Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima’s emergency proclamation has been extended four more days, following a unanimous city council vote Friday.
All city indoor recreation facilities will remain closed, save for the Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center and increased security will remain in place at the Las Cruces Farmer’s Market to enforce mask wearing. The proclamation also dictates the city will allocate resources to ensure compliance with state and city orders.
Councilor Johana Bencomo advocated for further action to be taken.
“I'm very glad we're having this conversation today, though I worry that the current proclamation, frankly, doesn't have enough urgency to match the kind of numbers that we're seeing,” Bencomo said.
During the meeting, Miyagishima spoke about further steps the city is looking to take to ensure health and safety. These included sending residents free masks and increasing police enforcement of face coverings as well as raising the monetary fine for those who decline to do so.
He stressed he wants to avoid putting a city curfew in place.
“We need you to put a mask on. I do not want to do a curfew here, please don't force us into this shutdown,” Miyagishima said. “We don't want that. I don't want that, and I don't think anyone wants that.”
