By Blake Haas
BLOOMINGTON – With the first case of COVID-19 in McLean County, Bloomington officials stand at the ready to enact a local emergency ordinance at its city council meeting on Monday, March 23.
“What we have done here at the city like most communities, but our position was waiting for that first confirmed case in McLean County,” Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason told WJBC’s Scott Miller. “This ordinance has been drafted; we had time to put it on the agenda that will be published this Friday afternoon. It will be something for the council to consider on Monday night… It talks about several things the cancellation of meetings, the ability to conduct electronic meetings, really formalizes the things that we are facing as a city given the pandemic.”
The proposed emergency ordinance would give Gleason emergency purchasing powers, among other things.
“(The ordinance includes) emergency purchases, this is something that is granted at my level, low-level type of stuff just trying to get emergency protective equipment just trying to get cleaning supplies,” Gleason added.
Details of the ordinance will be released Friday afternoon and will be presented to the town council at a special meeting Monday at 5 p.m.
“We are just trying to be ready on the front end. Let’s say this thing (COVID-19) really does advance and gets far worse than where we are at today because truly we are at the very beginning of all this,” said Gleason. “This is a long road to recovery, but potentially the city and the town need to share a water plant operator or other essential functions for the city. The continuity of government is the number one priority right now.”
If approved, the emergency ordinance would last until April 30.
Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].
