Support a Sioux Falls, SD

Mask Ordinance

LETTER TO SUPPORT A SIOUX FALLS, SD ORDINANCE TO MANDATE MASK WEARING IN PUBLIC AND IN COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS

To Mayor Paul TenHaken and City Council Members of Sioux Falls, SD:

As the largest, most diverse city in the state, we should be leading by example. As elected members of the city, it is your role to enact policy to make the public safe. We are writing on behalf of our organizations’ members, employees and customers of our businesses, attendees of our faith institutions, and all of the citizens of Greater Sioux Falls to express our support for AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, TO REQUIRE FACE COVERING IN AN INDOOR PUBLIC PLACE WHERE 6-FOOT SOCIAL DISTANCING CANNOT BE ACHIEVED. We strongly urge you to support this important ordinance, which will protect the health of our community, especially those most vulnerable to the impacts of COVID. It will also allow Sioux Falls residents to engage more fully, and safely, in public life; thereby allowing our businesses, schools, and places of faith to not just survive, but thrive.

In recent weeks, we have seen a surge in COVID cases across our state and in our city. We need immediate action to slow the spread of the disease, which is already overwhelming our health facilities. In short, we’re surging in the wrong direction. We do not believe that we need to make a choice between the health of our loved ones and the health of our local economy. It is a false dichotomy to think that effective public safety, like requiring mask-wearing in public, is in conflict with keeping our businesses, schools, and faith institutions open. Rather, this City Ordinance will ensure that we are able to do just that.

Sioux Falls prides itself on taking care of its citizens. Following the tornado in 2019, community members rallied together to ensure the safety of all of those living in our city. It is time for us to once again protect the health, safety, and well-being of our friends, family, and neighbors.

We believe this City Ordinance is the best tool we have to address a growing health crisis and to stave off an economic one. The City Ordinance is about taking proven effective, low-cost, and relatively easy protective measures to keep all sectors of our city open and all of our citizens safe.

This is not a partisan issue. And it shouldn’t be a political one. It’s a community health and safety issue. And, as you well know, Sioux Falls is a community where we care deeply about both.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME, YOUR TITLE, YOUR ORGANIZATION (Fill out the form above to sign on to this letter)

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Not part of an organization or business but want to sign the letter?

These organizations and leaders have signed on

Kooper Caraway, President of South Dakota AFL-CIO

Taneeza Islam, Executive Director, South Dakota Voices for Justice

The Very Rev. Ward H. Simpson, Dean of Episcopal Church in SD

Adam Weiland, Dakotans for Health

Krista Hoyme Dr

Lie Dinah Ligasaputri, MD with Avera

Shari Eich, MD with Avera

Kari Hultgren, MD with Avera

Kim Hanssen DO with Avera

Connie Taylor, MD with Avera Health

Chetan Wasekar Physician with Avera McKennan Hospital

Nicole Christenson, MD with Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center

Christiane Maroun, MD with Avera Medical group

Reynold Nesiba, State Senator District 15

Daniel Heckmann, MD with emergency medicine

Ryan Otto, Rev First Congregational Church

Teresa Marts, MD at Horizon Healthcare

Jo Schallenkamp, President Josephines INC.

Randall Gehring, The Rev. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church

Amy Kelley Dr Physician

Indra Chandrasekar, Assistant Scientist Sanford Research

Tami & Vernon Brown, Owners of The Spice & Tea Echange of Siou Falls

This is our BEST option right now

This is a letter on behalf of our organizations’ members, employees and customers of our businesses, attendees of our faith institutions, and all of the citizens of Greater Sioux Falls to express our support for AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SIOUX FALLS, SD, TO REQUIRE FACE COVERING IN AN INDOOR PUBLIC PLACE WHERE 6-FOOT

SOCIAL DISTANCING CANNOT BE ACHIEVED

1) There's an emergency

This and last week, we have seen a surge in COVID cases across our state and in our city (See latest numbers). We need immediate action to slow the spread of the disease, which is already overwhelming our health facilities. We do not believe that we need to make a choice between the health of our loved ones and the health of our local economy. It is a false dichotomy to think that effective public safety, like requiring mask-wearing in public, is in conflict with keeping our businesses, schools, and faith institutions open. Rather, this Mask Mandate will ensure that we are able to do just that.

2) We take care of each other

3) Keeps the city open

We believe this Mask Mandate is the best tool we have to address a growing health crisis and to stave off an economic one. The Mask Mandate is about taking proven effective, low-cost, and relatively easy protective measures to keep all sectors of our city open and all of our citizens safe.