Fargo Mask Mandate Allowed to Expire as of March 23rd

(Fargo, ND) -- Some good news for those tired of the City of Fargo's mask mandate.

At it's meeting Monday evening, the Fargo City Commission allowed the current community-wide mask mandate to expire as of 11:59 p.m. on March 22nd. While the community will still be requested to utilize face coverings, it will no longer be comprehensively mandated in Fargo. Social distancing, hand washing and other COVID-19 mitigation strategies are still strongly encouraged.

The City will continue it's activation of Green Operations throughout facilities and the Mayoral emergency declaration remains in full effect. Green operations include the requirement for members of the public to wear masks within all City facilities. Temporary employment policies are in place to require City employees to wear face masks while working.

“Our community is making great progress in COVID-19 vaccinations. However, we are not yet out of the woods and I am making a simple request to our residents – please continue to wear a mask. This is about science, not politics; masks work. The government is not mandating you to wear a mask at this time, but I am asking you to choose to do so in consideration of others. If conditions deteriorate, we will be prepared to reconsider a potential reinstatement of the mandate," said Mayor Tim Mahoney.

The topic was brought up near the midway point of the regularly scheduled commission meeting, with Commissioner John Strand bringing up a motion to extend the mandate, but with a different title. Strand titled the extension "guidelines" instead of a mandate, and received support from Commissioner Arlette Preston, but that was all.

In the end, the new "guidelines" proposal failed by a 3-2 vote, effectively ending the mandate.