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Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole told WMAY on Tuesday it wants to see the regions separated by the eleven Emergency Medical Service Regions, not the quadrants in the governor’s reopening plan.
Cole also said municipal leaders want to shorten the 28-day timeline to fully get to the next phase to 14 days. And, in parts of the state that haven’t been hit hard by COVID-19, Cole said there were concerns about the data starting with May 1.
“We think that there could be a backdate to that,” Cole said. “We can look back further than May 1, especially in an area that hasn’t had any hospitalizations or positive tests.”
But, after releasing his reopening plan last week, Pritzker was asked if historical data back to March 20 was being used at all.
* Marie Wilson at the Daily Herald…
A push intensified Tuesday to let the collar counties progress separately from Cook and Chicago toward Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 bench marks for reopening the economy.
Leaders representing DuPage, Kane and McHenry counties called on Pritzker to remove their areas from the Northeast region under the Restore Illinois plan, which also includes Cook, Grundy, Lake, Kankakee, Kendall and Will counties.
County leaders, mayors and at least one state representative say the coronavirus situation in their communities is much different from what it is in Cook County and Chicago, where the high concentrations of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths have occurred.
“When it comes to recovery, our situation is much more akin to Boone and DeKalb counties and points west than the Chicago metro area,” McHenry County Chairman Jack Franks said in a news release. […]
State rolling averages show the positivity rates in suburban Cook County and Chicago are above the 20% level, at 20.2% for suburban Cook and 23.2% for Chicago. But the rates also top 20% in Kane and Lake counties, at 24.5% for Kane and 25.6% for Lake.
* NBC 5…
The mayor of suburban Elmhurst has asked Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to reconsider portions of his plan to reopen Illinois, particularly including the city and DuPage County in the same health care region as Cook County. […]
“In the Northeast region, the positivity rate as of midnight on May 8 is at 22.3 percent, which is of course higher than the 20 percent cap on this metric to move into the next phase,” Pritzker said.
Elmhurst Mayor Steven Morley said Elmhurst and DuPage County are on track to meet the required COVID-19 data points dictated in the governor’s plan in a “matter of weeks, if not days.”
“To be clear this is unacceptable,” Morley said in a letter to Pritzker. “Governor you represent all Illinoisans, not just the city of Chicago. We are asking you to understand the needs of all communities.”
* WCSJ…
Grundy County Board members last night voted unanimously on a resolution to have Grundy County moved to another region in the Restore Illinois Health Regions Map.
Currently, Grundy County is in a region with Cook County and they are requesting state officials to move them into the North-Central Health Region.
* Journal Star…
The numbers, according to Peoria’s mayor, speak for themselves.
Mayor Jim Ardis said the Tri-County Area has already met the scientific metrics required by Gov. JB Pritzker to move to the next phase of reopening after two months of shelter-in-place orders.
“What we are saying, and the numbers speak for themselves, is that we were in that place a month ago. So, we are lucky … well, it’s not all luck, as there has been a lot of community effort,” he said.
Ardis held off on revealing the specifics of the Heart of Illinois plan that will be discussed Wednesday morning at a news conference. The plan, which involves communities from Woodford, Tazewell, Peoria, McLean and seven other adjacent counties, seeks to create a “subregion” within Pritzker’s plan. Currently, the area is in a region that includes Rockford.
* WCSJ…
Illinois House Republicans have circulated a petition demanding that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker remove Kendall County and Grundy County from what they call, “the Cook County region.”
* Related…
* McHenry County mayors want out of Northeast Region in Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan
* Algonquin Discusses Dining On Patios, In Parks, On Streets
* Kankakee County seeks blueprint to reopen region
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:38 am
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First everybody complained because nobody had a plan; now they’re complaining because they don’t like a plan which encompasses hospital capacity, because it’s more important to not be counted with another area (that has some of the hospital capacity needed to safely re-open). These geniuses also pretend nobody travels outside their boundaries ever, and nobody from “outside” ever comes in. So much for the spirit of the Greatest Generation pulling together and making do…
Comment by revvedup Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:47 am
Do these folks think the coronavirus cares about county/municipal boundaries?
Comment by JoanP Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:48 am
Did someone build walls around the collars since the last time I went up north? The region has always been so intertwined. That was the argument in creating the Regional Transit Authority. This area would be the last I would think needed to be separated as part of the plan.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:57 am
Mayors, lawmakers and any other elected official who wants to reopen up now should record a video and post it on social media affirming their steadfast belief that the crisis has past, it is safe for their areas to reopen, and that there will be no negative repercussions for their constituents or health care workers and hospitals.
That’s what they are saying. So, affirm it. Sign their names to it. Own it.
Because, right now, they want the governor to own their defiance and take the blame if it doesn’t go well.
Comment by Moe Berg Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:59 am
I am guessing at least some of the complainers are on their way to Indiana for haircuts.
Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 10:59 am
Brad Cole wants areas of the state broken into 11 sections, quadrants, whatever. With 11 different groups of individuals making 11 different sets of rules?
Mr. Small Government, ladies and gentlemen.
Comment by efudd Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:04 am
McHenry County is a unique case. The eastern part of the county is of suburban density. The western part is rural. It’s really 2 different worlds.
Comment by Lt Guv Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:07 am
This is the problem with having ultimate authority…one man making decisions (no matter how well intended) and decreeing rules without the consent of the governed. We live in a representative republic…but we are currently living under dictoral decree. The two concepts don’t co-habitate well at all
Comment by RuralKing Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:07 am
I can understand Marion not wanting to be beholden to Metro East when it comes to re-opening.
But all of these collar county officials wanting to separate from Chicago are ridiculous. You’re literally suburbs.
Comment by Nick Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:07 am
Simple solution.
Anyone who votes to ignore the statewide plan, should be required to shake hands with everyone entering the businesses they are allowing to open.
Too many of them are just playing political games here, and are insulated personally from any consequences they are thrusting onto everyone else.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:10 am
My employer is following the governor’s order. My town is following the governor’s order. My county is telling my town and employer to ignore the governor, and the governor is telling me to listen to him and my town and employer. The county, for its part, is saying it has no authority to enforce either the governor’s order nor the guidelines they’re making up on the fly. Great way to manage a pandemic deadly virus
Comment by Bob Loblaw Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:11 am
When those collar counties want to fully end commuter rail to their towns… I’ll reconsider.
To the 11 region idea?
Everyone has their own priorities.
Mr. Cole, run for Governor. Then you can decide the “geography”.
Here’s why I typed that;
There’s this thingy that folks are so concerned about “governors own” and putting that to their own priorities, the reopen map included.
It was asked “Governor, where’s your plan”
Welp, he has one.
He owns the makeup of the plan.
Doesn’t mean I’m in total agreement, nor dies it mean I can’t find flaws… but this idea to change how the Administration’s plan is mapped… welp… that’s prolly not gonna be a point to start over.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:13 am
Speaking for myself, I was willing to do this for a couple of weeks, to ensure that we didn’t overwhelm the hospital system so that people that needed a hospital bed or ICU care or a ventilator would have them available. But we are well past that time now and the arbitrary nature of the rules that have been put forth by the governor are overly cautious at best. Local government control would be much more responsive than the current situation.
Comment by RuralKing Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:20 am
===I was willing to do this for a couple of weeks, to ensure that we didn’t overwhelm the hospital system so that people that needed a hospital bed or ICU care or a ventilator would have them available. But…===
… now I can care less for medical professionals, doctors and nurses, the custodians in hospitals… because i felt i was doing medical folks a favor and don’t think a global pandemic not seen in a 100 years is no big woop.
You can’t pretend to *be thoughtful*
Ask Rauner, Bruce Vincent.
You’re only thoughtful to yourself.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:23 am
Suburban mayors trying to say with a straight face they aren’t part of the Chicago area is wild.
That said, I do kind hope that as there chances to progress (or regress) in the reopening phases- that there would be situations where counties or subregions could be carved away from the larger areas. That said, I don’t think there’s any situation where Lake or DuPage are really separable from Cook County.
Comment by In 630 Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:24 am
==local government control==
Which local government am I supposed to listen to? My duly elected town government says to follow the governor. My duly elected county government says to ignore him
Comment by Bob Loblaw Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:33 am
The the point of suburban mayors and grandstanding. As of a 2015 CMAP analysis, 4,292 Chicago residents work in the City of Elmhurst as opposed to the 2,505 Elmhurst residents who work a job located in the City of Elmhurst.
Also, downtown Elmhurst has a lot of density and is less than two miles from the Cook County border.
https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/documents/10180/102881/Elmhurst.pdf
Comment by Nuke The Whales Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:35 am
Hospitals going broke, nurses laid off, countless cancer and other diseases undiagnosed while people are locked down…alcohol abuse, domestic abuse, suicide, and depression all increasing…life savings gone, businesses shut down never to reopen….
Yep, I’m thoughless…..your inability to see beyond your own fear is amazing
Comment by RuralKing Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:36 am
===Local government control would be much more responsive than the current situation.===
Maybe to open, but not to close when needed, I bet. And a thousand different sets of rules, even in neighboring towns? Not confusing at all. No thanks.
Comment by Jibba Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:36 am
=== Yep, I’m thoughless===
Yes. Sadly, yes.
Thoughtless only to this;
The virus is causing the economic damage.
The virus is doing all you think are “decisions by people”
You need to defeat the virus before any hope of a normalcy can happen.
Open businesses?
Open too early… they may close for all time.
Thinking about money… this virus doesn’t discriminate, doesn’t recognize borders, and can care less if you vote Red or Blue.
===beyond your own fear===
No.
Doctors and nurses are asking, begging, pleading… don’t be a Covidiot.
If anything, I’m standing with them.
They can’t un-die too.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:41 am
All the people suddenly concerned with poverty for the first time in their lives are welcome to join the calls for UBI, a higher minimum wage, labor protections, rent freezes, student debt cancelation, housing for the homeless, and expanded SNAP benefits. Somehow I doubt they’ll care about these issues once we’ve all been marched back to our pestilence factory jobs
Comment by Bob Loblaw Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:43 am
If organizations prefer to not follow the Governor’s plan that is their choice. At the same time please put together a cash pool to cover all the medical costs for anyone who gets the virus while at your facility. No one gets it from you, fantastic. Someone does, that was your choice.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 11:54 am
To the folks wanting to be considered separately from a more populated/urban area: Are you willing to also not use the health care system of the area from which you intend to split? Because, when I look at the number of beds and ICU capacity, things do not look good for those areas; they rely on the hospitals in the cities…
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 1:47 pm
==your inability to see beyond your own fear is amazing==
Yes, because heaven forbid you can’t go to Chili’s
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 2:37 pm
Here’s the problems with “local control”, would local health departments have the expertise to determine the proper steps for re-opening or would they have to rely on guidance from IDPH anyway? I don’t know of too many health departments with epidemiologists on staff. Secondly, as shown in Eastern Bloc land, what that means is it’s not the Health Department in charge, it’s the no public health background State’s Attorney who would decide to enforce any orders from the Health Department and could tell the Health Department to take a hike.
Comment by MyTwoCents Wednesday, May 13, 20 @ 3:52 pm