ISACo News and Views Newsletter for July 21, 2020

July 21, 2020

ISACo News and Views

This Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) weekly News and Views e-newsletter includes information about the state's modified COVID-19 mitigation plan, congratulates Interim Will County Executive and ISACo Board of Directors Member Denise Winfrey on her election as National Association of Counties (NACo) 2nd Vice President, shares a letter sent by ISACo to Illinois' Congressional Delegation urging support for additional federal funds that can be used to offset local government revenues lost as a result of the pandemic, announces the award of affordable housing tax credits by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), advertises an upcoming NACo webinar opportunity, spotlights ISACo corporate partner Wight & Company and invites counties to join ISACo.

ISACo 2020 Legislative Session Summary

2020 "Bills Approved by Both Chambers" Report

COVID-19 Resource Center Page

COUNTIES COUNT!

Modified COVID-19 Mitigation Plan Announced

On Wednesday, July 15, 2020, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced a new COVID-19 mitigation plan focused on combating a resurgence of cases while maintaining the progress the state has made towards bending the curve over the last four months.

The plan expands the previous four regions into eleven regions. Each region may experience specific mitigation options based upon how the region performs on various health metrics. Offices, businesses, social gatherings and activities will be assigned a position along three tiers, with Tier 1 being less restrictive and Tier 3 being most restrictive.

The plan is available via this link.

Interim Will County Executive Denise Winfrey Elected NACo 2nd Vice President

ISACo congratulates Interim Will County Executive and ISACo Board of Directors member Denise Winfrey on her election as NACo 2nd Vice President.

Executive Winfrey was elected to this important leadership position during the virtual NACo Annual Business Meeting on Monday, July 20, 2020.

As NACo 2nd Vice President, Executive Winfrey joins the top NACo leadership team and will become a high profile ambassador working toward the betterment of counties nationwide. She is also on track to serve as NACo President in 2022 where she will bring a national spotlight to Will County and the State of Illinois.

ISACo President and Cook County Commissioner Deborah Sims had the following to say about Executive Winfrey's election:

"ISACo is extremely proud of Denise for receiving this tremendous honor from her peers. Her elevation into this critical NACo leadership role will allow NACo to benefit from her leadership talents. It will also prove to be a great asset to Will County and our entire state."

ISACo Executive Director Joe McCoy stated the following:

"I've come to know Denise Winfrey as a true champion of counties in Illinois. She understands the unique needs of county government and knows how to affect the kind of change that can bolster local economies and strengthen our social fabric. I'm confident that Denise will use her new platform to advocate for effective and inclusive county government."

Executive Winfrey's term as NACo 2nd Vice President begins immediately.

NACo Board Members from Illinois

ISACo also congratulates the Illinois county officials and staff who will serve on the NACo Board of Directors in 2020/2021:

Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle

Washington County Board Chairman David Meyer (ISACo Board Member)

Lake County Board Member Angelo Kyle (NACo Past President)

Peoria County Administrator Scott Sorrel

ISACo Urges Congressional Delegation to Support Additional Aid to Local Governments

Congress returned to Washington, D.C. on Monday, July 20, 2020, and is expected to begin working toward another bill with funding related to COVID-19.

On Thursday, July 16, 2020, ISACo sent a letter to Illinois' Congressional Delegation requesting support for additional and flexible federal funding for local governments whose budgets have been hampered by the COVID-19 emergency response and associated economic slowdown.

The letter ( available via this link ) advocates that local governments be able to use the funds to offset lost revenues. A similar letter was addressed and sent to each member of Illinois' Congressional Delegation.

ISACo requests that county officials contact their members of Congress and urge support for another round of flexible funding for local governments.

Affordable Housing Tax Credits Awarded

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board announced conditional awards totaling more than $26 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) that will fund 21 affordable housing developments in 11 counties throughout Illinois.

Once sold to investors, the tax credits will generate an estimated $238.4 million in private capital to finance the creation and/or preservation of 1,188 affordable units for low-to-moderate income families, seniors, veterans and persons with special needs.

Additional information is available via this link.

Upcoming NACo Webinar

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has announced the following upcoming webinar:

County Public Health Departments on the Frontlines

(Wednesday, July 22, 2020 from 2 pm – 3 pm CST)

Join NACo for a discussion on the role of local public health departments in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies. Counties are involved in nearly 2,000 local public health departments across the country and invest $83 billion annually in community health and hospitals.

This webinar will provide an inside look at how county public health departments are addressing the current crisis, an overview of contact tracing tools for interested public health officials and an update on federal legislative efforts to aid local public health departments in tracing and tracking the pandemic.

Registration for the webinar is available via this link.

Corporate Partner Spotlight

This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with Wight & Company.

For more than 80 years, Wight & Company has helped clients create exceptional, enduring buildings and spaces that enrich people's lives. Wight also specializes in providing professional services for transportation and infrastructure projects for counties, municipalities, state agencies and private landowners.

More information about the services provided by Wight & Company is available via this link.

Click on this link to learn more about the benefits and opportunities available through ISACo's Corporate Partner Program.

The Key to ISACo's Success is YOU!

Is your county a member of ISACo? If not, why not?

ISACo is a statewide association whose mission is to empower county officials to provide excellent service to their residents.

ISACo member counties are comprised of forward-thinking public servants who recognize that the challenges confronting county governments require new and innovative ideas, collaborative solutions and collective advocacy at the state and federal levels of government.

Members of the association will benefit from education and training opportunities, peer-to-peer networking, shared resources and robust representation before policymakers at various levels of government. ISACo creates and connects county officials to these opportunities and successfully equips them to make counties ideal places to live, work and play.

If your county is interested in discussing membership in ISACo, please contact Executive Director Joe McCoy at (217) 679-3368 or jmccoy@isacoil.org. Thank you for your consideration.

News and Views is a service provided by ISACo for county officials and staff. Please feel welcome to share with interested parties. You can contact ISACo Executive Director Joe McCoy at jmccoy@isacoil.org or (217) 679-3368 if we can be of service. Thank you for your support of ISACo.