The McHenry County Board of Health met Monday evening about three hours, concluding with approval of a draft proposal by Director Melissa Adamson to not expand its enforcement power beyond the current spheres.

If there is a violation within a restaurant or concerning animal control, Health Department employees can be dispatched.

If there is a rowdy crowd outside a bar not wearing masks or social distancing, the Board decided that was a law enforcement, not a Health Department problem.

“One of the biggest concerns we have is the safety of our staff. We feel that law enforcement is much better suited [in such situations],” Adamson said.

Continuing, the Director reported that her Department receives “complaints about businesses operating maybe within the law [but with people] congregating in large groups on a public Right-of-Way.

“That’s not really in our jurisdiction.

“If we were to insert our staff in one of those situations [where] people are angry…add drinking into that…[it] would put our people into a potentially unsafe situation.”

One member pointed out that the Govenor’s Order butts up against the Freedom of Association.

Another agreed that taking on the enforcement role would be “inviting disaster.”

He suggested avoiding “it like the plague.”

A third recommended the Department use a ‘light hand,” to “wait until a court case settles this thing.”