EDWARDSVILLE, IL, (KMOX) — Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler is waiting for a response from Governor J.B. Pritzker, to his letter asking him to let Madison County decide its own timeline for reopening businesses.
Prenzler tells KMOX, and he told the governor in the letter sent Saturday, that several small businesses, from golf courses to dog groomers, and churches, have provided one-page plans to safely reopen. He says those businesses want to do the right thing. "Businesses are hesitant to open up in such a way to offend people who are concerned about the COVID situation. So, they don't want to be seen as doing something unwise," he says.
Pritzker has indicated a willingness to consider reopening the state by region, but Prenzler doesn't want to be grouped with nine other counties. "Those counties would probably be very rural," he says. "I think it would just be easier for us to deal with the situation on a county basis."
In the letter, Prenzler pointed out that Madison County is the largest county by population in southern Illinois. He also pointed to its close ties to the Missouri side of the river, which is allowing counties more leeway in reopening.
If given permission to reopen, Prenzler said he would look across the river for guidance. "I would certainly look at the city (of St. Louis), St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson, Franklin and other Missouri counties who all have their own plans and see what they're doing. I would definitely do it on a phased basis and take it a step at a time."
Two weeks ago Prenzler formed a committee made up of business owners and churches to formulate reopening plans. After being criticized for not having any medical experts on the panel, he added a doctor.
He says they also have the county health department, a health advisory committee, a mental health advisory board and one committee member is the infectious disease coordinator for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
"Nothing we are doing," Prenzler says, "is inconsistent with what our public health department is doing."
As of Sunday, Prenzler had not heard back from Governor Pritzker. He says that it doesn't surprise him, "He has a lot to do. I didn't expect an immediate response."