Leaders from the Anchorage Assembly are asking Mayor Dave Bronson’s administration to clarify how it will enforce an indoor mask requirement that passed last week.
In a letter sent to the mayor and city manager, Assembly Chair Suzanne LaFrance and Vice Chair Chris Constant said they’ve been getting questions from constituents about the measure.
They are asking the mayor to explain how the rules will be enforced and by which department.
The ordinance does not spell out specific fines for violation. Instead, it says the city will use “all available enforcement options to assure compliance.”
Bronson’s administration has not enforced the rules, which have many exemptions including for gyms, churches and members of Bronson’s executive team.
The letter points out that the city hired three code enforcement officers last year with federal COVID-19 money who are still on staff.
Constant, who represents downtown, told the Anchorage Daily News that if the administration does not enforce the measures, it could be grounds for a recall.
Corey Allen Young, a spokesman for the Bronson administration, wrote in an email that the administration is working with the IT department to create a web form for the public to report violations. He did not specify whether there would be penalties for not complying.
RELATED: Who needs to wear a mask in Anchorage and where? Here’s a breakdown of the new ordinance.
Lex Treinen is covering the state Legislature for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at ltreinen@gmail.com.
