Tulsa City Council replaces, approves mandatory mask ordinance

The decision was made to base Tulsa's ordinance on the one recently passed by the City of Stillwater

Tulsa City Council debates mandatory mask ordinance Tulsa City Council debates mandatory mask ordinance, July 15, 2020 (Russell Mills)

By Russell Mills

TULSA — The Tulsa City Council has voted to approve a mandatory mask ordinance, citing the troubling upward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Two councilors, Connie Dodson (Dist. 6) and Cass Fahler (Dist. 5), voted no.

Councilor Dodson said she was voting the will of her council district, which she determined by taking a poll which she said indicated 74% of her constituency was opposed to the ordinance.

>>>READ THE MANDATORY MASK ORDINANCE ADOPTED BY THE TULSA CITY COUNCIL<<<

Councilor Fahler indicated his decision was also largely based on overwhelming sentiment in his district.

Still, despite some reservations about enforcement of the law and the potential economic impact, the other councilors indicated that they felt public health could only benefit by any measure taken to slow the further spread of the virus.

The ordinance passed by a final vote of 7-2.

Councilors voting in favor were: Vanessa Hall Harper (Dist. 1), Jeannie Cue (Dist. 2), Crista Patrick (Dist. 3), Joy McKee (Dist. 4), Lori Decter Wright (Dist. 7), Phil Lakin, Jr. (Dist. 8) and Council Chair Ben Kimbro (Dist. 9).