Bend Mayor Sally Russell sent a letter to the Deschutes County Commission Monday, on behalf of the Bend City Council. In the letter, Mayor Russell asks the Deschutes County Commission to mandate mask-wearing for all indoor, public spaces. The letter references the substantial increase in COVID-19 cases, the presence of the Delta variant in Deschutes County, and the status of the local hospital system as the basis for the request.
“As local elected leaders, we must be united in taking action to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” wrote Mayor Russell in the letter. “In your role as directors of the public health authority of our County, we look to you take the actions necessary to prevent illness and death from this disease, and we will support you in those actions. The welfare of our businesses, restaurants, and, most importantly, our community members, depends upon our leadership.”
