During their Feb. 22 meeting, the Bethel City Council could introduce a city-wide mask recommendation to replace the mask mandate it dropped during its last meeting. Plus, it could allot more funds to the Bethel Police Department.
During its prior meeting, the council voted to let the city’s mask mandate expire. Since Feb. 19, businesses in Bethel have been allowed to make their own rules about masking. Now, one of the council members who voted against the mask mandate wants to instate a mask recommendation for masking. Council member Rose “Sugar” Henderson proposed legislation that would recommend that most people in Bethel wear masks during periods of high COVID-19 transmission in the region, stopping short of requiring people to wear masks.
Bethel’s city manager has also requested more funds for the police department. If the council agrees to the funding request, the Bethel Police Department would receive $30,000 to cover the cost of overtime salaries for its staff through June 2022.
