WAUKEE, Iowa — The City of Waukee will no longer implement a mask mandate Friday after COVID-19 data by zip code was provided to Dallas County health officials.
Mayor Courtney Clarke announced the city-wide mandate Tuesday, which would have fined individuals $15 for not wearing a mask in public settings.
But because of the additional data, the mandate is now being revised to a proclamation that strongly encourages wearing face masks.
“Up until today, we’ve had to make community decisions related to COVID-19 based on countywide information,” Waukee Mayor Courtney Clarke said in a statement. “Now that these Waukee-specific numbers are being made available, we will be able to make more exact data-driven decisions as to how to protect community members from contracting COVID-19.”
The city says there were 40 confirmed coronavirus cases within Waukee between Sept. 5 and Sept. 14.
Amended proclamation for the City of Waukee
Des Moines and Cedar Falls have implemented similar mandates, but without enforcement such as fines.
“We are requesting the historical zip code-specific data for our City and plan to work with Dallas County and State health officials to review trends.” Clarke's statement continues. “It is our hope that with this analysis, we can set a data-driven target for future mask mandate proclamations.”
Alan Ostergren, the attorney for one Waukee resident suing over the mask mandate, calls the decision a "victory."
"There's nothing about this case that says masks are bad," Ostergren said. "We are not anti-mask. We are pro-freedom, we are pro-law and order and we are pro-government staying within its constitutional limits."
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