Fargo City Commission to consider mask ordinances

 

At its regular City Commission meeting tonight at Fargo City Hall, the Fargo City Commission will consider two different ordinances regarding masking during the COVID-19 pandemic. At last month's meeting, Fargo City Commissioners voted to have the Fargo City Attorney's office draft a pair of ordinances, one with a penalty and one without, to be received and filed at their regular meeting tonight.

Fargo City Attorney Erik Johnson, in a letter to Fargo City Commissioners, says the versions are "virtually identical" other than the insertion of a penalty in one version of the ordinance. Johnson says the "with penalty" violation is structured such as it is not a crime, but as a civil violation.

The commission has two options at tonight's meeting -- move forward with a first reading at the next commission meeting or to "receive and file," which means that the ordinance would have to be acted upon before being placed on a future agenda.

Tonight's meeting begins at 5 p.m. in Fargo City Commission chambers.