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Naperville
Friday, March 29, 2024

Impacts of COVID-19 on City of Naperville Operations / Mayor declares local State of Emergency

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No matter where you stand, brilliant sunshine showcases strength and structure along the Naperville Riverwalk, our city’s natural treasure. Let’s count our blessings, be vigilant and stay calm. (PN Photo March 13, 2020)

UPDATED POST #2, April 5, 2020 / Free Yard Waste Program extended beginning week of April 6

The executive order temporarily suspending the need for yard waste stickers has been extended through April 10, 2020 to cover the full city-wide pickup rotation beginning for the week of April 6.

All residents can put bagged and bundled yard waste out without stickers again this week.

UPDATED POST, April 5, 2020 / (Release received April 3, 2020. Delay in posting relates to ever-changing model of Zoom this past week. This contact info could be updated by Tuesday. Stay tuned. —PN)

Naperville’s April 7, 2020, City Council Meeting will be held virtually/ Members of the public must sign up to address the City Council by 5PM on April 7

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and Governor Pritzker’s statewide stay-at-home order, Naperville’s next City Council meeting will be held virtually using Zoom at 7PM on Tuesday, April 7.

As with all Naperville City Council meetings, public viewing will be available on WCNC (Ch. 6 – WOW, Ch. 10 – Comcast, Ch. 99 – AT&T) or online at https://naperville.legistar.com.

Members of the public will have the ability to weigh in on agenda items and address the City Council during the meeting through the City’s online speaker sign-up form at www.naperville.il.us/speakersignup. Online sign-up is currently open and will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7, at which time no other speakers or comments will be accepted.

Those wishing to address the City Council may use the form to submit a comment, oppose or support a specific topic or agenda item or address the City Council during the live meeting. Comments and positions submitted online will be read into the public record and become part of the meeting minutes.

Individuals who sign up to speak during the live meeting by 5PM on April 7 will receive an email from the City Clerk’s office after the sign-up time ends with information about how to join the meeting. The agenda for the April 7 meeting is available at www.naperville.il.us. Questions regarding online sign-up may be directed to the City Clerk’s office by calling (630) 305-5300.

Be safe. Promote good health & commonsense. Wash your hands for 20 seconds. Cover coughs & sneezes. Mind your social distance. Help us get through this together by staying 6 feet apart.


Mayor Steve Chirico

UPDATED POST, March 17, 2020 / During tonight’s Emergency City Council meeting that immediately followed the brief regular City Council meeting, Mayor Steve Chirico declared a Local State of Emergency and Disaster. This meeting with all the details of the two-part declaration can be viewed online where it is saved in the City’s archive.

Press Release from the City of Naperville…

Mayor Steve Chirico today declared a local state of emergency in the City of Naperville as the community responds to the COVID-19 pandemic.                                                 

The declaration gives City leaders increased ability to deal with emerging issues, such as allowing grocery deliveries outside of standard times, waiving electric and water cut offs, and extending liquor license renewals. The declaration also allows the City the ability to apply for federal reimbursement for certain expenditures related to the disaster if money becomes available in the future. The Naperville City Council also unanimously passed an ordinance extending the declaration until April 21, 2020.

“The declaration of a local emergency is a procedural tool many communities are using to aid in the response to the COVID-19 outbreak and related closures,” Chirico said. “I acknowledge that the events of the past few weeks have been disconcerting to many, but I urge Naperville citizens to remain calm and follow the advice of health experts. The City has plans in place to ensure that we can continue delivering critical city services, and I am confident that we will get through this situation together and come out stronger as a community in the end.”

Read the full declaration online.

All City buildings closed to public March 18, 2020

In addition, Mayor Chirico announced the closure of all city buildings to the public, effective Wednesday, March 18, until Monday, March 30. During the closure, City operations will continue with a modified staffing structure, including some employees working from home. First responders with the Naperville Police and Fire Departments will continue to provide emergency services to the City of Naperville and remain ready to respond to any call for service or situation that may develop.

Other city business can still be conducted online, through email or phone calls. The public can use the City’s online help center at https://napervilleil.mycusthelp.com/ or call (630) 420-6111 to be forwarded to the appropriate department.

Residents are encouraged to visit www.naperville.il.us/coronavirus-resources to stay up to date on any modifications to city services and the City’s COVID-19 response.

“I am extremely heartened by the acts of thoughtfulness and compassion I’m seeing around town and reading about online, and I encourage our residents to continue taking care of each other during these uncertain times,” Chirico said. “It’s times like this that truly test the character of a community, and I have no doubt that Naperville will rise to the occasion.”


UPDATED POST regarding COVID‐19 from the City of Naperville, March 16, 2020 / As confirmed cases of coronavirus – COVID‐19 – continue to increase, the City is following the directions set forth by the State of Illinois to prevent further spread of the disease. To protect both our residents and employees, the City has stayed in close contact with health officials and continues to monitor updates from the Centers for Disease Control, Illinois Department of Public Health and DuPage and Will County Departments of Public Health.

Residents are strongly encouraged to practice social distancing measures, such as working from home when it’s an option, staying home as much as possible and trying to avoid places where the public is within close contact to one another. These actions will help reduce the number of people who become sick.

The City of Naperville takes seriously the advice of infectious disease experts. In response to this rapidly evolving situation, the City is currently taking several proactive and precautionary steps to help prevent the spread of the virus in our community:
 The March meetings of the City Council, Building Review Board and Board of Fire and Police Commissioners will take place as scheduled. Residents have the option to watch the City Council meetings remotely on WCNC (Ch. 6 ‐ WOW, Ch. 10 ‐ Comcast, Ch. 99 ‐ AT&T) or online. The public can also weigh in on agenda items before the City Council without having to be at the meeting by using the City’s online speaker signup system.
 An Emergency City Council meeting will take place on March 17, immediately following the regular City Council meeting. This meeting can be viewed meetings remotely on WCNC (Ch. 6 ‐  WOW, Ch. 10 ‐ Comcast, Ch. 99 ‐ AT&T) or online.
 All other board and commission meetings through March 30 have been canceled.
 The 5th Avenue Workshop scheduled for April 6 is postponed and will be rescheduled to a later date.

We have plans in place to ensure the continuation of critical operations, like emergency services and the management of our municipal water and electric utilities. We appreciate your patience as city leaders make necessary adjustments to our operations to ensure the continued delivery of services while also safeguarding the health of our employees and the public.

As a reminder, if you are feeling ill or experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID‐19, please call your primary care physician, not 9‐1‐1. This will keep our dispatchers and first responders free to assist in emergency situations.

Naperville is a community marked by resilience and compassion. In the coming weeks, please do what Naperville does best and take care of each other. Check in with elderly family members or neighbors to make sure they have the medications and supplies they need. Use technology and social media to connect with family and friends while you can’t be together physically.

Finally, do not be afraid to ask for help if you or someone you love is feeling emotional distress in this time of uncertainty.

The following resources are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:
 Crisis Text Line – Text REACH to 741741
 DuPage County Crisis Hotline – (630) 627‐1700
 Will County Crisis Hotline – (815) 722‐3344

Keep up with city‐specific updates and find links to credible sources of information about COVID‐19 at
www.naperville.il.us/coronavirus‐resources.  

Submitted to link by Linda LaCloche, Communications Manager, for the City of Naperville

RELATED PN POST, March 16, 2020 / Naperville Police Department lobby is closed March 17-30


Original Post, March 13, 2020 / This week, the worldwide spread of COVID-19 started to more directly impact our community through event and activity cancellations and other disruptions to our routines. While there are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in DuPage and Will counties, we are now feeling the impact of this global pandemic in how we live our daily lives.

These changes may be overwhelming and concerning to many, but the City of Naperville is prepared to continue delivering services to our residents and businesses during this time of uncertainty. We have plans in place to ensure the continuation of critical operations, like emergency services and the management of our municipal water and electric utilities. Additionally, we follow the most stringent guidelines and practices to ensure the safety and security of the resources we provide to our customers.

City Council slated to meet at 7PM Tues., March 17 (Primary Election Day)

At this time (March 13, 2020), City buildings remain open for business, and our City Council will continue to meet as scheduled. Residents have the option to participate by watching meetings remotely on WCNC (Ch. 6 – WOW, Ch. 10 – Comcast, Ch. 99 – AT&T) or online at (https://naperville.legistar.com) as well as the ability to weigh in on agenda items online without having to be at the meeting by using the City’s online speaker signup system (www.naperville.il.us/speakersignup).

If you do come to one of our public buildings, know that our staff has been diligent ensuring that our facilities are clean, especially commonly-touched items like door handles, elevator buttons and bathroom fixtures. We will continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to help decrease the transmission of this and other viruses.

In the days and weeks ahead, take the steps you feel necessary to prepare yourself and your family, but remember the best thing we can do is to follow sound advice from the CDC: stay at home when you are sick; wash your hands often with soap and water; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; and practice social distancing.

Our City leaders remain in close contact with our local, state and federal partners to monitor the spread of COVID-19 in our area. As you continue to monitor the situation, please remember to seek out reputable sources of information. Our intergovernmental partners at our local schools, park district, and healthcare providers, among others, have been working diligently to provide information about operational changes. If you have a question, go directly to the source for information instead of relying on social media or unverified accounts.

Links to credible information and city-specific updates can be found at www.naperville.il.us/coronavirus-resources.

If you have questions about COVID-19, please call the Illinois Department of Public Health’s 24/7 hotline at (800) 889-3931, email dph.sick@illinois.gov, or visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.

Additional information and resources can be found at www.naperville.il.us/coronavirus-resources.

Submitted by Linda LaCloche, Communications Manager, for the City of Naperville


Editor’s Note / This website aims to publish only credible information, mindful and faithful to calm for the benefit of all ages. Stay informed, remain focused on important responsibilities, and use commonsense in the best interests of good health and safety for the community every step of the way.

As noted on many PN posts, since January 22, 2020, this website continually includes an updated page regarding coronavirus, aiming to help calm and protect folks, mindful that the easy answer for ignorance always is information, friends tell us.

Be informed. Wash your hands with soap and hot water for 20 seconds (Perhaps sing “Happy Birthday” to mark the time.). Cover all coughs and sneezes. Be safe. Thanks for paying attention.

 

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PN Editor
PN Editor
An editor is someone who prepares content for publishing. It entered English, the American Language, via French. Its modern sense for newspapers has been around since about 1800.

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