Mayor Grasso Pens Coronavirus Update Letter To Burr Ridge Residents

Press release from the Burr Ridge Police Department:

May 12, 2020

The growth of active cases in DuPage County has been just eight percent this week – a strong indicator of the curve flattening out. Burr Ridge again had no daily increase in cases again. There are only 10 more active cases in Burr Ridge than there were 14 days ago-we are crushing it!

In light of these encouraging metrics, many DuPage County communities are supportive of meeting with the Governor in hopes of allowing us to safely open in stages with social distancing and mask usage enforced. If not DuPage communities, then IDPH Region 8 – a designated medical region that has existed for planning purposes for many years. We can meet the health metrics there in this larger region, as well. I, as do all mayors I suspect, want to work with the Governor in good faith, but he has to be willing to work with us as well. I suspect the Governor is watching his approval polling. On the issue of pandemic management, he has earned statewide support thus far, but his decision to lump the region together as he has did not go over well. I wish the best and speediest recovery for Chicago, but it is so much larger than we are. We should be given a goal and challenge we can meet – and we have! Give us hope, Governor. I’m asking each of you to project the chant to reopen Burr Ridge and our neighboring DuPage communities. Tell your friends and neighbors that the Governor is being unfair to his non-Chicago constituents. Tell the pollsters you do not approve of the Governor’s actions on this issue: J.B. represents me too.

And where the H_ _ _ is our Legislature? Speaker Madigan and Leader Harmon: call the House and Senate back – get involved, do the job-now more than ever. Job one of government is public safety and our Legislature has not shown up. I love the Bulls – watching the Last Dance brings back great moments – and one bad one when a leader did not step up with his team because he could not take the last shot. Our Legislature is sitting on the proverbial bench when we need it to step up for us. It’s what they are supposed to do in times of need.

I have to clarify something in yesterday’s Mayor’s Message that was a bit too exuberantly stated. The Executive Board of the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference (DMMC – Burr Ridge is a member) agreed to authorize negotiation with the Governor to have DuPage or Region 8 standalone from Chicago in the Northeast Region of Restore Illinois. I used the phrase “break away” from the Northeast Region. That was too strong. DMMC wants to be respectful of the Governor’s authority but hopes it can show changed circumstances in DuPage or Region 8 that will convince him to let us open earlier than Chicago.

Nancy Maio, a great Burr Ridge resident, waved to me today, then sent me an inspiring message, which included a quote that I hope she does not mind me sharing with all of you:

“F-E-A-R has two meanings: ‘Forget Everything And Run’ or ‘Face Everything And Rise’. The choice is yours.” – Zig Ziglar

SOCIAL DISTANCING-ELBOW BUMPS (If YOU MUST)-WEAR FACE COVERINGS

This press release was produced by the Burr Ridge Police Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.