Mask Mandate In Place Appleton City Council Chambers

From the City of Appleton:

August 4, 2020

On Saturday, the Governor’s Emergency Order #1 “Relating to preventing the spread of COVID-19 by requiring face coverings in certain situations” went into effect. The order simply described as a statewide face covering/mask mandate has led to several questions regarding our internal organizational policies as well as the City’s Common Council and committee meetings.

The City of Appleton will continue Common Council and committee meetings while wearing face coverings, maintaining social distancing and other safe practices. Masks always need to be worn in council chambers unless a person meets one of the exemptions listed in the order. A mask may be removed while addressing the chamber for public comment, presenting to council, running the meeting, etc. while still practicing physical distancing. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions on the order for additional information.

The recommended plan is as follows:

• Continue to encourage council members and department directors to utilize virtual technology for attendance to the meetings.

Those who attend in-person;

• Public attendees will be required to bring and wear a face covering. There will be a maximum of three (3) persons in an elevator at any given time.

• When exiting the elevator, on the 6th floor, signs will be posted to follow guidelines; wearing a face covering, maintaining 6-foot spacing between people, use of hand sanitizer, good handwashing, don’t touch your face, etc.

• Council chambers will be set up in a manner to meet the 6-foot distancing between those in attendance.

• Maximum occupancy limit will be based on maintaining 6-foot distancing.

• Disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer will be located throughout the room. Signs will be posted to sanitize hands and/or disinfect objects (i.e. microphones) before/after touching them.

• The head table (mayor, attorney, and clerk) with be set up with shielding between the 3 persons and reminder signs to maintain the 6-foot distancing.

• There will be a maximum of 9 Alder-person desks available for in-person Alder-person attendance, in order to maintain the 6-foot distancing.

• There will be limited seating, at pre-set up tables, for directors.

• There will be limited seating set up for the public attendance attendees, maintaining 6-foot spacing.

• Three (3) of the council member desks will have a barrier at the front of the desk due to the proximity between the back row and front row of council desks. These will be identified on a room lay-out map.

• The aqua-board will be positioned in a manner that Mayor Woodford can best visualize it for those who are speaking virtually (see video or room diagram).

Please click here to read the memo from Mayor Woodford.

This press release was produced by the City of Appleton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.