At the April 13 village council meeting, held remotely via Zoom, Mayor Rory Hoskins and commissioners Joe Byrnes, Dan Novak, Ryan Nero and Jessica Voogd voted unanimously to extend the village’s state of emergency until the next regularly held board meeting. Hoskins’ ability to make quick executive decisions without approval by the commissioners will extend until that time as well.
During the meeting, Novak asked whether the mayor had used his authority to take action yet. Hoskins said he had authorized an emergency purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure that local first responders had access to equipment to keep themselves safe.
Because there had been an initial shortage of PPE equipment, he said, he wanted to make sure there would be enough to last throughout the pandemic.
Commissioner Ryan Nero asked if the PPE was for first responders only or would also be available to residents.
“That is to be determined,” responded Hoskins.
After the meeting, he told the Review he had ordered approximately 50,000 N95 masks at roughly $.68 each, for a total of about $34,000. Hoskins said the majority of that amount would be reimbursed under the emergency assistance grant the village voted to submit to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency of the state of Illinois.
In his report, Village Administrator Tim Gillian addressed the issue of village finances, stating that the village is “watching dollars closely.”
Gillian said there is “much less revenue” being generated for the village right now. State sales taxes are down, car dealerships are open “but effectively closed” since they are by appointment only, business and liquor license fees have been suspended, and parking tickets are currently not being issued.
He said he’s been working with Finance Director Letitia Olmsted to restructure village bank loans to interest-only.
