2020/09/14 - Mayor's Column: Assistance During COVID-19
“An Open Door to O’Fallon”
A Weekly Note from Mayor Herb Roach
COVID-19 has been hard on everyone. Last week, the Governor of Illinois and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued an order prohibiting indoor service at restaurants and bars. The O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce, Shiloh Mayor Jim Vernier and I issued a joint letter to the Governor and IDPH asking them to reconsider the prohibition due to the detrimental effect it is having on our local businesses.
Since we entered this Pandemic, there has been challenges, to say the least. The Governor’s initial “shelter in place” order in March helped slow the spread of the virus so that our healthcare system was able to still operate effectively and didn’t get overwhelmed. While this order succeeded in helping our healthcare system, there was a lasting impact on many local businesses that had to close down, lay off employees, and watch their inventory expire. Just when the local economy was starting to reinvigorate, this newest order has once again forced many local businesses to close. This time, we fear that many may not have the ability to survive and reopen.
The City of O’Fallon is doing everything we can to help our local businesses and residents weather this storm. Since the Pandemic began, we have extended the renewal period for many city licenses, including business registrations, liquor, gaming machines, and hotel/motel tax.
We have also put a stop for many months any water and sewer service disconnections for unpaid balances and removed any penalty fees. At the July 27th Committee Meeting, City Staff presented the Council with an update on the past due accounts. At that time, there were 501 accounts that were past due, their balances total $113,679. Many of those accounts (308) were more than two bills past due.
Many of the utility providers in our surrounding communities have been assessing penalties and conducting shutoffs for a while. In fact, Caseyville water and sewer district has been doing shutoffs and adding penalties since July. Illinois America, who is the largest water/sewer utility provider in the area, will be reinstating shutoffs in October.
There are a lot of people in O’Fallon who are facing financial stress. The last thing that we want to do is add more to their already full plate. Therefore, the O’Fallon City Council is currently discussing freezing any scheduled increase in the water and sewer rates.
Every year, the City of O’Fallon’s water and sewer rates are automatically increased to coincide with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The rates are scheduled this way because this is similar to the price increase in which the City of O’Fallon purchases water wholesale from the private water company, Illinois America Water.
City Staff and your City Council feel strongly that it would greatly help the residents of O’Fallon and other O’Fallon utility customers to delay this increase while many are still struggling. Therefore, the proposed City Council action item is to delay any increase in the water and sewer rates (which were scheduled to go into effect in October 2020) until at least January 2021.
On a separate note, we received a large number of masks from St. Clair County to help stop the spread of COVID-19. In addition to distributing masks to our residents, we are also giving masks to our local Chamber of Commerce, businesses, schools, churches, and Scott Air Force Base. Free masks are available to pick up at O’Fallon City Hall (255 S. Lincoln Avenue) and the O’Fallon Public Safety Facility (285 N. Seven Hills Road). The masks can be picked up Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Masks are limited to two per person.
As residents of O’Fallon, you should always be able to reach out to your elected officials and ask questions about what is happening in O’Fallon. Having open communications is important to me and something I care very deeply about. Thank you for reading, and please remember, my door is always open (virtually, at least)!