I emailed my Mayor yesterday and this is her reply. She keeps talking about the law! There is no law to wear a mask!

Good morning, Lisa,

Yes, I will be supporting the order, because Gov. DeWine is the Governor of the State of Ohio and his mandate has the force of law.

The Governor said "enforcement by local law and officials will be a misdemeanor charge but is not looking to make this about the enforcing, but cooperating to help reduce the spread of the disease."

The position of the Cortland Police Department is as follows:

1. CPD officers will NOT take enforcement action against anyone for not wearing a mask in accordance with the order;
2. Private businesses and establishments etc. can require someone to wear a mask on their property and as such remove someone from the property for failing to comply. CPD officers will enforce the criminal trespass law if a person refuses to leave a business or establishment when warned for not wearing a mask and that they must leave. The property manager/owner/rep. must have ordered the person to wear the mask or leave and then CPD officers must warn the person to leave or face arrest. Only after giving sufficient warning to the person that they can be arrested for trespassing if they refuse to leave, and then they refuse to leave, will CPD officers make an arrest for a trespass violation.
3. Education is the preferred response to complaints concerning the failure to comply with the mask order.

These provisions mirror those of the Governor. I will not be making any recommendations to businesses. Violations of the mandate remain between businesses and the Trumbull County Health Department.

Thank you for writing to express your concern.

Sincerely,

Deidre R. Petrosky Mayor