Block Club reports the head of the city’s health department pledged to increase penalties for three church pastors if they continue to hold in-person services, saying she will deem their churches a “public health nuisance.”
The warning came in a letter from Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. Her letter was delivered Saturday to pastors from Philadelphia Romanian Church Chicago, 1713 W. Sunnyside Ave.; Elim Romanian Pentecostal, 4850 N. Bernard St.; and Metro Praise International, 5405 W. Diversey Ave.
All three pastors confirmed to Block Club they received the same letter.
Arwady wrote any continued operation of the three churches would be declared a public health nuisance. Arwady said state law gives her the authority to close and make off limits any establishment to prevent the spread of contagious disease.
“If you continue to host gatherings in violation of the Executive Order, the City of Chicago will take all necessary measures to abate the nuisance to ensure the safety of the City’s residents,” Arwady wrote.
Arwady said the pastors could be fined up to $500, be liable for any costs the city takes on to enforce the order, and be penalized up to three times the city’s expenses. Arwady said future gatherings could lead to “Summary Abatement.”
In this context, “summary abatement” means the city is escalating the type of penalty the churches will incur by continuing to host in-person services, Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33rd) said.
“Last time they got ‘disorderly conduct’ citations. Now it’s moved up to ‘public nuisance.’ And if they keep hosting services, the city will keep escalating the penalties,” Rodriguez said.
Arwady’s letter comes as Mayor Lori Lightfoot and city officials have sought various ways to stop the pastors from convening services, which violate the state’s executive order banning gatherings of more than 10 people. Most Chicago churches have switched to digital services to slow the spread of COVID-19 while still allowing people to worship together.
The mayor, local aldermen and other church leaders have tried to persuade the pastors to stop. Police blocked parking near the churches last Sunday. After the mayor pledged fines, police cited each pastor for disorderly conduct this week.
None of that has deterred the pastors, who said they are determined to continue hosting in-person services with certain precautions in place.
