Health mandates won't be enforced

As winter and COVID-19 close in and a state mandate requires early restaurant and bar closures, as well as obligatory masks in stores and public building, the mayors of Pine Haven and Moorcroft have both spoken.

At last Tuesday’s council assembly in Pine Haven, Mayor John Cook, himself wearing a mask, began the meeting by explaining the unaffected policy regarding masks in chambers after the newest advice from Crook County’s health department.

“It is the official policy of Pine Haven Town Council that we abide by the county’s mask rule. If you choose to wear a mask, that’s up to you and if you do not choose to wear a mask, that’s also up to you,” he said.

Next, with the opening of Monday night’s meeting of the Moorcroft Council, Mayor Dick Claar candidly spoke to the situation.

“Right now, we’re not enforcing the mask mandate. We’re basically talking about the 10 p.m. closure of restaurants and bars,” he said.

“What are the consequences if they decide not to? If they do not want to close at 10 p.m., then they do what they want, but they [have to] realize there’s the state out there and how they enforce it, I don’t know, but it’s entirely, in my opinion, in their ball court.”

Moorcroft Chief of Police Bill Bryant agreed that checking the closing time of the bars is really quite low on his priority list at this time.