A State of Emergency was declared by the Coushatta Town Council on Tuesday at the regular meeting.  The wearing of masks is now mandated within the town limits, just as in most of the rest of Louisiana.  The Town Council passed a resolution stating they would not opt out of the proclamation issued by Governor John Bel Edwards.

Earlier this week the Police Jury decided to opt out of the mask requirement imposed statewide by Edwards.  Three parishes were given the option due to the incidence of virus cases not coming up to the threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 people over a two week period.  According to the Louisiana Department of Health, Red River’s incidence is 94.37.

Coushatta Mayor Johnny Cox said, “My concern is I want to see people live.  We rolled the Governor’s mandate into a local ordinance.”  The ordinance means that everyone who is out in public must wear a mask.  All workers in stores are required to have a mask on.  Also, the ordinance covers social gatherings within the town.

Click on the file below to read the full town ordinance.

The resolution passed Tuesday mandates masks within the town.  It also said the Coushatta Police Department “is hereby authorized and given full power to enforce this order within the jurisdiction.  The violation ordered by the Governor as adopted by the Town of Coushatta is punishable by a fine of $500.”

Mayor Cox said, “the council felt the numbers (within the town) are low because we enforced the curfew early.  This is a proactive move by the city.”