Elmhurst Official Still Against Expanded Powers For Mayor

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst Alderman Michael Bram supported giving the mayor expanded emergency powers during the first weeks of the pandemic last year.

At every City Council meeting ever since, he has voted against granting such authority. He is alone.

At Tuesday's meeting, Bram, who is one of three candidates for mayor in the April 6 election, again opposed the emergency powers.

"The mayor himself has not utilized the executive order since October of last year. So we are moving close to six months without utilization of the executive order," Bram said.

He also said the council has procedures in place to speed up approval of actions in emergencies.

Bram is facing aldermen Scott Levin and Mark Mulliner in the race to replace Mayor Steve Morley.

At a July meeting, Mulliner said the mayor needed the emergency powers to react quickly during the pandemic, especially as Gov. J.B. Pritzker changed his executive orders in dealing with the coronavirus.

"I believe we still have to continue to allow (the mayor) to have that authority," Mulliner said at the time. "I have seen no abuse of it. I have seen it handled in a professional way."

Morley has used his emergency powers in a few ways, especially in the pandemic's first weeks. He suspended delinquent charges and discontinuation of utility services. And he extended the payment of vehicle license fees for city stickers.

Like other towns, Morley allowed for off-premises consumption of originally packaged beer, wine and liquor related to certain restaurant liquor licenses.

Additionally, Morley suspended the issuance of solicitor permits and those that already existed.