Missouri’s Branson repeals mask order

BRANSON — The Missouri tourist town of Branson is ditching its mask mandate early after electing a new mayor who ran on platform that called for doing away with it.

“The city heard your voices loud and clear,” said new Mayor Larry Milton after the Board of Aldermen voted 6-0 on Tuesday to repeal the public masking ordinance, effective Friday.

The ordinance was first enacted July 31 as coronavirus cases were rising. Last month, the city board voted 4-2 to repeal it, but delayed implementation until May 24 to allow the city’s tourism industry an opportunity to vaccinate workers.

But, on April 6, voters decisively elected Milton to the city’s highest office and remade the composition of the board.

The discussion leading up to Tuesday’s vote was heated with one community member calling mask mandates “diabolically evil.”

However, Milton called for people to support Branson’s business community, regardless of differences over masking policies.

“If this ordinance passes, I will encourage and fully support any business that continues to mandate masks,” the mayor said. “I will support anybody who chooses to wear a mask.”