March 10, 2021

One year after the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Minnehaha County, and hours after a tie-breaking vote to lift a mask mandate, city and health officials looked back on the year and ahead with optimism.

Mayor Paul TenHaken was the tie-breaking vote to lift a mask mandate effective Saturday after significant public input.

“There’s a lot of mental fragility in the community still from this. And there will be for some time,” TenHaken said at a news briefing Wednesday. “I think that’s going to be something we’re going to be working through long past where we end with COVID here – repairing relationships, damage, the dialogue chasm that has grown quite wide in certain circles.”

He called the tie-breaking vote a tough decision.

“It’s my expectation that people will still continue to wear masks in public settings and in businesses while not required or mandated,” he said. “My behavior patterns are not going to change. To me it’s a very minor thing, but to other people it’s a very major thing.”

Businesses likely will still continue to set their own policies around masking, he said.

“I would just ask the community respect the policies of the business community, a business owner. If they feel they want to have masks required in their business, please respect that, abide by that,” TenHaken said. “If you can’t for some reason wear a mask, I’d ask you to patronize a different business.”

Leaders at Avera McKennan and Sanford Health also reflected on the past year while expressing optimism that vaccination is helping curb cases and hospitalizations.

“Hope and optimism are definitely appropriate,” said Dr. Mike Elliott, Avera McKennan’s chief medical officer, adding residents should continue to exercise mitigation strategies and get vaccinated.

“Those things work. Those things matter. They’re going to help us cross the goal line.”

At home, Paul and Jill TenHaken reflect on year that called for leadership