This Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) weekly
News and Views
e-newsletter provides information about Phase 4 of the
Restore Illinois
plan, highlights two bills signed into law by the Governor, announces the availability of webinars about Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness, notes that the minimum wage increases in July, shares information about water quality improvement grants, links to a federal CARES Act "Frequently Asked Questions" update, includes information about the plan for re-opening schools, announces the availability of business assistance grants, advertises upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, asks county officials to follow us on social media, spotlights ISACo corporate partner 2im Group and invites counties to join ISACo.
COUNTIES COUNT!
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Illinois Enters Phase 4 of Restore Illinois Plan
All four regions of the state moved into Phase 4 on June 26, 2020, as the state continues to make significant progress in reducing new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, with the average 7-day statewide case positivity rate falling to just 2.5 percent as of June 20.
On Monday, June 22, 2020, Governor JB Pritzker released plans to safely continue reopening businesses and industries as Illinois moves into Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan.
Phase 4 allows for the safe reopening or expansion of several key business segments – such as health and fitness, movies and theater, museums and zoos, as well as indoor dining at restaurants. Phase 4 also allows for expanded gathering sizes, increasing the limit from 10 in Phase 3, to 50 people or fewer. This expanded gathering limit extends to key activities like meetings, events and funerals.
The Phase 4 guidelines are
available via this link.
Illinois will not enter Phase 5 until a vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19 is available.
New Executive Order Issued
Executive Order (EO) 2020-44 (
linked here
) was enacted by the Governor on June 26, 2020. The new EO re-issues most of the previous EOs through July 26, 2020, and amends some of the EOs
such as EO 2020-07 (in-person meeting requirements -
linked here
) and EO 2020-40 (the resumption of limited in-person instruction at schools -
linked here
).
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Governor Takes Bill Action
The following bills of interest to counties were signed into law on Friday, June 26, 2020:
SB 531 (P.A. 101-0644 -
linked here
) allows county boards to enter into an agreement establishing a toll rate schedule for a period not to exceed 99 years. Effective immediately.
SB 1857 (P.A. 101-0645 -
linked here
) extends the sunset dates for various laws. Effective immediately.
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IDFPR PPP Loan Forgiveness Webinars
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has made recordings of two previously recorded webinars accessible to help businesses and lenders with the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Applications.
Hosted in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the first webinar focused on businesses and the steps they need to take to complete their loan forgiveness applications. The second webinar, for lenders, detailed the process in how those loan forgiveness applications should be reviewed.
The webinar for businesses is
available via this link.
The webinar for lenders is
available via this link.
Both utilize Microsoft Teams software. Counties may want to make this information available on their websites to assist their business communities.
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Minimum Wage Increases on July 1
Illinois’ minimum wage will make its second increase this year to $10 per hour beginning July 1, 2020. Minimum wage earners received the first increase of $1 to $9.25 per hour on January 1, 2020.
The state’s minimum wage is scheduled to increase an additional $1 per hour each year on January 1 until it reaches $15 per hour in 2025.
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Water Quality Improvement Grants
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced two grant opportunities with up to $9.5 million in funding for projects that will improve water quality in Illinois.
The first grant, Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities (GIGO), is made possible by Governor Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the first plan in nearly a decade, and will provide up to $5 million in funding annually.
Applications are also being accepted for the existing Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Financial Assistance Program, which will award up to $4.5 million in funding. Notices of Funding Opportunities have been posted for both programs.
Applications for the Green Infrastructure Grant Opportunities Program are due by close of business on Friday, August 21, 2020. Additional information on this program is
available via this link.
Grants are also available through the CWA Section 319 (h) Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution Control Financial Assistance Program. These federal grants are available to local units of government and other organizations to protect surface and groundwater quality in rural and urban areas in Illinois. Projects must address water quality issues related directly to nonpoint source pollution.
Funds can be used for the development, update and implementation of watershed-based management plans, including the development of information/education programs and for the installation of best management practices.
Applications are due by close of business on Monday, August 3, 2020. More information about these grants is
available via this link.
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Update to Federal CARES Act "Frequently Asked Questions" Guide
The U.S. Treasury Department has issued an update to its "Frequently Asked Questions" guidelines concerning eligible expenditures under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The updated document is
available via this link.
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Guidelines for Re-Opening Schools Released
On Tuesday, June 23, 2020, Governor JB Pritzker announced guidelines that will allow K-12 schools, community colleges and higher education institutions to safely resume in person instruction for the upcoming academic year.
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Applications Available for Business Assistance Grants
On Tuesday, June 23, 2020, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) released applications for the latest in a series of grant programs designed to offset the economic impact of COVID-19 for businesses and communities across Illinois.
The new Business Interruption Grant (BIG) and the Rebuild Distressed Communities grants total $85 million and will provide relief for thousands of businesses affected by the ongoing pandemic.
Applications for BIG grants and the Rebuild Distressed Communities NOFO are due on July 7, 2020. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, visit DCEO's website
via this link.
Counties may want to make this information available on their websites to assist their business communities.
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Upcoming NACo Webinars
The National Association of Counties (NACo) has scheduled the following upcoming webinars:
Nursing Homes and COVID-19: Mitigating the Spread of the Virus through Federal Guidance and Technology
(Tuesday, June 30, 2020 from 11 am – 12 pm)
The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on long-term care environments given that they house older adults and individuals with underlying chronic conditions, who are more susceptible to serious complications from COVID-19 illness. According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as of March 2020, 127 of the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes had at least 1 resident who tested positive for COVID-19. Nationally, counties own, operate and support 758 skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes. The concentration of COVID-19 cases and deaths in nursing homes greatly impacts both counties and our residents. Join NACo and United Health Care (UHC) for a webinar outlining federal guidance and telehealth technology resources that help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes and protect our nation’s vulnerable populations.
NACo Tech Exchange: Microsoft Teams - Beyond the Basics
(Wednesday, July 1, 2020 from 2 pm - 3 pm)
After several weeks of working from home, it may seem normal to use Microsoft Teams for meetings and chat. In this session, Teams and Microsoft 365 will be taken to the next level with the sharing of “tips and tricks” that can help you modernize your departments. Task management with Planner, making feedback fun with Forms and hosting Town Halls or Live Public Events are all topics that will be discussed in this learning session. Bring your questions and stories about how Teams is working for you!
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Follow ISACo on Social Media
A great way to stay current on issues affecting or of interest to counties is by following ISACo on social media. Please follow our Facebook page and Twitter feed and join the conversation!
@Isacoil
@IsacoTweets
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Corporate Partner Spotlight
This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with 2im Group.
2im Group, LLC is a multi-disciplined civil engineering and environmental services firm, specializing in water resource management. Their experience includes working with transportation agencies and private sector clients. 2im Group, LLC strives to recognize their clients’ priorities to ensure project success!
The project scopes include: Phase I studies, reports, and investigations; Phase II detailed plans, specifications, and engineer’s cost estimates; and Phase III construction engineering services.
2im Group was established in July 2005 and has a combined personnel experience of over 100 years. Major clients include the Illinois Tollway and Illinois Department of Transportation.
Click on this link
to learn more about the benefits and opportunities available through ISACo's Corporate Partner Program.
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The Key to ISACo's Success is YOU!
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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.
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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.
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