Dear Editor,
Last week, on May 14, the Republican Caucus brought a Resolution forward to the Will County Executive Committee with the basic intention of asking the Governor to remove Will County from the Restore Illinois Health Region 7 which includes southern Cook County and Chicago. By moving to a Region that is more representative to ours in terms of density and population would make it more fair and equitable to our residents and businesses allowing us to progress through the reopen phases at a faster pace than if still attached to Cook and Chicago. A place was held on the County Board’s agenda for the proposed Resolution for a vote at the Recessed County Board meeting scheduled for May 21, 2020.
On May 21, the Resolution came up for a vote. It was swiftly amended by the Democrat Caucus, with nearly a 100% rewrite, and as amended it would change nothing for the residents and non-essential businesses of Will County from the plan set forth by the Governor. In essence, the Resolution had no teeth and asked for no changes due to Democrat majority, their amended Resolution passed by a vote of 14 to 12, the split of the Will County Board by party.
For the communities in County Board District 1; Beecher, Crete, Monee, and Peotone all supported moving Will County out of Region 7 with only University Park abdicating to the Governor’s plan. I am sorry the Republican Caucus could not get the Resolution to move Will County out of Region 7 supported by the Democrat Caucus, I felt it was written in a fair and bipartisan manner – yet once again it was proven to me that the Will County Democrats do not wish to work together for the best of Will County.
Judy Ogalla Will County Board Minority Whip District 1
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RESOLUTION OF THE COUNTY BOARD
WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Request of Will County REVISE
“Restore Illinois Health Regions” map
WHEREAS, Will County, a body politic and corporate (The County) has been in continuous existence since 1836 and according to the 2010 Census had a population of 677,560, and
WHEREAS, The County has a legally constituted Health Department and Emergency Management Agency, with adequate resources and personnel, and
WHEREAS, the governing and health related units have publicly recognized and deployed resources in pursuance of cooperation with prior State Emergency Declarations in recognition of the current pandemic relative to the COVID19 virus, and
WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of Illinois has promulgated a program titled “Restore Illinois”, and as part thereof published a map with the title “Restore Illinois Health Regions”, which designates The County as part of the Northeast Health Region which includes all or part of nine counties in northeast Illinois, and
WHEREAS, the occurrence of the Pandemic infection in Will County at the time of this resolution’s passage approximates a total of 3973 persons with 214 fatalities, which is approximately .05 percent of the State of Illinois’ total 84698 confirmed cases, and
WHEREAS, the aforesaid history of the emergency matters relative to the current Pandemic demonstrate no reasonable relationship to the numbers of stricken residents in The County as compared with the occurrence rate of approximately .67 percent included in the City of Chicago and Cook County in the Northeast Health Region, and
WHEREAS, the restrictions of the misplacement of The County in the Northeast Health Region will unjustly cause severe economic injury to the families, residents, and businesses without a reasonable basis for the declaration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
- That a certified copy of this Resolution be forthwith delivered to the Governor of the State of Illinois and the Director of Illinois Department of Public Health.
- That as soon as practicable the Governor of Illinois with the consultation of the Illinois Department of Public Health amend the “Restore Illinois Health Regions” map removing Will County from Region 7 and creating a new region comprised of the five Cook County collar Counties that would therefore allow them to reopen in a more fair, equitable, and timely manner.
PASSED and adopted by the County Board of Will County, Illinois this _________ day of __________, 2020.
