ELKHART â An ordinance to let City of Elkhart staff help with the enforcement of countywide COVID-19 restrictions was approved by the Elkhart City Council on Monday evening.
That means the cityâs code enforcement officers will be able to issue warnings and civil fines to businesses and organizations that do not follow the two public health orders issued last month by Dr. Lydia Mertz, the Elkhart County health officer. Included in the orders are requirements that people wear masks when in public and that businesses and organizations create a COVID-19 response plan and take precautions to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Individuals will not be fined, but retailers who do not, for instance, make sure that people wear masks inside their store, can be fined.