After complaints, Park Ridge eyes better virus compliance
Photos from a recent Republican organization event at the Park Ridge Country Club — showing attendees gathered close together without wearing masks — has city officials eyeing new ways to keep businesses in the city accountable for following or not following COVID-19 health guidelines.
City Manager Joe Gilmore said city staff members will be more involved with the country club in the future “so we can confirm compliance before new events take place.” In addition, a new program of “progressive discipline,” which will apply to all city businesses, is under development, he said.
Gilmore said meetings with country club management and follow-up visits showed the club made efforts to comply with the provisions of phase four of the Restore Illinois plan, “but the execution was not error-free.”
“Specifically, certain pictures reveal that masks were not always worn when necessary,” Gilmore said. “In addition, when there is a group larger than 50, the business needs to ensure that attendees do not comingle or interact in close proximity. This is another area that needs improvement.”
OnOct. 3, the theRepublicanWomen of Park Ridge hosted its annual Red, White and Blue Brunch at the Park Ridge Country Club. Photos shared on organization’s Facebook page — which were later removed— showed attendees without masks and standing close together for photographs and other interactions.
The images generated complaints and concerns within the community, as well as questions of whether state and local guidelines for restaurants were followed.
Following the event, the RWOPR and the Park Ridge Country Club each issued statements saying that guidelines issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health had been followed during the breakfast.
On Friday, in response to Gilmore’s comment that areas of improvementwere identified, the Park Ridge Country Club released the following statement: “After a productive meeting with the Park Ridge health inspector and the fire marshal, we have clarified the capacity for each room and that guests cannot comingle from room to room. Masks will continue to be worn and social distancing practiced according to CDC and IDPH guidelines.”
An advertisement on the RWOPR Facebook page shows another locally sponsored event is scheduled for Oct. 23 at Lone TreeManor inNiles.
During a meeting of the Park Ridge City Council on Monday, Gilmore acknowledged that it would be helpful for city staff to know in advance when there is going to be an event at the country club so staff can understand the business’ plan for complying with Restore Illinois guidelines.
Other than the Oct. 3 breakfast, the city has not received complaints about any previous events at the country club, Gilmore said.
The new progressive discipline program under development by the city would involve fines or suspensions or revocations of liquor licenses if businesses repeatedly violate COVID-19 guidelines after the city has communicated the rules to them, Gilmore said.
Currently, the city meets with businesses and reviews the state’s safety guidelines with them when a complaint is made or discovered, but no fines have been issued or other enforcement actions taken, said JimBrown, director of community preservation and development.
“When we’ve gone back, it’s been pretty good,” Brown said. “(There have been) no fines or anything at this point, nothing beyond a verbalwarning.”
Ald. John Moran, 1st Ward, suggested that the city consider increasing fines for noncompliance and escalating them if violations continue. He also suggested penalties could be placed on liquor licenses.
City Attorney Adam Simon said the Park Ridge Municipal Code allows for fines up to $500 for violating a mayoral executive order. Mayor Marty Maloney’s April 22 executive order requires face coverings inside businesses and when using public transportation or rideshare services.
“We can’t keep doing (warnings),” Moran said. “At some point we do have to say, ‘Look, if you’re going to continually not follow these guidelines, there will be penalties.’ ”
Gilmore agreed that the city needs something with more “teeth” in order to encourage compliance with safety measures.
“I think most people have the right idea and they want to do the right thing, but we need to have some kind of tiered structure so there is some skin in the game for them to comply and not just stack up letters of warning that they can ignore,” Gilmore said.
Maloney said precautions are necessary during the pandemic.
“The overriding reason we wear masks and we keep social distance between ourselves and other people is because over 200,000 people (in the United States) have died fromCOVID-19,” he said.