Madison County board proclaims local disaster, authorizes emergency spending and staffing for COVID‑19 response

Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler read a proclamation declaring that a disaster exists in Madison County due to the emergence of COVID‑19 and placed the proclamation on file with the board. The proclamation cites the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act (20 ILCS 3305/11) and states, “This proclamation is effective on March 17, 2020 and shall continue for a period not to exceed 30 days, unless extended by the County Board of Madison County, Illinois.”

The board received multiple administrative actions tied to pandemic preparedness. The Finance & Government Operations Committee presented immediate emergency appropriations to cover unforeseen legal representation expenses in the Auditor’s office ($21,700) and to fund the purchase and implementation of a licensing solution for Animal Care & Control ($47,173). The board submitted these resolutions as part of the consent agenda.

Board members also discussed stand‑up of temporary administration for pandemic operations. Chairman Prenzler explained that a Special Administrator (Steve Adler) would be appointed to a temporary post for COVID‑19 coordination at an annualized rate of $95,000 and that, under the Governor’s disaster declaration, counties may expend funds to address the COVID‑19 situation with potential for reimbursement. County officials asked for protective equipment for first responders; Emergency Management staff confirmed requests and plans to coordinate supply distribution to fire departments, EMS and law enforcement.

Why this matters: The proclamation activates the county emergency operations plan, enabling the Madison County Emergency Management Agency to coordinate federal, state and local resources. The board’s appropriations and temporary staffing steps are aimed at ensuring the county has legal and administrative capacity to respond during the initial stages of the pandemic.

The board placed the proclamation and related reports on file and recessed the meeting with plans to reconvene April 15, 2020. Future steps noted during the meeting included continued procurement of emergency supplies and coordination with local first‑responder agencies to prioritize protective equipment distribution.