© 2024 Peoria Public Radio
A joint service of Bradley University and Illinois State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Illinois Municipal League Wants Greater Cooperation Between State & Mayors On COVID-19 Enforcement

The Illinois Municipal League wants the State to form a working group of mayors and other local officials to better coordinate coronavirus response. 

The League says local leaders are being asked to enforce coronavirus measures without necessarily having enough assistance from state government to back their authority. IML Executive Director Brad Cole said on their own, these officials may have difficulty addressing violations from residents and businesses.

“Local officials are just as frustrated as everyone else," he said, "but without the authority to force compliance, there’s really nowhere for them to turn. And that’s what we’re asking for: better coordination.”

State’s attorneys and county health departments often serve as enforcement bodies for COVID-19 guidelines, but Cole said state government agencies could help this process further, such as through citations or revoking food licenses of violators. He added that a collaborative working group could keep all parties abreast of the latest COVID-19 developments and better coordinate state response to violations.

Copyright 2021 WNIJ Northern Public Radio. To see more, visit WNIJ Northern Public Radio.

Chase started in radio while earning his Master's in diplomacy and international commerce at the University of Kentucky. He was bitten by the radio bug while volunteering at Radio Eye (a local equivalent to NIRIS) and soon became a reporter at WUKY. After four years of reporting in Kentucky's Bluegrass, Chase traveled north to join WNIJ as Morning Edition producer. He organizes our morning broadcast, making sure the host is well-supplied with interesting, fresh content. In addition to his pre-dawn duties, Chase reports on a variety of developments in our broadcast area but is particularly drawn to anything with a political or international connection. He is also an avid board gamer.