A May 1 message from Lansing Mayor Patty Eidam

by Patty Eidam, Mayor, Village of Lansing, Illinois

May 1, 2020

Dear Lansing Residents and Businesses:

On April 30th the Illinois ‘Stay-at-Home’ Executive Order, originally issued by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker in March, was extended through May 29th. Under this directive, all individuals currently living within the State of Illinois are ordered to stay at home or at their place of residence with certain exceptions. Modifications have been made to the original order and some are highlighted below.

The Village of Lansing continues to monitor all COVID-19 information that is coming to us from both the national and state levels. All Village departments continue to work diligently to provide essential services to our residents during this unprecedented health pandemic. We will continue our pledge of clearly communicating relevant information to all Lansing residents and businesses through all available platforms. The health, safety and welfare of all our residents remains of the utmost importance.

In this new executive order, the restriction on gatherings remains the same: all public and private gatherings outside a single household or living unit are prohibited, except for the limited purposed granted under the order. Based on current guidance from the CDC, any gathering of more than ten (10) people is prohibited through May 29th. Nothing in the order prohibits the gathering of members of a household or residence.

LANSING MUNICIPAL CENTER & GENERAL OPERATIONS
The Lansing Municipal Center will now be closed to the public through May 29th. Staff will continue to be engaged in the business of the Village, but is limiting operations and performing only essential functions. The previous restrictions on inspections and permitting will be relaxed so projects and improvements that call for work to be done outside the home can be completed. All previously scheduled municipal inspections will continue to be handled on a case-by-case basis.

ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE VILLAGE
The financial impact of the Coronavirus pandemic will be felt far and wide. Governor Pritzker’s office has estimated the State of Illinois will lose billions of dollars in revenue. We expect Lansing’s budget to suffer millions of dollars in revenue losses, across the spectrum of revenue streams. Sales, property, hotel, and motor fuel taxes are all expected to decline significantly in our new budget year, which ironically begins today, on May 1st. The amount of losses is impossible to predict, as we don’t know when the economy will be reopened, and how it will respond when it is reopened. Many are without jobs, and the economic recovery may be slow. For those reasons, we are hard at work preparing for the worst-case scenarios. Rest assured, Lansing residents – core services such as police, fire, and paramedic services will be maintained at the same level of excellence they are now. We have received assurances from our scavenger provider that garbage, recycling, and yard waste will continue to be picked up from your homes without interruption. In addition, our public works and building departments will continue to maintain the appearance of our community and help you to maintain your property. There won’t be one easy solution to solving the budget impact, but rather a variety of smaller decisions and adjustments that may involve deferring projects, downsizing and reprioritizing. Budgets will become leaner. Economic development is essential, even in distressed times such as these. We continue to work on bringing new business to Lansing, and we will deliver new projects even during these times in order to expand our sales and property tax base. We will buckle up for a bumpy ride, as all of you are doing in your own homes.

VEHICLE STICKERS/PET TAGS
Applications for 2020-2021 vehicle stickers and pet tags have been mailed to Lansing residents. The stickers and tags are now on sale and should be purchased by June 30, 2020. They can be purchased by mailing your check or money order to the following address:

• Village of Lansing
  Dept #12
  PO Box 88565
  Carol Stream, IL 60188-0565

Residents can also utilize the gray drop box located on the south side of the Municipal Center building (no cash, please) or pay online by clicking here. With all forms of payment, your vehicle stickers and/or pet tags will be mailed to you. Stickers should be placed in the lower right-hand corner of the front windshield for vehicles and on the license plate of motorcycles.

Residents who qualify for a first-time senior discount or any other type of discount should contact the Finance Department to review proper documentation needed for processing.

HIGHLIGHTS OF MODIFICATIONS TO EXECUTIVE ORDER EFFECTIVE MAY 1

• OUTDOOR RECREATION: State parks will begin a phased re-opening under guidance from the Department of Natural Resources. Fishing and boating in groups of no more than two people will be permitted. A list of parks that will be open on May 1 and additional guidelines can be found in this statement on the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website. Golf will be permitted under strict safety guidelines (click here) provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and when ensuring that social distancing is followed.
• NEW ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES: Greenhouses, garden centers and nurseries may re-open as essential businesses. These stores must follow social distancing requirements and must require that employees and customers wear a face covering. Animal grooming services may also re-open.
• NON-ESSENTIAL RETAIL: Retail stores designated as non-essential businesses and operations may re-open to fulfill telephone and online orders through pick-up outside the store and delivery.

FACE COVERINGS
Most notable in the new executive order is a section on face coverings. Beginning May 1, individuals will be required to cover their nose and mouth with a face covering when at a public place and unable to maintain a six-foot social distance. Face coverings will be required in public indoor spaces. Examples of when face coverings are required include, but are not limited to:

• Shopping or working at retail businesses, like grocery stores or pharmacies;
• Picking up food from a drive thru or curbside pickup;
• Visiting a health care provider;
• Traveling on public transportation, taxis or rideshare;
• Interacting with customers, clients or coworkers at a place of business or worship that is open to the general public;
• Performing services for state and local government agencies, where close interactions with other people are unavoidable;
• When feeling sick, coughing or sneezing or otherwise.

This new requirement applies to all individuals over the age of two who are able to medically tolerate a face covering or mask. For information on Lansing businesses selling masks, please call (708) 895-7208.

FOX POINTE
In conjunction with the executive order, the Fox Pointe entertainment venue is closed to the public through May 29th. To secure the premises, Randolph Street between Roy and Henry Streets will also remain closed.

The 2020 Fox Pointe event season, originally scheduled to open in early June, is on hold and is being reviewed and adjusted based on recommended CDC guidelines for public gatherings. For the most up-to-date event schedule, please visit .

2020 U.S. CENSUS
I want to again mention the importance of all Lansing families participating in the ongoing 2020 U.S. Census. Lansing is currently at a 60% response rate, and we thank all of you who have completed the process. The amount of federal funding for our Village for the next ten years is directly tied to the Census, so I urge all of you who have not yet answered the census questions to go online to https://my2020census.gov/ and do so. It’s safe, secure, and confidential. Your information and privacy are protected, and the whole process takes only about 10 minutes to complete.

The battle to overcome COVID-19 challenges is only beginning. Through the many calls, emails and text messages I have received, I am keenly aware of the operational and financial impact this pandemic is having on all members of our community. Supporting all of our Lansing businesses during this time is crucial in helping them reduce the economic impact to their financial well-being. We are committed to doing everything possible to continue supporting our local businesses; additionally, we sincerely urge all of you to continue ordering from our valuable Lansing restaurants through take-out or delivery options whenever possible.

With COVID-19 dominating the headlines, it is imperative we all try and find time to remember each other as well. I am continually humbled by the kindness and generosity being displayed by so many Lansing residents, businesses, churches and organizations during this difficult time. Each week brings more examples of this, and I ask all of you to continue the strong tradition Lansing has for taking care of its own in times of need.

Another positive sign: many in our community continue to achieve. I want to extend my sincere congratulations to all Lansing students graduating from college, high school or eighth grade during the months of May and June. Although the traditional ceremonies may be canceled, please know that the diplomas you worked hard to obtain are as significant as ever, and now allow you to move on to the next chapter of your lives. Simply put, the Class of 2020 is one never to be forgotten.

I also want to thank each and every one of our Village employees for their efforts during this time. On a daily basis, they continue to demonstrate the willingness to serve our community in
the most efficient manner possible. I am truly grateful for their unwavering service to our residents.

Finally, it wouldn’t be the month of May without wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all the Lansing Moms throughout the Village. I am looking forward to seeing the creative ways families celebrate this special day with these important women in their lives.

During this month of May, as difficult as it may be, I urge all of you to be patient and continue following the Governor’s order to best ensure the safety and welfare of all who live and work in Lansing. Join me in a sense of supreme confidence that by continuing to display strength, compassion and concern for each other, we will ultimately defeat COVID-19.

We are in this together. Please stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Mayor Patty Eidam
Village of Lansing, IL