A decision on whether to implement a new mask mandate won’t be made until the end of January, more than a month into the latest COVID-19 surge.

Last week, the county’s new medical officer proposed enacting a mask order again, but that recommendation met hesitancy from county leadership, and a joint meeting with other local officials is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 27.

During last week’s discussion about a possible mask order with Dr. Drew Yeowell, Commissioners Lynn Padgett and Ben...