A Special Board Meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, April 9, 2020 at 3 pm. This meeting will be held as a virtual open meeting using Zoom video conferencing.

To watch or participate in this meeting via video, click the following Video Link. You do not need a Zoom account to participate in the meeting.  You can view from a computer, tablet, or smart phone and can view from a computer even if you do not have a webcam. If watching from a computer without a webcam or microphone, you will need to call 312-626-6799 and enter Meeting ID: 823 426 363 when prompted if you wish to engage in public participation during the meeting. If you prefer to listen or participate by phone only, also please dial 312-626-6799 and enter Meeting ID: 823 426 363 when prompted.

Instructions for New Zoom Users:
If you have never used Zoom on your device before, please allow a few minutes for set up prior to the start of the meeting. If using a computer, when you click the above link you will be prompted to download and install Zoom. If using a smart phone or tablet, you will be prompted to download the Zoom app from Google Play or the Apple App Store.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. For more information visit www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/posters/FFCRA_Poster_WH1422_Non-Federal.pdf.

Governor Pritzker’s “Shelter in Place” Executive Order, became effective on Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 5:00 pm. Here are more details provided courtesy of Municipal Minute, authored by Julie Tappendorf, a partner at the Ancel Glink law firm in Chicago. You can access the Governor’s Order on the state’s website here.

What is not allowed during the effective period of the order
The general purpose of the shelter in place order is to require individuals in Illinois to stay at home  during this 17 day period, with limited exceptions. So, non-essential businesses must cease operations, non-essential activities and public and private gatherings are prohibited, places of amusement and other operations must close, and non-essential travel must stop.

What is allowed during the effective period of the order
Although the purpose of the order is to keep people at home, there are certain operations and activities that are allowed to continue with appropriate social distancing. While we have summarized some of the key details below, note that this is not an exhaustive list of the permitted activities and operations. If you have any questions about a particular operation or activity, we recommend you review the order itself and consult with your attorney.

The exceptions to the stay at home mandate are identified as follows:

1. Essential Activities
2. Essential Government Functions
3. Essential Infrastructure
4. Essential Businesses and Operations
5. Minimum Basic Operations (non-essential businesses)
6. Essential Travel

Essential Activities
Individuals can leave their homes to receive health care and public health services, shop for groceries and necessary supplies, engage in outdoor exercise, or care for a family member, friend or pet, as well as engage in any of the activities or operations identified below.

Essential Government Functions
All functions provided by the state or any local government necessary to ensure the continuing operation of the government agencies or provide for or support the health, safety, and welfare of the public, and including contractors performing Essential Government Functions can continue.

• Each government must determine its Essential Government Functions and identify employees and contractors
• All first responders, emergency management personnel, dispatchers, court personnel, law enforcement and corrections, hazardous materials responders, child welfare personnel, military, and other governmental employees working for or to support Essential Businesses and Operations are categorically exempt from the order

Essential Infrastructure
Individuals may leave their home to provide services or work to provide “essential infrastructure” which are listed in the order. For local governments, that means that employees and contractors can work on the following (not an exhaustive list):

• public works construction
• building management and maintenance
• utility operations
• road and public transportation
• flood control
• solid waste and recycling collection and removal, among others

Essential Businesses and Operations
Individuals may leave their home to provide services or work for any essential businesses and operations. The list of essential businesses is quite lengthy, so I encourage you to consult the list or with your attorney if you are unsure whether a particular business is lawfully operating.  Examples of some of these essential businesses include the following (not an exhaustive list):

• health care and public health operations (excludes fitness centers, spas, salons, barber shops, and similar businesses)
• grocery stores
• pharmacies and medical marijuana dispensaries
• gas stations, auto repair (but not sales), and bike shops
• banks and related financial institutions
• hardware and supply stores
• critical trades (plumbers, electricians, etc)
• postal and other delivery services
• laundry and dry cleaners
• restaurants for off-premises consumption
• supplies for work from home operations
• transportation
• professional services (legal, accounting, insurance, real estate)
• day care for essential workers
• hotels and motels
• funeral services

Minimum Basic Operations (for non essential businesses)
Other businesses not identified as essential businesses in the order are required to close although employees can continue business from home. There are certain minimum basic operations, however, that are allowed during the order:

• minimum necessary activities to maintain inventory, preserve plant and equipment, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or related functions
• minimum necessary activities to facilities employees working from home

Essential Travel
Travel is expected to cease unless the travel is necessary to engage in one of the above permitted activities (essential activities, essential business, etc).

Enforcement
The order expressly states that state and local law enforcement agencies can enforce the order under sections 7, 18, and 18 of the IEMA Act. The order itself does not contain a penalty for violations. While there is authority to enforce the order at the local government level, it is important to note that Governor Pritzker made it clear that he expects residents and businesses to self-regulate rather than have aggressive enforcement by the police. Most local law enforcement agencies will look to compliance by residents and businesses as the goal (meaning verbal warnings for first violations before considering fines or other penalties).

Effect on Local Authority
The order specifically reserves the right of local governments to enact stricter regulations, including quarantine or isolation orders, where appropriate or necessary.

The Maine Township Town Hall, located at 1700 Ballard, Park Ridge will be closed for non-essential services through April 7. We will still be operating our Food Pantry and very much appreciate the staff who have volunteered to staff it and the numerous local residents who have donated. As we want to take the greatest care possible to protect the safety of our staff and residents, the services offered at the Township by our skeleton crew are limited to Food Pantry and emergency General Assistance. The food pantry will be distributing boxes of non-perishable food from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm. General Assistance current clients have been contacted by their case managers and should call with any questions. Any new applicants should please call and leave your name, and number and one of our case managers will ensure you receive an application in a manner that does not endanger anyone. If you are part of our MaineStreamer program, please be aware all scheduled trips have been postponed through the end of April and you should have received a call.  MaineStay Youth & Family Services has shifted to offering telehealth services exclusively and continues to provide affordable counseling and psychiatric services via video or phone sessions.  All MaineStay group programs are cancelled through the end of April. The general public should not come to our building for any passport or in person Assessor questions. Again, if you call and leave a message it will be returned the same day. Township staff will make every effort to continue to serve our residents in every way possible. For services and questions, call 847-297-2510 or visit www.mainetown.com.

We will continue to monitor CDC guidelines and update our policies and procedures as necessary. We encourage our residents to practice every day preventative actions, such as frequent hand washing, hand sanitizer use, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home if able.

Maine Township is committed to the health and safety of our community.  We are closely monitoring information about COVID-19 and taking precautions. “Our commitment to Maine Township is of the utmost importance and we will continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis” said Supervisor Laura Morask.

The Maine Township General Assistance office will be canceling all non-time sensitive appointments for the month of March. Our LIHEAP program runs through the end of May so there is no reason to worry if your appointment is pushed to April. This will also include appointments regarding Medicare, Benefit Access and Public Aid. General Assistance will be offering emergency supplemental assistance for qualified residents as needed on a case by case basis in the form of Aldi gift cards. We will not be accepting appointments to assist with in person Public Aid applications until further notice. However, you can still pick up a Public Aid application at our office to fill out at home and/or print out the online application found at https://abe.illinois.gov/abe/access/accessController?id=0.32071171459873404

General Assistance current clients have been contacted by their case managers and should call with any questions. Any new applicants should please call and leave your name, and number and one of our case managers will ensure you receive an application in a manner that does not endanger anyone. All LIHEAP, Benefit Access, Access to Care, and Medicare appointments are suspended until further notice.

If you need additional assistance, please call our General Assistance office at 847-297-2510 ext. 236 as there may be other programs and services available for qualified residents.

According to Supervisor Laura Morask, “Any township resident in need of non-perishable food can come and visit Town Hall and receive a box of food from our Food Pantry.”  Residents can come during normal business hours.

In our MaineStreamers Department, we will be canceling all programs through the end of March.  Again, this is a precautionary measure and our first priority is the safety of our members.  See the following list of canceled programs:

• March 11th – Movie of the Month (Townhall)
• March 16th – Senior Aerobics (Feldman Center), Matter of Balance (Townhall), Yoga (Townhall)
• March 17th – Chair Yoga (Feldman Center), Zumba Gold (Feldman Center), Luncheon (Chateau Ritz)
• March 18th – Day Trip (Muenster, IN), Senior Aerobics (Feldman Center)
• March 23rd – Matter of Balance (Townhall), Yoga (Townhall), Twilight Dining (Sunrise Grill)
• March 25th – Social Pinochle (Townhall), Pinochle Tournament (Townhall)
• March 26th – Men’s Breakfast (Sunrise Grill)
• March 27th – America’s First Ladies (Club Casa)
• March 29th – Day Trip (House of Blues)
• March 30th – Senior Aerobics (Feldman Center), Matter of Balance (Townhall), Computer Workshop (Townhall), Yoga (Townhall)
• March 31st – Chair Yoga (Feldman Center), Zumba Gold (Feldman Center)

MaineStay Youth & Family Services, will also be suspending several of their programs through the month.  These will include:

• 3/12 Future Leaders Emerson
• 3/12 Future Leaders Park District
• 3/12 Anger Management Group
• 3/16 Art in the Town
• 3/24 Mentoring
• 3/30 Art in the Town

Residents are encouraged to use common sense when deciding whether or not to come to Town Hall for routine services that are not time-sensitive, especially if you are in a vulnerable immune compromised group. We encourage you to please call first to see if we can help you over the phone or online. Our township department heads will be proactively reaching out to their members to check in and alert about program cancellations.

We will continue to monitor CDC guidelines and update our policies and procedures as necessary.  We encourage our residents to practice every day preventative actions, such as frequent hand washing, hand sanitizer use, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick.

For information about other services provided by Maine Township visit www.mainetown.com or call (847) 297-2510.