The Madison County Board is expected to vote on a resolution to begin reopening the county after many of its businesses have been closed due to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s stay at home orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The board is also expected to further discuss board member Mike Parkinson’s recommendation that Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons file a lawsuit on behalf of county citizens and businesses to “determine the validity” of Pritzker’s orders keeping businesses closed.
After two Special County Board of Health meetings were held on May 7 and 8, the board agreed to table a vote on the resolution until they had more time to review the resolution and what other counties or states have done in their process to reopen. Additionally, Parkinson agreed to postpone his motion to amend the resolution to include a lawsuit.
A special meeting to discuss the revised resolution is planned for Tuesday at 5 p.m.
The resolution was originally supposed to be voted on during the May 8 meeting when Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler asked Gibbons if tabling a vote for a few days would provide an opportunity for everyone to be better prepared. Gibbons agreed, saying he’d appreciate the extension to do more research.
“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel on all of this,” he said.
In regards to Parkinson’s suggestion that Madison County file a lawsuit against Pritzker, Gibbons said his office is exploring several potential instances where the governor may have issued orders that were not lawful.
During the meeting, Madison County Health Department Administrator Toni Corona said she has concerns about how Madison County could safely reopen.
“The increased work that the resolution potentially implies on the health department’s part, bring it on, but I’m going to tell you, hear me loud, we’re back here holding on by our fingernails right this second,” Corona said. “There will be a lot of consequences intended and unintended certainly as we continue on in this response. You know, that’s probably my greatest pause.”
Corona said her office of 30 staff members is 100 percent focused on COVID-19, and she is concerned about the added workload.
Committee member Don Moore asked Corona specifically how the resolution would impact her department and how the county board can help. She responded that she would need time to think about what help her and her office will need.
Board member Mike Walters made a motion to withdraw the proposed resolution and to form a committee to amend it as needed. He suggested the committee include board members Chris Hankins, Matt King, Ray Wesley, David Michael, and Tom McRae.
McRae responded that while he is happy to serve on the committee, he recommended board members Erika Harriss and Chrissy Dutton be included saying they have “valuable insight” to add. A final list of the committee members was not decided during the meeting.
Following the meeting, Harriss said this is a time to make tough decisions.
“Most of us find ourselves in office or positions of influence because we care about people and we want to make a difference in our communities. Sometimes these decisions which come upon us are not easy. This is certainly one of those times.
“Here in Madison County, like the rest of the county, there has been a wave of information, panic, overall feeling of anxiousness and frustration at the recent changes in our communities. We’ve come together to ‘do our part’ to flatten the curve, keep our neighbors and loved ones safe. That is commendable. While numbers locally are up, we are testing more people, and the curve in the county is going down.
“As a member of the ‘opening up Madison County again’ committee, I’ve talked to numerous business owners over the last several weeks. Many are feeling increasingly devastated, many have not received any assistance. Some feel as if they are being treated unfairly, as they could open with the same safety precautions as the ‘essential’ business are currently operating under. These small businesses have relationships with their customers and clients. They care about them. They certainly don’t want to endanger anyone, and they understand that customers also need to feel safe to venture back out to their businesses,” she said.
“The pandemic’s impact has been diverse,” she added. “We must remember its impact and its far reach. A shutdown is not a long term solution. Now it’s time to have conversations and make tough decisions on how to safely open.”
Harriss also said she listened to the Health Advisory Board meeting and learned that there are concerns other than COVID-19 which must also be considered when deciding how to move forward with this pandemic.
“A dentist on the call shard how patients with minor issues have not been able to be seen, and these minor issues are now becoming threatening emergencies. A pediatrician on the call mentioned a percentage of children who are no longer getting immunized and that we are opening ourselves up to new disease. Another healthcare professional talked about mental health, and the impact this is having on people. The local news celebrated recently the low number of child abuse numbers, while a friend in the industry shared with me how this is not actually reason for celebration – that numbers have not likely decreased, but we are simply not helping these vulnerable kids, as they are no longer attending school or daycare where mandated reporters provide a lifeline,” she said.