While the city of Sioux Falls passed a mask mandate, that same decision is quickly approaching for the people of Rapid City.
Jeremy Antes with Murphy’s Pub and Grill believes a city-wide mask mandate would make customers and staff feel more conformable.
“We still have some tourists in town, we still have a lot of locals. People just feel more comfortable when they see their servers and the staff here wear masks,” Jeremy Antes, with Murphy’s Pub and Grill, said.
Antes believes a mandate would help in the fight against COVID-19.
“Everybody being required to do it will make us all think a little bit more about the real risks that there are,” Antes said.
On the other hand, Kim Riley, a Rapid City resident doesn’t fully believe a mask mandate will slow the spread of the virus.
“We’ve had a shutdown before and it still blossomed and bloomed everywhere, it still surged everywhere after everything was shutdown so I don’t know that that is the right answer or the wrong answer,” Riley said.
However, Riley says wearing your mask is a respectful gesture to people who require masks to be worn inside their businesses. If the mandate passes in Rapid City, Riley says she will follow it.
“I think it’s a matter of all being respectful for whatever businesses you’re going in and the rules they set forth. If they choose and want you to wear a mask or sanitize your hands, you should do that. Because it is a choice of business as well as you have the choice not to go in there because of it,” Riley said.
A special session will be held tomorrow night at 5:30 p.m. MT, where the city council will discuss a city-wide mask mandate.
The mandate would require everyone to wear face coverings or masks in any indoor facility within Rapid City limits. We will have coverage of the council meeting Thursday evening.
