The White County Board received an update from Angie Hampton Tuesday night. Hampton, the CEO at Egyptian Health Department, detailed the current “phase” of Restore Illinois and also provided information on a regional “Return to Business” plan that’s been forwarded to the governor in the hopes of fast tracking the opening of the region. She says local health departments and other officials from throughout the south central region of Illinois worked on the regional plan. It has not been approved at this time. Currently, we’re in Phase 2 of the 5 part plan to reopen Illinois. Hampton explains what’s ahead along with board member Ken Usery’s immediate reaction.
Hampton: “At Phase 3, some more things will be able to open. If hospitalizations, positivity rates, ICU beds, all of that stays below the recommended metrics, then we can transition to Phase 4 after 28 days as it stands now. So around July 1 is when we would be in Phase 4.”
Usery: “And at that time, about 75% of these businesses are gonna be bankrupt. Now Clark County has gone ahead and opened up. Madison County is voting tonight [5/12/20] to open up. And I know these businesses in White County are going broke.”
The concerns for business owners that are thinking about defying the state order and moving forward to open up mainly surround state licensing and opening themselves to insurance issues. Cease and desist orders have been issued in neighboring Hamilton County after businesses including a barbershop opened up and were reported by citizens. That prompted the Hamilton County Sheriff Tracy Lakin to issue a statement urging citizens to NOT report their fellow businesses. Business owners that operate with licensures to operate are concerned that they could face retaliation in the form of having their licenses taken away or not renewed. Even business owners that don’t need those types of licenses aren’t in the clear however. The fly in the ointment for them shows those businesses could face devastating insurance issues including being dropped by their liability providers and/or opening themselves up to law suits in the event someone contracted CoViD-19 and could trace it back to the business that didn’t conform with the executive order.
The Regional Return to Business Plan that Hampton and colleagues presented to Governor Pritzker’s office and the Illinois Department of Health on May 6th would speed the region moving through the phases up by 2 weeks each.
Nonetheless, many folks are stuck on the fact they feel the county is basically shut down in spite of only having 2 total cases of CoViD-19 to date has resulted in expedited frustrations. 45 year resident and nurse Bill Chapman joined the meeting via videoconference and chose to air his grievances.
“We need to get this county open. I mean, we’ve got small businesses that are tankin’. I understand the Department of Health’s stance on this; I’m a nurse, I understand it, but all we’re doing is teaching everybody to live in fear. That’s all we’re doing. This virus has got us running scared. If you’ll use common sense; if you do what you’re supposed to; if you’re sick you stay home; wash your hands; stay away from people who are sick, you’re gonna be fine. 88 – 92% of these cases are in the Chicago and the 5 surrounding counties associated with Chicago. So if you look at that data, the more densely populated area that you have, you’re gonna have a higher rate of infection. And the more tests you start running, that’s gonna skew your numbers. So we need to do something now. It’s aggravating for me because all you’re doing to these kids around this area is you’re teaching them to live in fear.”
Hampton says while she empathizes with business owners, it comes down to lives.
“From our perspective, our communities have done a really good job. I think our healthcare partners are working closely all the time and working with law enforcement officials, we all want to do what’s best for our communities and work together. A huge concern of ours is we do not want this to get into any of our long term care facilities. I’m sure many of you have loved ones, or friends and families there. I have to say that we’re constantly pushing PPE out to them and they’ve been wonderful at implementing policies and protocols, but it only takes a slight accident.”
Hampton went on to say that while she backed the Regional Return to Business plan that has been sent on behalf of the south central region, she would not endorse any plan the county board might pass that would invite or encourage locals to violate the current order.
Board members did pass a resolution in support of the Regional plan but reminded residents that county government has not and will not close any business. State’s Attorney Denton Aud adds…
“That’s something that individuals are going to have to make their choice about right now, if they have a state license. If you remember the release I put out with law enforcement, we had constitutional concerns, statutory concerns, but what’s the enforcement statute? There isn’t one. As I said, you don’t file charges on executive edicts. It’s impossible to do. So if people are closed right now, it’s because they’ve chosen to voluntarily comply.”
In other news from the meeting, the board accepted a federal aid agreement. The grant will allow Highway Director Brian Ray to move forward with a bridge replacement on County Road 1750 East, a half mile north of Garnerville that runs over Crooked Creek. The board adopted the General Jury list for White County and also voted to continue it’s membership into the Greater Wabash Regional Planning Committee. The board tabled it’s appointments to the creation of an Employee Board Health Insurance Committee. Aud however is expected to play a part in that committee once the decision is made to move forward.
Any reports from County officers were submitted in writing and not discussed in open session. No copies were made available to media.
The county board’s next meeting will be held during daylight and is scheduled for 9am on June 8th.
