The Evanston City Council voted Monday to approve a vaccine mandate for members of the city’s boards, commissions and committees.
The council approved a similar resolution Jan. 24 for members of the City Council. Ald. Devon Reid, 8th Ward, suggested that the mandate be extended to board, commission and committee members.
According to city documents, the mandate states that members of the city’s boards, commissions and committees – made up of appointed volunteers – must provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to the Department of Health and Human Services or a negative test result 24 hours prior to an in-person meeting.
Reid proposed an amendment, seeking to change the testing window to one week – similar to the current requirements for city staff. However, the proposed amendment failed.
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Health and Human Services Director Ike Ogbo said that 24 hours is enough time to identify an infection and keep other members of the meetings safe.
“The 24-hour test was put in place specific to the meetings that will be held by the boards and commissions and what it does is capture any recent infections that an individual might have prior to coming into that meeting,” Ogbo said. “I know that the argument has been that staff are required to submit to weekly tests, but that’s an entirely different environment.”
Ogbo reasoned that because staff is in more immediate proximity to the community while board, commission and committee members come to in-person meetings less often, a 24-hour test would be sufficient.
According to city documents, a member is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving either two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The testing mandate will only apply to attending in-person meetings.
Any board, commission or committee member who does not comply with the mandate is subject to either censure or expulsion from their respective meeting.
The mandate went into effect immediately after its passage.
Emily Little is a freelancer.