The Village of Peoria Heights will maintain a status quo policy regarding the Phase 3 reopening of restaurants and other businesses, Village Administrator and Police Chief Dustin Sutton said this week.
“This last weekend was a success for the businesses, the Village and the Peoria Heights Police Department. It was seamless,” Sutton said of the May 29 partial reopening prompted by Gov. JB Pritzker’s relaxation of his statewide pandemic lockdown.
“Everybody was on their best behavior. They were respectful and courteous to everyone around them. I’m very proud of that,” said Sutton.
Nonetheless, given the current social unrest and protests over the death of George Floyd during an altercation with Minneapolis police, which have come to central Illinois, now is “not the proper time” to be closing streets for outdoor diners, despite requests to do that by restaurants and bars wishing to recoup their losses, said Sutton.
Local police have had their hands full, of late, and as such Sutton said he wouldn’t feel comfortable “putting a table and a patron out on the street.
“If we get to a point where we have a better game plan” and things settle down, “I’ll come back to you,” said Sutton.
Mayor Michael Phelan and Village Board members had high praise for the Village’s reopening rollout.
“I heard a lot of compliments about people seeing the police all over,” said Trustee Sherryl Carter. “It makes them feel safe. Kudos to our police department.
“Up and down Prospect … it was a very nice feeling to see people sitting out.”
“The visibility (of law enforcement) made a world of difference,” added Trustee Brandon Wisenburg.
No one stepped up more than Sutton, said Phelan, noting the former’s dual role as village administrator and as police chief and the double shifts he’s been working of late.
“Leadership is about setting an example.”