TO: TOI MEMBERS
FROM: Bryan E. Smith, Executive Director
RE: The Annual Town Meeting, Regular Township Board Meetings, General Township Office Administration
These are challenging times. There are so many unanswered questions and undetermined challenges before us all. We are emailing the TOI membership today that have active email addresses to update you on what we know regarding TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT. If you are aware of elected officials that may not have an email address, please forward this information to them.
Last week, Governor J. B. Pritzker issued Executive Order No. 10, that asked for all non- essential services to cease. Offices not providing essential services should close and allow employees to work from home.
Executive Order Number 10
STAY AT HOME — All individuals must stay at home, with exceptions for essential activities, essential government functions, and essential businesses and operations. All non-essential business and operations must cease, aside from Minimum Basic Operations. Business can continue with employees working from home. Local government units across the state must halt all evictions, and gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited.
In regard to Township Offices: If you determine to close your township office we recommend that you place a notice on the door providing phone numbers and email addresses for individuals to contact the office to request a service from the township. This applies to the road district as well. Regarding general assistance, please provide a phone number and email address for applicants to submit an application on-line (email).
As of today, there has been no adjustment to the dollar amounts recommended for General Assistance or Emergency Assistance. No changes to eligibility or available assistance have been made.
Regarding Regular Township Board Meetings: The decision to cancel the monthly meeting is also a decision to be made by the township board. Electronic participation is an option as outlined in previous executive orders. Remember that regular bills need to be paid and most of this can be done via electronic participation.
Regarding the Annual Town Meeting: The Executive Order issued by Governor Pritzker is effective throughApril 7, 2020. The annual meeting scheduled for April 14th is after that date and for now, should be scheduled as planned. If additional dates for “stay in place” are issued, we will provide that information when possible. Additionally, if recommendations for the statutorily required Annual Town Meeting are made, we will pass those on as soon as possible.
Please check the TOI website at www.toi.org for updated information.
Stay safe