Indiana Borough Council released on their website a proposed ordinance concerning mask wearing that will be discussed and voted on at their next meeting on Tuesday.
The ordinance will require borough residents and those doing business or visiting people in the borough to wear a face mask or plastic face shield that would cover the nose and mouth. The ordinance states that while Pennsylvania has done well in its efforts to control Coronavirus, there has been a spike in cases recently, and additional precautions could be necessary as IUP students return to campus.
Those not following the ordinance would be fined $50 for a first offense, $75 for a second offense and any subsequent offense would result in a $300 fine. The borough also would have the right to issue a written warning prior to the first offense as a way of educating the public. Borough council would rely on the Code Enforcement department to enforce the ordinance and issue citations, and it would also authorize Borough Manager C. Michael Foote to hire part-time employees to supplement enforcement efforts if necessary.
If passed, the proposed ordinance would start September 1st, and would end on either January 1st of 2021 or a recession of the face mask order by PA Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine, whichever comes first.
The meeting will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, and it will be held virtually via Zoom video conference. The draft ordinance, directions on how to view the meeting and how to participate can be found on the borough’s website, indianaboro.com
