Elmhurst Officials Debate Mayor's Powers

ELMHURST, IL — At every Elmhurst City Council meeting since March, aldermen have extended the mayor's emergency powers. This authority lets Mayor Steve Morley take actions in response to the pandemic without the council's approval.

But Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram has been voting against continuing to grant the special powers.

"I think it was needed in the first couple council meetings (after) COVID. Since then, I have not seen a need for continuing to extend this," he told his colleagues at Monday's council meeting.

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However, Ward 7 Alderman Mark Mulliner said the mayor still needs the powers, given Gov. J.B. Pritzker may change his executive orders dealing with the coronavirus at any minute. And Mulliner warned that if the council failed to extend the powers, all the mayor's previous executive orders would no longer be effective, including for things such as outdoor seating at restaurants.

Ward 3 Alderwoman Dannee Polomsky noted the council has ratified some of the mayor's orders.

Bram agreed, saying Mulliner was inaccurate in contending all the mayor's orders would go away without the emergency powers.

Mulliner acknowledged the point, but still said the mayor needed the emergency powers to react quickly. He said the mayor has consulted as many aldermen as possible before he issued executive orders.

"I believe we still have to continue to allow him to have that authority," Mulliner said. "I have seen no abuse of it. I have seen it handled in a professional way."

The council approved extending Morley's emergency authority, with Bram dissenting.

Morley has used his emergency powers in a few ways, especially in the pandemic's first weeks. He suspended delinquent charges and discontinuation of utility services. And he extended the payment of vehicle license fees for city stickers.

As have other area towns, Morley is temporarily allowing for off-premises consumption of originally packaged beer, wine and liquor related to certain restaurant liquor licenses.

Additionally, Morley suspended the issuance of solicitor permits and those that already exist.