The Tulsa City Council on August 25 declined to pass a mask mandate in response to a recent surge in infections of the Chinese coronavirus outbreak.
Instead, the Council approved a resolution (which has no effect of law) to encourage citizens to wear face masks and get vaccinated (anyone age 12 or older), according to recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control.
Mayor G.T. Bynum signed the resolution, which had an emergency clause so it would take effect immediately.
“I am in complete agreement with my City Council colleagues on this resolution…” Bynum said. “I hope my fellow Tulsans will take note of this unanimous, bipartisan call for all of us to do our part in slowing the spread of a lethal virus by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask in public places.”
Bynum and city councilors planned to discuss an employee vaccine stipend program for city employees at the September 1 Council meeting.
Under the proposal put forth by the administration, employees that are fully vaccinated by October 15 would receive a $250 stipend. If individual departments gain a 70% vaccination rate by Nov. 1, each vaccinated employee of that department would receive an additional $250 stipend. Funding for this program would be provided by recovery funds.
“As the employer of Tulsa’s front-line workers, we at the City of Tulsa want to increase the vaccination rates of our workforce through this incentive program,” Bynum said. “An increased rate of vaccination will protect city employees and their ability to serve the citizens of Tulsa through this pandemic.”
Under the resolution, places where people are asked to wear masks include, but are not limited to inside settings such as restaurants (while not eating), bars, places of worship, grocery stores, indoor venues and other public indoor spaces where proper social and physical distancing cannot be maintained.
There is no fine for violation of the resolution, but the city will enforce its trespassing and disturbing the peace laws for those who violate specific business requirements as it relates to masks. Bynum and the councilors want citizens to call the police to turn in fellow citizens if they “trespass” or “disturb the peace.” The Tulsa Police Department non-emergency line at 918-596-9222 (911 is for life-threatening emergencies only).
TPS mask mandate
Tulsa Public Schools is mandating that all staff members wear masks in the buildings and next week, TPS will require students to wear masks in defiance of state law.