McHenry Co. Should Be In Different 'Health Region,' Franks Says

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL —McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks believes McHenry County should be grouped into a different "health region" that is separate from Chicago's other collar counties. The move, Franks says, would allow businesses in McHenry County to open sooner.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker's "Restore Illinois” plan divides Illinois into four regions where commerce, schools and other functions can slowly be allowed to re-open along a five-phase progression as the threat presented by the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, according to a news release from Franks. McHenry County is in the northeast region under Pritzker's plan and includes Cook Counties and other Chicago-area counties.

Franks believes McHenry County should be grouped into a neighboring region that is made up of 27 counties in northwestern and central Illinois since the county has much fewer infections and deaths.

“To be fair to the Governor, these boundaries were set in great part based on existing care
regions defined by the Illinois Department of Public Health. However, under the Restore Illinois
plan, the gradual re-opening of McHenry County’s businesses is dependent on the number of
cases in Chicago and the other collar counties getting under control,” Franks said.

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Franks cited today’s unveiling of city-specific reopening guidelines by Chicago Mayor Lori
Lightfoot as evidence that McHenry County’s request should be seriously considered.
“Chicago is making changes tailored to their specific situation. We’re asking for changes specific
to ours,” Franks said.

Franks also has recommended that the state draw the region boundaries based on hospital
capacity rather than IDPH regions and has suggested McHenry County could be treated
as its own region since it has four hospitals to handle its health needs as well as a lower infection rate than the other collar counties.

“We’re all in this fight against COVID-19 together, but when it comes to recovery, our situation is
much more akin to Boone and DeKalb counties and points west than the Chicago metro area. While we must flatten the curve and slow COVID-19’s spread, we also have to recognize that the economic havoc the shutdown is wreaking on people and businesses is as serious an issue.
It makes more sense to tie our re-opening to these more rural counties,” Franks said.

Prior to the announcement of the Restore Illinois plan, Franks created Resume McHenry County, a task force composed of local business, industrial and health leaders examining the best ways to reopen businesses as soon and as safe as practical. On Wednesday, Franks met virtually with the
county’s mayors and city managers to discuss bringing common-sense recommendations to the
Governor’s Office for ways that businesses can resume sooner.

The following websites contain information about programs geared toward helping small
businesses and their employees:

• The McHenry County Economic Development Corp. has set up a COVID-19 Business Resource Center.
• The US Small Business Administration’s Coronavirus Relief Options page can be found here.
• McHenry County College’s Small Business Development Center can be found here.
• McHenry County has set up a resource page for community members, businesses and nonprofits needing help as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.