Danville City Council members are looking ahead to the next date for reopening parts of Illinois. The Council spent much of last night’s meeting discussing Governor J.B. Pritzker’s plan to reopen the state. Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. says on May 29th the city should be able to start having gatherings of 10 people or less who do not live in the same household. Also some care businesses like beauty salons and some other retail business will be able to open on a limited basis, said the mayor. But a number of other businesses will remain closed….
{‘’Bars and restaurants would continue to be closed – only able to offer curbside delivery or pickup. Churches, community events and games would be cancelled. Gyms, bowling alleys and movies would still not be able to reopen,’’ said the Mayor. ‘’Playgrounds and schools would be unable to reopen. And youth development programs would be unable to be open.’’}
The Mayor added he is particularly concerned about those youth programs….
{‘’You know in youth development programs alone, between Project Success, Laura Lee (Fellowship House), the YMCA, and the Boys and Girls Club – they serve each summer over 600 youth. A lot of our sports programs serve another several hundred youth,’’ said Mayor Williams. ‘’So, for the next month we will have a bunch of youth that are use to having something to do with nothing to do. That’s greatly concerning to me.’’}
The Mayor added that the next phase of the Governor’s plan – which is phase 4 – is scheduled to start June 27th. In that phase gatherings of fewer than 50 people will be allowed who do not live in the same household. Also limited service would be allowed at gyms, barber and beauty shops, bars, restaurants, cinemas and retail facilities. And all outdoor recreational activities would be allowed. But the Mayor noted most churches would still be unable to hold their normal services, and community events and games could still not be held until at least July 25th.
Mayor Williams says he doesn’t agree with all of the guidelines that the Governor has outlined. And he adds technically the City doesn’t have any authority over the situation as far as reopening businesses.
