Village of Huntley looks to impose a temporary pause on ‘pop-up’ COVID-19 testing centers
HUNTLEY – As residents may be aware, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued a statement on Jan. 21, announcing that a well-known “pop-up” COVID-19 testing provider known as the Center for COVID Control (CCC) was under investigation due to numerous individual complaints.
“I opened an investigation into the Center for COVID Control in response to our residents contacting my office to report a number of concerning issues at the Center for COVID Control’s pop-up COVID-19 testing locations throughout Illinois,” said Raoul. “Complaints have ranged from testing results being delayed or not received at all, to results being provided to individuals who were never administered a test, to tests being stored improperly, and staff incorrectly using PPE and face masks.”
Following Raoul’s announcement, CCC issued its own statement, where it explained that all of its testing locations would be closed until further notice.
“Although the company voluntarily suspended operations, my office contacted company officials to demand that the Center for COVID Control immediately stop engaging in any fraudulent or deceptive conduct, particularly with respect to the delivery of testing results or billing,” added Raoul. “In addition to evaluating residents’ complaints, attorneys from my Consumer Fraud Division interviewed former employees of the Center for COVID Control.”
At a Huntley Village Board meeting held back on Aug. 26, trustees came to a unanimous decision allowing CCC to operate a temporary COVID-19 mobile testing office within parking lot 1 of the Union Special Plaza until August of this year.
According to the most recent Village Board meeting agenda packet, Huntley currently has five temporary pop-up COVID testing centers, with the Development Services Department continuing to receive significant levels of interest for the establishment of additional testing centers.
Seeing as the current Zoning Ordinance doesn’t have any verbiage addressing testing centers as a land use within the village or specify the zoning districts in which testing centers may be located, village staff are proposing a recommendation on imposing a temporary 180-day moratorium on the consideration of zoning applications or issuance of building permits or certificates of occupancy for testing centers.
“Staff recommends reviewing various aspects of the Zoning Ordinance and considering whether they should be amended to more specifically and appropriately address potential impacts of testing centers on the public health, safety, and welfare and to reflect the Village’s land-use policies and long-range planning goals,” read the Jan. 27 Village Board meeting packet. “The proposed moratorium will allow time for the Plan Commission to undertake a review of potential amendments to the Zoning Ordinance regarding testing centers and thereafter make recommendations to the Village Board.”
If village trustees vote to pass the temporary moratorium, no application for a building permit, certificate of occupancy, special use permit, site plan review, planned unit development approval, Zoning Code amendment, or other required building or zoning approval relating to any testing centers will be accepted beginning Jan. 28.
The temporary moratorium is expected to remain in full force until at least July 27, however, trustees can choose to extend the temporary moratorium ordinance for a maximum of 60 days.
While village staff did not return My Huntley News’ immediate requests for comment, Trustee Ronda Goldman described her overall experience with the testing site next to MB Garbage and Algonquin Road opposite to the Papa G’s restaurant as pleasant.
“I had a positive experience there three weeks ago. It was organized and the young man who helped people was polite and helpful. My results came back via email around three days later,” said Goldman via email correspondence. “I was not asked for [money], but I did have to show them my insurance cards and IDs, of course.”
Trustees are expected to further discuss and vote on the temporary moratorium at the Jan. 27 board meeting.
Pop-up COVID-19 testing locations are not regulated by a government agency. Attorney General Raoul recommends that people first try to utilize a state-sponsored testing site to the extent possible.
Individuals can contact their health care providers for testing or testing center recommendations.
Further, residents can find a testing location by visiting the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website (dph.illinois.gov/covid19/testing.html), the McHenry County Department of Health’s website, the Kane County Health Department’s website, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ website.
Residents are also eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 test kits by visiting covidtests.gov. Kits will usually ship within seven to 12 days.
