Shorewood Is First Milwaukee-Area City To Require Face Masks

SHOREWOOD, WI — Shorewood is the first southeastern Wisconsin community to require that face coverings be worn by all people in buildings that are open to the public.

The Village Board hosted a special virtual meeting Wednesday to take up the matter, which was drafted and presented in "fast-track" fashion.

"I think we need to act right now," said Arthur Ircink, Village of Shorewood trustee in a FOX 6 report. "This thing doesn't stop. The virus isn't stopping for us."

After about five hours of debate, officials settled on an ordinance that requires people 4 years old and above to wear a face mask in indoor public spaces. Those spaces include shops, stores, government buildings, schools and others.

Shorewood officials said the first penalty for not wearing a face mask is a written warning.

According to the original draft of the ordinance, masks would have been required outdoors, but that provision was removed. Shorewood officials also scrapped the 2-year-old cutoff in favor of the 4-year old requirement.

"For the duration of Shorewood’s existing emergency declaration order, any person 2 years old or older who is present in the Village of Shorewood shall have possession of a face covering when the person leaves home or other place of residence and shall wear the face covering whenever the person is in an outdoor public space and sees a person within 30 feet who is not a member of the person’s family or household," the original draft read.

Original penalties ranged from a fine between $50 and $500, and Health Department authority to shut down a business that repeatedly fails to follow guidelines laid out in the ordinance.