Tinley Park Mayor Says Village Won't Use Resources To Enforce Vax

TINLEY PARK, IL — Tinley Park Mayor Mike Glotz announced the village will not enforce Cook County's latest vaccine mandate once it takes effect Jan. 3.

In a brief letter to residents, Glotz acknowledged the burden of enforcing the newest mandate belongs to county officials such as Cook County Department of Public Health and Cook County Sheriff's Office.

Glotz's comments come a few days after Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau released a statement calling the mandate, which will require indoor venues to check patrons' vaccination cards before granting them entry, an unlawful abuse of power.

The mandate applies to business including restaurants, bars, fitness and entertainment venues.

Vaccination Proof Mandatory At Suburban Cook County Indoor Venues

"My job is to promote the local economy and ensure that all are safe within our Village," Glotz said.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and Glotz's tenure as mayor, Glotz repealed former Mayor Vandenberg's mask mandate, stating the village should not be creating public health mandates. Glotz can also legally choose not to enforce the county's order, as the Tinley Park Police Department is not tasked with enforcing a countywide initiative.

The order is mandated for all suburban Cook County towns except for Skokie, Evanston, Oak Park and Stickney Township, who all have their own municipal health departments.

For now, Glotz said the village will continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines including masking and social distancing when advised.

"We have all struggled over the last 21 months with this pandemic, but we can get through this together by using common sense and respecting others," Glotz said in a news release. "I am confident that our resilient community will move forward in 2022 stronger and better than before."