Homewood trustees will begin tackling the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during the regular board meeting Tuesday.
The board will receive a presentation on the draft budget for fiscal year 2020-21. The Finance Department is expecting a significant drop in revenue as a result of the state-mandated shutdown of much business activity since mid-March.
The board will also consider a measure at the board meeting Tuesday that would suspend the village’s 2 percent places of eating for three months to help businesses hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 16, Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an executive order forbidding restaurants and bars from serving dine-in meals. Establishments were allowed to continue serving food by drive-thru, delivery or curbside pickup.
Homewood officials said restaurants without drive-thru facilities have been hit especially hard by the order, and the suspension of the places of eating tax for March, April and May would be a way for the village to provide them assistance.
In other business, the board will consider:
- A second extension of the contract to sell the Triumph Building to HCF Homewood, which plans to redevelop the site and build a four-story mixed-use building.
- A lease-purchase agreement for laptop computers that will replace obsolete computers in police vehicles.
- A resolution appropriating Motor Fuel Tax money for street repair work and materials.
- Awarding bids for concrete flatwork, asphalt and crushed limestone.
- Extending contracts for street sweeping, custodial services and tree work.
- Renewing an agreement for management software services.
- A proclamation designating April 24 as Arbor Day in Homewood.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the board room at village hall, 2020 Chestnut Road.
Trustees will participate via telephone. Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an executive order that waives a portion of the Illinois Open Meetings Act to allow local governments to hold “remote” meetings to help control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The order waives the requirement that a quorum of members of the public body be “physically present” at the meeting location.
The meeting will be open to the public. Those wishing to attend must follow the 6-foot physical distancing requirement at all times. Masks are recommended.
