Masks: If Panhandle Health won’t, Coeur d’Alene might
The Coeur d’Alene City Council voted Tuesday night to approve a special meeting on Friday to debate — and possibly decide upon — a mask mandate.
With the Panhandle Health District board of health coming together Thursday to once again discuss a mask mandate, and considering the lack of support the proposal generated at the board’s July 16 meeting, the City Council decided not to let the matter linger until its next meeting Aug. 4.
Councilman Dan English kicked off the discussion with an earnest plea to council to consider a mask mandate sooner, rather than later.
“Some in the political community have said this is a medical issue that should be handled by the medical experts,” English said, “while some in the medical area have said, ‘Hey, this has political overtones,’ so they shouldn’t deal with it. Well, I’ve been around the block. The reality is: It’s both. It’s a health issue, it’s political, and I think it’s inseparable. But for tonight, anyway, as Harry Truman would say, ‘The buck stops here.’”
Enforcement was a sticking point throughout the discussion, as the question of how police could handle the overload of calls. Councilwoman Christie Wood said she agreed with English’s position.
“We’re in a position that isn’t going to change,” Wood said. “Kicking it down the road two weeks, as you said, isn’t going to get any better. So, tough decisions have to be made … I would say there’s all sorts of traffic laws, all kinds of — oh, my gosh — of alcohol laws that are difficult to enforce just because of the sheer numbers. But you put a law in place, you use the resources you have, you do the best you can to impact public safety.”
The city has been involved in the development of a campaign negotiated by Councilwoman Kiki Miller, one that involves the cities of Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, as well as Kootenai Health, Panhandle Health, Heritage Health, school districts, North Idaho College and Knudtsen Chevrolet, among others. Miller said the wearing of masks is most effective when it spreads beyond Coeur d’Alene alone, and that a mandate could possibly alienate members within the community.
“Unless there’s a community-wide, a county-wide effort, the city of Coeur d’Alene can’t stop this by itself,” she said. “I believe this campaign … the people who are behind it are what’s important: It’s our health leaders, and it’s our school districts, and it’s our partner cities who say, ‘We have to put out this message together.’ And when somebone visits, or whether they live here, they need to see a unified, loud voice that says, ‘We all believe in this.’”
Councilman Dan Gookin said he prefers the city take the path of the campaign, rather than mandate masks.
“Is it our role to be doing this?” he asked. “I would prefer not to. I don’t like using the hammer of government to force or to control people’s behavior. I know it’s a public safety issue. My preference would be a recommendation that people start masking. My observation is that it will happen, and it can happen without us saying we’re going to be arresting people and writing tickets.”
Mayor Steve Widmyer expressed a sharp rebuke toward both Panhandle Health and the state of Idaho for putting its cities into the position of deciding on health matters by, to continue English’s quote, passing the buck.
“I’ve said from the very beginning,” Widmyer said, “that this is something you need to follow the health district’s lead on. I’m going to be honest with you: I think this has been dropped in the city’s lap. I think the state of Idaho led us through all of these four stages. Now we’re in the worst stage we’ve ever been in, and they’ve said, ‘OK, city, it’s on you guys now.’
Friday’s meeting — technically a special call meeting, which only requires 24 hours of notice — is scheduled for noon. However, should Panhandle Health’s board pass a mask mandate, the meeting will be canceled.
