Jenks Councilwoman Hopeful City Can Implement New Mask Mandate

The City of Jenks’ mask mandate will expire Sunday after a special meeting to discuss the mandate was canceled last week due to health and safety concerns.

The Jenks City Council planned on holding a special meeting last Wednesday at The Hive to discuss mask mandate renewal.

"Where we could safely socially distance, with multiple people like 30 to 45 people, bigger than the chamber and the community room that we had already been meeting in," Jenks councilwoman Dawn Dyke said.

Dyke said the police chief had information that the mask mandate currently in place would not be followed at the meeting. She claimed officers were concerned over the health and safety of those attending, so the meeting was canceled.

According to Dyke, with the way the original mask mandate was written, the council would have to meet before Sunday to renew it. Now, it has expired. 

"So, when we do meet again on it, it will be a brand-new mandate that we will be starting,” Dyke said. “We won't be renewing a current mandate. We will have to set forth as a brand-new mandate.”

Dyke said they do plan to meet in the future to discuss a new mandate.

"We will meet,” Dyke said. “This hasn't stopped us from meeting on the mask mandate. It will be delayed.”

The next scheduled city council meeting is set for Tuesday. However, discussing a mandate is not on the agenda.