By John A. Ballentine
TOULON – Based on fiscal and political realities, Stark County has no plan to break stride with Gov. JB Pritzker’s stay-at-home edicts to reopen businesses.
“I think I can say that all seven people who were in attendance (for Monday’s Stark County Board of Supervisors virtual meeting) are for opening up the businesses in the county,” said Chairman Al Curry, “But the No. 1 responsibility of the county board is fiscal management of county funds. When we are so dependent on FEMA funding grants that go to the Illinois EMA to be dispersed, I don’t think we can get crossways to political powers more powerful than us.
“I think when you cross (Gov. JB) Pritzker, that line is drawn.”
In other business, the board passed two resolutions. A Good Energy agreement resolution approved was for natural gas for county buildings to be purchased from vendor Good Energy.
An Emergency Declaration extension resolution extends an emergency declaration – first passed in March until April 30 – to now extend through June 1. This continues the Office of Emergency Management’s measures to deal with the COVID-19 situation for Stark County.
In a prepared statement, Curry read that the county board cannot vacate the governor’s orders because the board does not legally have that authority.
Curry said Stark County is currently in Stage Two of Pritzker’s five-stage plan to reopen Illinois. Stage two is a flattening of the curve of COVID-19 cases. Stark has had only one confirmed case of the virus and that person has recovered.
4-18-24
4-19-24
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