This Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) weekly
News and Views
e-newsletter includes information about new safety guidelines for recreational sports, announces $250 million in infrastructure grants to local governments, conveys an update about the amended Local CURE Program emergency rules, shares information about two new Executive Orders signed by Governor Pritzker, includes news about a newly-appointed state representative, links to a National Association of Counties (NACo) analysis of the HEALS Act, provides information about an upcoming NACo webinar opportunity, spotlights ISACo corporate partner Comcast and invites counties to join ISACo.
COUNTIES COUNT!
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Governor Pritzker Announces Safety Guidelines for Recreational Sports Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic
Governor JB Pritzker announced guidance for youth and adult recreational sports, including, but not limited to, school-based sports, travel clubs, private leagues and clubs, recreational leagues and centers and park district sports programs.
Collegiate sports and professional leagues are not impacted by these restrictions.
The guidance was developed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) following consultation with a number of stakeholders including the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA). The complete guidelines are available online at the state COVID-19 website:
https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/
.
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Pritzker Administration Announces $250 Million in Infrastructure Grants to Local Governments
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced the second of six $250 million grants to counties, municipalities and townships to address local transportation needs. Made possible by the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the first infrastructure program in Illinis in nearly a decade and the largest in state history, the funding ensures continued investment in Illinois’ transportation systems and helps maintain safe and reliable infrastructure at the local level.
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Local CURE Program Emergency Rules Update
The Local CURE Program was established within the SFY21 state budget to provide funding for the 97 counties and local governments located within these counties that did not receive direct allocations from the U.S. Treasury Department for use in offsetting costs associated with the COVID-19 emergency response.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) hosted a Local CURE Program webinar on July 29, 2020. That webinar has been recorded and is
available for viewing via this link.
ISACo participated in two meetings with DCEO staff for updates about changes being contemplated for the Local CURE Program emergency rules draft. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) is scheduled to meet on August 11, 2020, to consider adopting the amended emergency rules.
One change anticipated to be considered would alter the timetable affecting disbursements and reallocation of funds.
Under the initial proposed draft, unspent CURE funds would have been reallocated to other units of government beginning November 1, 2020. The revised draft instead makes November 1, 2020, the beginning of a "check in" process whereby local governments must report in detail how they intend to spend the remainder of their allotments.
The revised draft would also establish December 1, 2020, as a deadline by which local governments must report in detail how they intend to spend the remainder of their allotments.
All reimbursement requests must be received by DCEO by January 31, 2021.
Unclaimed allotments as of February 1, 2021, would be redirected to local governments with remaining needs.
DCEO is in the process of considering a policy allowing local governments to seek reimbursement through a grant opportunity for financial assistance rendered to local businesses. More information about this will be provided at a later date.
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Governor Pritzker Signs Executive Orders
Executive Order Number 49
Executive Order (EO) 2020-49 (
linked here
)
creates the Illinois Joint Analysis Center (IL-JAC) to help prevent and respond to threats facing Illinois citizens. The Center’s mission is to protect the people and property of Illinois by providing a multi-disciplinary, information sharing network designed to gather, analyze and disseminate cyber analysis and information to public and private stakeholders in a timely manner. The Center will be governed by an Oversight Board.
Executive Order Number 50
EO 2020-50 (
linked here
) allows the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) to resume accepting the transfer of individuals from Illinois county jails. Specific health and safety factors will be taken into account when determining the process for transfers. The Illinois Sherriff’s Association is critical of the new order, arguing that the criteria for transfer are unrealistic for local jails to meet.
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New Member Appointed to Illinois House
Lakesia Collins was appointed to represent the 9
th
Representative District. Collins, a nursing home CNA and SEIU organizer, will fulfill the remainder of the term vacated by Representative Art Turner, II, who resigned this summer. Representative Turner was not seeking reelection. Newly-appointed Representative Collins won a crowded primary in March to replace Turner.
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NACo Analysis of Senate Republican HEALS Act
The National Association of Counties (NACo) has prepared a comprehensive analysis of the
Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protections and Schools
(HEALS) Act
proposed by Senate Republicans on July 27, 2020.
The HEALS Act would provide $1 trillion in funding to target key aspects of the nation’s coronavirus response and efforts to reopen the economy.
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Upcoming NACo Webinar
NACo has announced the following upcoming webinars:
Community Supervision During COVID-19: Implications for Change
(Wednesday, August 5, 2020 from 2pm – 3pm CST)
Counties play a critical role in supporting probation and parole services with approximately 4.5 million people under community supervision. The COVID-19 pandemic has put many of these services, the people who provide them and the people they serve at risk. To slow the spread of the virus while maintaining services, community supervision agencies are adapting traditional practices to reduce person-to-person contact, including increasing the use of video and telephone conference technology for essential business, reducing arrests and incarceration for technical violations, and reducing, postponing or eliminating fees associated with supervision in light of COVID-19’s economic impact.
Join NACo as they highlight county probation departments’ innovative policy and practice changes during COVID-19. Presenters will also discuss the short- and long-term implications of these changes, the impact these changes are having on communities and public safety and practical strategies county leaders can use to continue to reduce the use of supervision.
How Counties Are Using CARES Act Dollars to Support Local Economies and Workforce
(Thursday, August 6, 2020 from 1pm
–
2pm)
America’s 3.6 million county employees provide critical services to lead COVID-19 response efforts. However, the latest jobs report shows that 800,000 local government jobs were lost in April (in part due to school closures). The economic and fiscal strain of the pandemic has forced many counties to furlough or lay off county employees – up to half of the county workforce in some areas. With the help of funding from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), counties across the country have created new program to support jobs and workforce training to help address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Join NACo for a webinar to hear from county leaders about their CRF plans that work towards helping those impacted by the pandemic obtain and maintain long-term and sustainable employment.
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Corporate Partner Spotlight
This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with Comcast.
Comcast Corporation is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content and has exclusive content rights.
With more than 6,000 local employees, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region (
https://chicago.comcast.com
) serves customers in central and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan.
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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