By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois businesses can expect new guidance from the state laying out what to expect from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s five-phase plan to reopen the state, but there could be changes.
With the governor’s plan to reopen Illinois, some businesses raised concerns because they don’t have definitive timelines on when they can reopen and that breeds what businesses fear the most: Uncertainty.
Kevin Lust with the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Lincoln Land Community College said he talks to a lot of businesses and one of the biggest challenges he hears in reaction to the governor’s five-phase plan has been uncertainty.
“Even though there’s a plan that is in place for how the businesses, how the state can reopen, there are not specific timelines tied to that,” Lust said.
The plan’s various phases depend on a variety of metrics to be in place over the span of two weeks and other metrics over the span of 28 days.
Lust said the broad outlines won’t cut it in the business world.
“It doesn’t work like that in the business world,” Lust said. “Suppliers have to be contacted with an actual date for delivery. They can’t say ‘we need this.’ ”
Molly Jo Lamb, the deputy director of the Office of Health Protection at the Illinois Department of Public Health, said to expect more information soon from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
“I think it was 30 guidance documents that are coming our way,” she said. “That is one challenge that we’ve had is keeping up with the guidance documents with the ever-changing and new release of information.”
She said the plan could evolve over time.
“That’s really important and that’s noted in this plan – that it can change,” Lamb said. “The metrics can change and what we’re doing by principles may change as we learn more.”
Critics of the plan have said it’s time for the state legislature to convene to provide oversight and guidance to the governor’s plan.
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