Effective this Friday, June 26, all regions of the state are set to advance to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan.  Phase 4 allows for reopening or expansion of several key business segments and also allows for expanded gathering sizes, increasing the limit from 10 to 50. 

Highlights of the new Phase 4 Guidelines for Reopening include:

• Indoor Dining: Indoor dining can reopen with groups of 10 or less, with tables spaced 6-feet apart in seated areas and with standing areas at no more than 25% of capacity.  Mall food courts may also reopen.  Note:  The Village of Gurnee will continue to allow restaurants to offer outdoor dining and, for those establishments with liquor licenses, sale of liquor “to go”  in conformance with State guidance.

• Theaters and Performing Arts: Indoor seated theaters, cinemas, and performing arts centers to allow admission of the lesser of up to 50 guests OR 50% of overall theater or performance space capacity (applies to each screening room); outdoor capacity limited to 20% of overall space capacity.

• Indoor and Outdoor recreation: Select indoor recreation facilities (e.g., bowling alleys, skating rinks), as well as clubhouses allowed to reopen. Indoor recreation to operate at lesser of 50 customers OR 50% of facility capacity.  Outdoor recreation allowing group sizes up to 50 and permitting multiple groups given facilities have space to appropriately social distance and interaction between groups can be limited.

• Outdoor seated spectator events: Outdoor spectator sports can resume with no more than 20% of seating capacity.

• Meetings and events: Venues and meeting spaces can resume with the lesser of up to 50 people OR 50% of overall room capacity. Multiple groups are permitted given facilities have space to appropriately social distance and interaction between groups can be limited. This includes activities such as conferences, banquets, and weddings.    

Revised guidelines in Phase 4 include:

• Youth and Recreational Sports: Competitive gameplay and tournaments allowed; youth and recreational sports venues can operate at 50% of facility capacity, 20% seating capacity for spectators, and group sizes up to 50 with multiple groups permitted during practice and competitive games given venues have space to appropriately social distance and interaction between groups can be limited.

• Health and fitness centers: Revised guidelines allow gyms to open at 50% capacity and allow group fitness classes of up to 50 people with new safety guidelines for indoors, with multiple groups permitted given facilities have space to appropriately social distance and can limit interaction between groups.

• Day camps: Water-based activities permitted in accordance with IDPH guidelines; no more than 50% of facility capacity with group size of no more than 15 participants in a group, unless participants changing weekly.

Financial and Informational Business Resources

Lake County Virtual Town Hall Meeting – Tuesday, June 23, 7:00 pm.  Hosted by Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart, panelists will discuss funding and relief efforts for residents and businesses and take a look ahead at what to expect in coming weeks.   To participate in this live event, please be sure to register here.  A recording will be published for those who are unable to attend.

 A new Illinois Business Interruption Grants Program (BIG) will make available $60 million for up to 3,500 businesses experiencing losses or business interruption due to COVID-19 closures. DCEO will begin accepting BIG applications via online portal here on Friday, June 26. In order to prepare, businesses may wish to review the eligibility criteria and application requirements.  

Applications for the federal forgivable loan program, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), will be accepted until Tuesday, June 30, 2020; funds are still available.  To assist pandemic-affected small business owners who have not yet applied for or received an approved PPP loan, SBA’s Lender Match tool has been reinstated.  Within two business days of entering information into the Lender Match platform, a business is contacted by lenders (through June 30, limited to lenders with <$10 billion in assets) that have been matched with them. 

The SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program has also reopened for applications.  Online applications may be submitted now at https://covid19relief.sba.gov/#/.  The EIDL consists of two parts:

1. Advance available in the amount of $1,000 per employee, up to a maximum of $10,000.
   • This money is in the form of a grant, however, if a business also receives Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds, the EIDL Advance will be combined with PPP when applying for forgiveness.
2. Low interest 3.75% loan. Here are a few things to know about the loan:

• SBA will determine the amount a business is eligible to receive; however, at signing time, you need not accept the entire amount.
• Payments are deferred for 12 months but interest accrues from the time of funding.
• Loan term is 30 years, but there is no prepayment penalty.
• This loan may be used only to pay regular working capital expenses. It may not be used to relocate, purchase fixed assets, expand, or pay off/refinance debt.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Village’s Economic Development Director, Ellen Dean, at 847-599-7574, or edean@village.gurnee.il.us for assistance or additional information on any of the above.

I am so proud of all that our businesses have accomplished during this incredibly challenging time, staying the course while operating at the highest levels of entrepreneurship and corporate responsibility.  You have cared for your customers, visitors, employees, and for our community.    Thank you for your commitment to Gurnee, and I look forward to moving forward together toward revitalization and recovery!   Gurnee’s Got It! 

Sincerely,

Kristina M. Kovarik
Mayor, Village of Gurnee