Milwaukee-area business Rebel Converting is offering 1 million free masks to help residents comply with the proposed citywide mask ordinance.
The proposed ordinance by Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic would require people to wear a mask across the city of Milwaukee, for both indoors in a public space and outdoors when several people are in one location at a given time.
The proposed ordinance would also require all businesses to enforce the mask requirement or risk being shut down by the health department. If a business received a patron who refused to wear a mask, the ordinance says the health department could give a warning and citation to the individual, rather than the business. Violations of the ordinance could result in a fine ranging from $50 to $500.
Rebel Converting announced Tuesday that it was offering to give away a million masks to help Milwaukee residents prevent the spread of COVID-19 if the city passes the mask ordinance.
“We fully support Milwaukee legislation to mandate face coverings in public places,” Rebel Converting Owner Michael Kryshak wrote in a letter to Mayor Tom Barrett. “We want to make sure that affordability for low-income residents is not a barrier to anyone helping stop the spread of the disease in the community and complying with the requirement.”
Ald. Dimitrijevic is expected to discuss the ordinance at Tuesday's Common Council meeting.