandate.
"So, if you're going to fight, social distance," he joked.