Lions on the Square
08/14/2020

Workers' Compensation from the Employer's Perspective (Springfield)
08/18/2020

NEW IL Mandatory Anti-Sexual Harassment Training: Train the Trainer (Edwardsville)
08/19/2020

Business After Hours
08/20/2020

Lions on the Square
08/21/2020

Corporate Governance: From Nuts and Bolts to Trending Topics (Chicago)
08/27/2020

Lions on the Square
08/28/2020

Business After Hours
09/17/2020

Highland Street Art Festival
09/19/2020

HOT AIR BALLOONS OVER MARINE
09/25/2020- 09/26/2020

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the state of Illinois highly recommending that people help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) by wearing cloth face coverings in public settings and especially when social distancing is difficult to maintain, it is important to wear masks to keep yourself and others safe. 

For those who have questions about mask cleanliness and how to wear them with eyeglasses, the HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospitals in Breese and Highland are offering these mask tips for safety and comfort.

Washing Your Cloth Face Covering

Preventing Skin Irritation

Wearing a Mask with Glasses

Gov. Pritzker Issues New Penalties for Business Failure to Enforce Mask Wearing
Gov. Pritzker has issued an emergency rule through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) that imposes potential criminal penalties for businesses that fail to enforce his mandatory face mask order.
 
The Illinois Chamber has endorsed mask wearing and helped raise public awareness of the importance of proper masking for public health.  However, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and other business groups urged the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) to reject the rule at its meeting this past Tuesday. JCAR is a bipartisan legislative oversight committee that is authorized to conduct systematic reviews of administrative rules promulgated by State agencies. JCAR is composed of 12 legislators who are appointed by the legislative leadership, with the membership apportioned equally between the two houses and the two political parties. 
 
Our concerns communicated to JCAR members were:  1) the rule is a one size fits all. The rule should clearly differentiate between business facilities that regularly interact with the public and those that don't; 2) the penalties for failure to wear a mask should not be applied to the business. Business compliance issues should be limited to what business can control and are required to comply with such as signage, public gathering lists, etc. Individuals need to be accountable for wearing their masks.
 
JCAR member Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) made the motion to stop the implementation of the emergency rule which required 8 votes. The vote was 6-5 along party lines, with one Democratic legislator absent from the meeting. 
 
The rule sets forth a process designed to encourage voluntary compliance before a business is ordered to comply or is subject to penalties. The rules provide multiple opportunities for compliance before any penalty is issued and allow for a penalty that is significantly less severe than the penalties (like license revocation or closure) that are currently available. Individuals are not subject to any penalty under the rule. It is unclear as to whether the rule applies only for businesses and organization "open to the public".
 
Requirements and restrictions for Illinois employers:

• Any individual over age two and able to medically tolerate a face covering is required to cover their nose and mouth with a face covering when in a public place and unable to maintain at least a six-foot social distance.

• Any business, service, facility, or organization shall take reasonable steps to require employees, customers, and other individuals on the premises to wear a face covering.

• Gatherings of more than 50 people or more than 50% of a building's maximum capacity are prohibited unless exempted by law or Executive Order. 

• First, the establishment will be given a written notice of non-compliance by an enforcing entity and a reasonable opportunity to come into compliance.

• Second, the establishment may be ordered to have some or all the people on the premises disperse if it does not voluntarily comply in a reasonable time after receiving a verbal or written notice.

• Third, any establishment that refuses to comply with a written order to disperse will be subject to the penalties set forth in Section 8.1 of the Department of Public Health Act, which could include a Class A Misdemeanor. For an establishment, the only possible penalty is a fine of between $75 and $2500 for refusal to voluntarily comply after an opportunity to come into compliance.

• Enforcing entities are required to take into consideration reasonable efforts taken by the establishment to ensure patrons and employees wear a face covering while they are at the establishment and unable to maintain a social distance of at least six feet.

• The rule makes clear in numerous places that no individual may be subject to the penalties set forth under Section 8.1 of the Act.

 The ‘Mask of Wellness’ program is provided to businesses at no cost. Once they self-certify, businesses can download a free toolkit with engaging ‘Mask of Wellness’ graphics, content, and materials to promote the safety steps they are taking to operate as a ‘Covid-Conscious’ business. In turn, this provides comfort and confidence to customers and employees. The ‘Mask of Wellness’ program is available to anyone – business owners, chambers of commerce, public health and economic development organizations, CEOs, HR, consumers – and takes less than a minute to sign up. 

The team is making continual updates to the ‘Mask of Wellness’ website, including a directory and map that identifies ‘Covid-Conscious’ businesses. Krupp plans to further enhance the searchable directory, allowing consumers to easily find and support businesses that have self-certified as ‘Covid-Conscious.’

Life is just crazy lately! Due to the concerning increase in COVID-19 numbers in the Highland area the Chamber has decided it's best if we cancel our Street Art Festival. We DO NOT want to do anything that would cause an increase in numbers and potentially cause another shut down for our business members. 

INSTEAD we're going to do the Highland Street Art Festival 2020 Chalk Challenge!!!!

Artists will take to the sidewalks (maybe some buildings, stay tuned!) around Highland to complete their works of art. We will ask artists to make their work of art as big as possible for the area they are working. As in years past, we'd love for each artist to have a sponsor. Due to the changes in the event we are going to simplify our sponsor levels

$250 Sponsorship 

• Artist assigned 
• Option for art work in front of your business location (local businesses only)
• Sponsor name will be included next to artwork 
• Business tagged on all social media posts made by the Chamber concerning your artwork/artist

$500 Sponsorship

• Same benefits as $250 level PLUS
• Business Name included on all general event posts regarding "2020 Chalk Challenge" 
• You will be listed as a co-host on the virtual 2020 Chalk Challenge event page

As in years past, we encourage businesses to contribute to the Artist swag bags that we hand out to thank them for their hard work.

If you would like to contribute to the artist swag bags please email Nancie.

If you would like to Sponsor this year's event, please email Nancie

Thank you to these businesses who have already committed to the Street Art Festival:
 

• Ralph Matire is the Executive Director for the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. Ralph will present arguments in support of the ballot initiative.
• Leslie Munger is the Former Illinois Comptroller and Deputy Governor. She is a board member of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Leslie will present arguments against the ballot initiative.

Madison County has identified relief funds to support small businesses hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically local businesses with a commercial location in the County. Funds are anticipated to be available late June or early July as part of the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act federal stimulus package

Madison County is providing financial support to qualified small businesses (businesses with 25 full time equivalent or fewer employees) that are negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to orders to close or limit operations. This program provides a maximum amount of $15,000 (amounts will vary depending on number of employees), 0%, forgivable loans are being offered to help offset/recover from the significant, temporary loss of revenue to these qualified businesses during this pandemic, and to assist businesses in retaining and paying employees.

Applications can be previewed now through 8/16. Applications can be submitted 8/17-8/24. Anything submitted before 8/17 will have to be resubmitted. This is going to be first come first serve based upon time submitted, date submitted and application completeness. 

Any brick-and-mortar Highland business that does not offer an e-Commerce option is eligible to apply for a $500 grant from the City. Once an application is submitted, applicants will be notified of approval after verification of the absence of an e-Commerce solution on the applicant’s website. The applicant will have three months to deploy the solution and, once the solution is verified, will receive the $500 grant. 

IF YOU NEED HELP GETTING STARTED, call (618-654-3721) or email the Chamber.

The grant application can be accessed on the Industrial Development Commission’s page at the link below:
https://www.highlandil.gov/government/boards_and_commissions/industrial_development_commission.php

For more information, please contact Director of Technology & Innovation Angela Imming (aimming@highlandil.gov) or Economic Development Coordinator Mallord Hubbard (mhubbard@highlandil.gov).