Buffalo Grove village board requires vaccine for employees but not yet themselves

Buffalo Grove requires village employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but village trustees will not yet extend the mandate to themselves or other elected and appointed officials.

The village board Tuesday voted 4-2 against an ordinance that would have extended the vaccine rules to elected leaders, volunteers and commission members as well as consultants doing business with the village.

Trustees David Weidenfeld and Eric Smith voted for the mandate. Trustees Andrew Stein, Gregory Pike, Joanne Johnson and Lester Ottenheimer opposed it.

But trustees indicated they could support another ordinance that would apply only to elected officials.

Pike and Ottenheimer said they would agree to such an ordinance, which was suggested by Weidenfeld.

"Part of the no vote has to do with a mandate for commissioners and volunteers," Ottenheimer said.

Village Manager Dane Bragg indicated the board could see an amended version at the upcoming meeting.

Stein, who reported being fully vaccinated and boosted, said the requirement is needed for employees to assure the continuation of village operations. Extending it to committees, commissions and contract employees "is just going to be so confusing and so cumbersome to enforce," he said.

Pike, who also described himself as fully vaccinated and boosted, noted that unlike employees, the village does not provide health insurance to members of village panels and commissions.

But Weidenfeld said board members and commissioners should follow the same rules they impose on employees.

"The board should walk the walk or we are a big bunch of hypocrites," Weidenfeld said.

"I think we do need to set an example for the people that work for us," Smith added. "I do believe that includes the vendors and also the commissioners as well."

When asked by Smith about the downside of a requirement, Pike called the decision of whether or not to vaccinate "a personal choice."

"I think people should be fully vaccinated, but this is America and they have a choice of what they want to do," he said.

"My personal choice was to get the vaccine," Stein added. "I don't know what the long-term effects are going to be. And that's part of the issue why some people will not get the vaccine. They don't feel that there has been enough time to know what the long-term effects are going to be, and I do not wish to put someone in a position where they are forced to either get the vaccine or quit."