Cook County Board to vote on extending Preckwinkle’s powers

Authority has been expanded during COVID-19 pandemic

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s temporarily expanded powers during the coronavirus pandemic might be extended again, this time until the end of the year.

Cook County commissioners are set to vote on a measure that stretches out the end date of her countywide disaster proclamation until Dec. 31, giving her 90 additional days of ability to make certain decisions without the Board of Commissioners’ approval when it comes to responding to the coronavirus outbreak.

“Extending the proclamation will enhance the County’s ability to access the resources, equipment and personnel needed to address ongoing and changing circumstances on the ground which is particularly necessary should the number of COVID-19 cases rise and the demands on County staff and partners continue to increase,” according to the resolution’s text.

The current deadline for the special powers is Sept. 30 — a 120-day extension from a previous May 31 expiration date. Preckwinkle and commissioners first declared disaster on March 10.

The resolution allows Preckwinkle and the Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security to make some decisions without the board’s direct approval. That includes issuing executive orders, moving around money such as federal coronavirus relief funds allocated to the county and procuring essential supplies including personal protective equipment.

The most recent extension passed in a 15-2 vote in May, with two commissioners arguing there needs to be more oversight on Preckwinkle’s decisions.

“This remains a challenging moment in our County’s history and we continue to respond to this historic crisis,” Preckwinkle spokesman Nick Shields wrote in a statement Friday. “Extending the proclamation of disaster through December 31, 2020 falls in alignment with our Cook County COVID-19 Response Plan.”