The city of Tempe is the latest community to announce that it will continue to enforce its mask mandate.

Tempe joins Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff in continuing to require masks.

The decision announced Thursday is in defiance to Gov. Doug Ducey’s executive order last month prohibiting local government mask mandates. 

"Given the discussion amongst the Tempe City Council, City Manager Andrew Ching will work with city staff and outside entities such as Arizona State University and the Arizona Department of Health Services to establish science-based, objective thresholds for Tempe so that we will have indicators about when to responsibly end our city mask mandate," Tempe Mayor Corey Woods said in a statement Thursday.

Tempe's ordinance requiring face coverings has been in effect since June 18, 2020. It includes "all places of public accommodation in the city, including at all businesses, public transit and city facilities."