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Virtual meeting keeps GLMV communities in touch

Once the background noise was muted, a well-received coronavirus update was delivered Friday morning via virtual meeting to interested parties from four communities.

At one point, 104 people were connected to the Zoom video conference organized by the Green Oaks, Libertyville, Mundelein, Vernon Hills Chamber of Commerce.

With nonstop news and information arriving from many sources, the idea was to share information of what's happening at the local level, said Scott Adams, GLMV Chamber president and CEO.

"We want to boil it down to where we live, work and play," he said to lead off the hourlong session. "Our main goal is to make sure our businesses are supported the right way," he later added.

The video conference featured updates from mayors Bernard Wysocki of Green Oaks, Terry Weppler of Libertyville, Steve Lentz of Mundelein and Roger Byrne of Vernon Hills.

Village halls are closed, but essential services continue and various accommodations, such as for processing building permits, have been made.

Mundelein Mayor Steve Lentz said the deadline for business licensing has been extended from April 30 to July 31. The village also is allowing restaurants with liquor licenses to offer single-serve bottles of wine and beer, said Lentz.

He and his wife have tested positive for COVID-19.

"We're doing OK," he told the group. "I'm in day nine of the symptoms. I would say they're mild but persistent."

Libertyville Township Supervisor Kathleen O'Connor said households using the food pantry have about doubled and there has been a dramatic increase in requests for financial assistance.

Christian Wallace, vice president of operations and service lines at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, said a no-visitor policy with "very few exceptions" is in place. Anyone who meets that criteria as well as staff and vendors are screened for coronavirus, he said.

A 12-bay screening/exam tent has been set up in front of the emergency room and Condell is looking for ways to open more hospital beds in the event they're needed. He said Condell is "in a pretty good position" regarding personal protective equipment.

While hospital systems are competitors, at this juncture, everybody is collaborating "regardless of where they stand in the market," Wallace said.

Mitch Bienvenue, manager of the Small Business Development and International Trade Center at the College of Lake County, said the Small Business Survival Guide offers a comprehensive, constantly updated list of resources.

"Things chance sometimes multiple times a day," he said.

The priority for business, he added, should be reducing the spread of coronavirus.

"No amount of money will help if we can't control the pandemic," he said.

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