Halbrook Looks for Reopening Solutions

April 23, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brad Halbrook

217-774-1306

Shelbyville, IL - State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) says the Governor’s 30-day extension of the government shutdown of the economy is the wrong approach and it’s time to reopen the economy on a regional basis. 

“Taking a regional approach makes complete sense as so many areas in our state have not seen significant hospitalizations,” Halbrook said. “Illinois already has emergency medical service regions. Why not utilize the regions we already have to begin the process of reopening the economy in communities not as affected by the coronavirus?

Illinois has 11 EMS regions. Halbrook today is announcing a committee of community leaders tasked with finding workable and safe solutions to reopening the Illinois economy.  The committee would be focused on Illinois’ Emergency Medical Service Region 6 which has shown a low rate of COVID-19 infection and has steadily maintained its health care capacity below crisis levels.

“The Champaign EMS region has kept its infection rate extremely low,” said Halbrook.  “It’s time to safely reopen areas of the economy and give businesses and consumers the right to mutually trade goods and services. This can be done safely and responsibly on a region by region basis.”

On Tuesday evening, Rep. Brad Halbrook talked with Governor Pritzker.  

“The Governor specifically asked me for ideas to open up the economy,” Halbrook said. “This committee will be charged with doing that.”

The Champaign EMS region has a daily infection rate that is more than 80% lower than the Cook County infection rate. 

“Citizens in east central Illinois have responded to the challenge of COVID 19 by increasing social distancing and using proper hygiene,” Halbrook said. “It’s time to give this area and other similar areas of the State the right to relax restrictions on commerce, social, and religious activities.”

Initial members of the committee are

Jeff Voigt Edgar County Board Chairman

Larry Ferguson Mayor of Arcola

Anna Herschberger Owner, Yoders Kitchen, Arthur

Denise Johnson Craig’s Barbers, Shelbyville 

Katie Ohmes              Oak Terrace Resort, Pana

Doug Dyer Sullivan Auto Center, Sullivan

Also the following legislators are on the committee

Rep. Dan Caulkins

Rep. Blake Wilhour

Rep. Mike Marron

Rep. Darren Bailey

Rep. Chris Miller

The goal of the committee is to encourage collaboration between business and government leaders to establish best practices to open up commerce in their area. Plans will be drafted on a county by county basis although it is anticipated that many elements of the plans will be similar.

“It remains unclear on who within the small business communities most affected by this shutdown was involved with the Governor’s office in putting together his plan,” said Halbrook.  “Our goal is to listen to the people most affected by this shutdown to get their ideas about how to restart their particular industries.”

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Reopen Illinois

Illinois' Emergency Medical Service Region 6

It’s time to reopen Illinois, region by region, in a safe and responsible way. Illinois has 11 EMS regions. State Rep. Brad Halbrook has put together a committee of community leaders tasked with finding workable and safe solutions to reopening the Illinois economy. The committee would be focused on Illinois’ Emergency Medical Service Region 6 which has shown a low rate of COVID-19 infection and has steadily maintained its health care capacity below crisis levels.

Leadership Committee

The 6th Region EMS reopen Illinois plan will start with a group of regional leaders from business, health care, and government.

The Leadership Committee will work to engage individual counties as well as to facilitate communication between counties and between counties and the State.

County Plans

The Leadership Committee will identify individuals within each of the 21 counties in the Illinois EMS 6th Region to form their own committee to gather ideas about reopening from political, health, and business leaders as well as consumers within that county.

Collaboration

Periodic meetings of the Leadership Committee shall be held by remote teleconference.  Periodic meetings of the multiple counties shall be held to share ideas and concerns.  The Leadership committee will also look to facilitate engagement across the region to draw multiple knowledgeable people together to create plans for specific business sectors.

Timeline

The initial meetings of the Leadership Committee will occur the weekend of April 25.  County meetings should begin the Week of April 26.  The first county plans and business sector plans should be put forward by Friday, May 8th.