Trustee's Request For Orland Park Mask-Wearing Mandate Met With Opposition From Majority Of Village Board

Orland Park IL

10 December, 2020

4:11 PM

Description

By Jon DePaolis, the Richard Free Press: ORLAND PARK, Ill. — An Orland Park official's request to look into instituting a mask-wearing mandate was met with some resistance Monday, Dec. 7, during the Committee of the Whole (COTW) meeting held prior to the regularly scheduled Village Board meeting. Trustee Dan Calandriello said he asked that the item be placed on the COTW agenda because of the recent increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Orland Park. "I was just thinking of ways we can help our community be safer," he said. "As we know, Orland Park has a lot of visitors during the day — in and out, bringing possibly COVID and then taking home COVID, and then us giving it to our other surrounding communities, including Tinley Park. Just recently, New Lenox implemented mask ordinances. I guess the key thing is to increase the indoor mask wearing, which will [help] our businesses." Calandriello said a mask mandate would be a "useful tool" for businesses to ensure mask-wearing indoors. He also said the proposed ordinance would require masks in restaurants, businesses and public places. "It has nothing to do with peoples' homes, just public places," Calandriello said. As for enforcement, Calandriello suggested it could be "complaint-driven," as opposed to having Village employees or police canvassing the businesses to ensure compliance. He also said the Village could issue warnings prior to doling out any fines. "I just felt that we needed to do something to promote this healthy, safe procedure in our community," he said. "I know that we are trying to help the businesses … and this is just another tool to keep them open safely." But Trustee Cynthia Nelson Katsenes took issue with the proposal, pointing out that the State of Illinois had already issued a mandate on wearing masks indoors at businesses. She also said she recently visited Orland Park businesses and restaurants and observed visitors and residents complying with wearing masks. "I'm not making light of masks [being] important, but I also think this is an election season," Katsenes said. "I think this issue is somewhat politically motivated. And I'm sure we'll see many more issues like this before the April election." Trustee Kathleen Fenton, however, disagreed with Katsenes' point and said she has seen instances where mask-wearing was not being followed — including in the Village's boardroom. "To say that people are complying isn't really true," Fenton said. "Whether or not the mandate came from the governor or whether a mandate comes from us … people are doing whatever people want to do. I think the purpose of this was just trying to say that, 'Yes, I care about other peoples' health and by me wearing a mask, I'm preventing somebody else from getting it.' But people who aren't wearing masks are just saying, 'I really don't give two hoots whether you get sick or not,' because there are people walking around with COVID who don't even know they have it." Trustee James Dodge said he agreed with points brought up by Fenton, and also said he would be open to discussing adapting the framework of the New Lenox mask mandate to fit with Orland Park. However, the two other trustees on the Village Board — William Healy and Michael Milani — opposed implementing a mandate. "I feel it is a little late to start suggesting this over nine months into the pandemic," Milani said. "I think it is kind of ridiculous that we want to take valuable resources — possibly from our police force — to take the time going to areas where people may or may not be wearing masks during the Christmas holidays, when their primary function is keeping our Village the safest in the area." Milani also said businesses and restaurants are responsible for enforcing restrictions to ensure the safety of their customers and employees. "That seems to be working from what I've observed," he said. Before taking a vote on the agenda item, Mayor Keith Pekau said he felt that Village staff has "better things to do with regard to COVID." "We know there is a vaccine coming out," he said. "Currently, staff is working through the distribution plan we have in place. We exercised that plan in March, and we will continue to train appropriately. The State's plan right now is unclear, so staff needs to spend their time focusing on that." Ultimately, the board members voted 4-3 against implementing a mask-wearing mandate, with Pekau, Healy, Katsenes and Milani casting the dissenting ballots. However, according to the Committee of the Whole rules that were previously established, the item received enough affirmative votes to proceed onto a future meeting agenda. Richard Free Press is a one-stop destination for the news that most affects you, the southwest suburban resident. Be an informed citizen of the town you live in and love.