Local mask mandate's end officially announced

Hill County Commissioner and Board of Health Chair Mark Peterson released an official announcement Monday that the local mask mandate has been rescinded upon reaching the agreed-upon threshold of an average of 10 or fewer new cases of COVID-19 per day per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks.

At least one member of the board has reservations about that meaning the mandate automatically ends.

The announcement signed by Peterson said that last week the county had 4.33 new cases per day per 100,000 and the week before had only 1.73 per 100,000.

The expiration of the order was effective at noon Monday, the announcement said.

The order praised residents of the county for their efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but cautioned them to not become complacent.

“While this is an amazing accomplishment,” the announcement read, “we strongly encourage everyone to continue to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible and be vigilant with disinfecting common areas. It is vital for our county’s continued success.”

In the Hill County Board of Health’s meeting Feb. 18 where the mandate was voted for 3-1, it was determined that once the metric of 10 or fewer new COVID-19 cases per day per 100,000 residents was met for two consecutive weeks or after 90 days the mandate would be reviewed.

However, the language of the order that was eventually signed by Peterson almost a month after the vote simply says it is in effect until the metric is reached.

Peterson said Monday, before the release of the order, that he had spoken to all but one of the members of the health board on the issue.

Board Member Erica McKeon-Hanson said she doesn’t know why the order Peterson signed is different from what was voted on.

“The intent of the Board of Health motion and subsequent vote on February 18th was to revisit the directive once the metric of 10 new cases/day/100,000 was reached for two consecutive weeks or 90 days, whichever occurred first,” she said in an email to Havre Daily News Monday. “However, the order that was written up and signed by the Board Chair did not reflect that language for reasons unknown to me at this time.”

When asked Monday about the apparent contradiction between the vote made in February and the wording of the order, Peterson said they have not received minutes of that meeting as yet.

The other members of the health board had not responded to request for comment about the end of the mandate by print deadline this morning, nor has Hill County Public Health Director and Health Officer Kim Larson.

Last Monday, the Hill County Board of Health had a heated discussion about the mandate in a meeting Peterson called because of his concerns regarding enforcement, which he has said was the reason he didn’t sign the order initially, but no votes were made because Board Secretary Kristi Kline said the public was not sufficiently notified about the potential for the board voting on the mandate.