New 30-day Mask Mandate for Cloquet

Due to a rise in COVID-19 cases, Cloquet Mayor Roger Maki signed a 30-day emergency declaration proclamation on Wednesday. The proclamation includes a mask mandate for businesses and public indoor spaces and goes into effect immediately.

According to the proclamation, the emergency declaration requires masks to be worn in public buildings by anyone five years old or older. This includes government buildings, restaurants, grocery stores, and other common spaces.

Masks required signs were put up in the windows of Cloquet businesses while employees were nervous about the enforcement of the mandate.

Kaite Hraban, a manager at Gordy’s Warming House, says, "A lot of times we try not to be confrontational because as much as we want to respect the city, we also want to respect the person. And so we are just going to roll with the punches and let people be who they are and deal with it from there."

City officials and management will also hold all meetings remotely. The declaration says it is not feasible for members of city council or other city officials to meet safely in person, all meetings will be held by telephone or online.

Click to read the full proclamation.