Janet Mason filed the complaint which brought the State COVID Police to Paris, IL. –

Paris, IL. (ECWd) –

Janet Mason, Administrator of the Edgar County Public Health Department, is the person who filed a complaint with the Illinois State Police, Zone 5, which brought the Illinois State COVID Police to a Paris, Illinois restaurant a couple of weeks ago.

In an apparent last-ditch effort to assert her perceived authority over local businesses, Mason contacted the Illinois State Police complaining about a local restaurant who allegedly refused to cooperate with the ECPHD and its enforcement efforts.

The complaint alleges that the Paris Police Chief was told not to enforce any rules and that the manager of the restaurant was rude and refused to sign the paperwork presented by Mason.

There was a positive case the first week of Aug and three positives “associated” with the restaurant in Sep. The latest inspections were in October.

The ECPHD issued two citations – Oct 7 and 8 – and the person in charge said she would not change anything until she received a court order. The ECPHD said several residents complained to them, and during their inspections, they spotted workers and customers without masks and without distance between tables.

After that, Mason complained to the Illinois State Police.

There was no evidence provided in specific FOIA requests from either the ECPHD or the Edgar County Sheriff that Mason attempted to solicit assistance from the Paris Police Department or the Edgar County Sheriff prior to contacting the State Police.

Read copies of the FOIA responses from ECPHD (here) and ECSD (here).

Incidentally, in August, we published an article entitled “Local Health Departments: Mask as I say, Not as I do” showing a video of this Edgar County Public Health Department violating its own rules, inside its own meeting room, while at the same time telling everyone else to comply with masking and distancing suggestions (watch it here).