Holding the mayor in check is the goal of a new resolution passed unanimously by the Evansville City Council on Monday.
Three weeks, Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke issued an executive order capping the number of people in large gatherings in Evansville at 125 people. The order coming as the state of Indiana is seeing a surge in the number of people infected with coronavirus.
Though the council supports extending the order, which can last up to seven days, they also passed a resolution clarifying that it is up to the council to decide whether or not to extend the order, not the mayor.
“I think whatever we do tonight is really important and it goes back to following the law,” said councilman Justin Elpers. “The mayor is constantly in conversation with public health officials. I understand in that positions he may need to act quickly.”
However, Elpers says there needs to be some flexibility in how any executive orders are carried out, and in doing so he says this resolution will ensure that mayor is not overstepping if he feels an executive order needs to be extended.
The resolution says the mayor will have to present his reasoning on why any executive orders need to be extended moving forward, and if the council agrees they will approve an extension. Elpers acknowledges this resolution sets a precedent for executive orders in Evansville even beyond the pandemic.
