The City of Joliet Mayor Bob O’ Dekirk issued a local State of Emergency for Joliet after the first patient testing positive for COVID-19 was announced in Will County earlier today. “The city seeks to balance the necessity to continue effective governmental operations with concern for minimizing physical contact,” O’Dekirk said. “It’s a fluid situation. It seems to be changing every day.”
With the declaration, Joliet has changed police reporting procedures, utility billing wavers, suspension of water shut-offs, limits for public meetings, a step to minimize public contact with more online and telephone filings of reports with police. Other measures include:
- Make available City funds to coordinate and expand services for seniors and other immune-compromised residents
- Wave late fees on past-due City accounts
- Implement a suspension on water disconnections
- Combine regular scheduled Pre-Council meetings with the regular scheduled Council meetings, starting Tuesday, March 17th at 6:30 am.
- Evaluate and create procedures for public meetings and public hearings, subject to further guidance from the Governor’s Office, Illinois Attorney General’s Office and other Federal and State agencies.
For the latest, visit the City’s website.
