[UPBEAT MUSIC] >> WELCOME TO AT ISSUE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE HAVE HIT A MILESTONE IN ILLINOIS PAY 1 MILLION RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS HAVE HAD OR CURRENTLY HAVE COVID-19.

1MILLION.

THAT'S ABOUT ONE IN 13 RESIDENTS OF THIS STATE HAS THE CORONAVIRUS OR HAS HAD THE CORONAVIRUS, AND IT HAS AFFECTED US ALL IN MANY WAYS.

TODAY WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THREE DIFFERENT SPECIFIC WAYS.

FIRST OF ALL, WE TALK ABOUT HOW IT'S AFFECTED THE HEALTH INDUSTRY TRADE THEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW IT'S AFFECTED THE BUSINESS INDUSTRY, AND FINALLY MUNICIPALITIES.

LET ME INTRODUCE TO YOU FIRST, DR. STEPHEN HIPPLER, THE CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER AT OSF HEALTHCARE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

DAN CONLIN IS HERE.

THE OWNER OF JUKEBOX COMEDY CLUB ON FARMINGTON ROAD.

IS THAT IN.

COUNTY?

>> YEAH, IT'S NOWHERE.

>> BUT IT'S OUT ON FARMINGTON ROAD.

>> IT'S NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS.

>> ALSO JOINING US IS TIM GLEASON, THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON.

MANY OF YOU WILL REMEMBER HIM FROM WHEN HE WAS THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF WASHINGTON.

TIM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> LET ME START FIRST ON THE MEDICAL FRONT, DR., IF YOU WOULD.

A LOT OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED JUST IN THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS, INCLUDING VACCINES.

HOW WELL ARE WE DOING HERE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS?

HOW IS OSF HEALTHCARE DOING WITH REGARD TO THE ACTUAL INOCULATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD MANY STORIES ABOUT, HEY, WE GOT THE VACCINE, THE DISTRIBUTION SEEMS TO BE NOT DOING AS WELL AS WE HAD HOPED.

>> YEAH.

I THINK WE HAVE DONE REALLY WELL WITH VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH ALMOST ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE MISSION PARTNERS, AND NOW WE ARE WORKING ON THOSE IN MINISTRY SERVICES, SO ONCE WE GET A BATCH OR A VACCINE, WE HAVE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO GET THEM OUT WITHIN THE NEXT THREE DAYS.

AS OF NOW, I DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAVE WASTED ANY VACCINES.

WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THEY GET WHERE THEY BELONG, WHICH IS IN THE ARMS OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

>> SO THE REQUIREMENT OF THE COLD TEMPERATURE WHILE IN TRANSIT AND STORAGE HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE FOR YOU?

>> IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE.

I THINK IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR EVERYBODY.

AGAIN, WE HAD SOME GREAT TEAMS AND SOME GREAT LEADERS WORKING ON THAT AND BUILDING THE PROCESSES AS WE NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE GET IT DONE.

>> AND SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, IT SOUNDS LIKE IF SOMEONE WHO IS TAKING CARE OF A PATIENT, THEY ALL HAD THEIR FIRST SHOT.

>> WELL, WE PRIORITIZE OUR MISSION PARTNERS, SO THOSE WHO ARE CLOSEST TO THE FRONT LINE OF CARE, ESPECIALLY THOSE CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 WERE OFFERED AT FIRST, AND THEN AS PEOPLE -- AS OUR EMPLOYEES ARE FURTHER FROM THE FRONT LINE OF CARE, WE PRIORITIZE LATER.

SO WE HAD A PRETTY COMPLEX SCHEMA TO STRATIFY THOSE BASED ON RISK, AND THAT'S THE ORDER IN WHICH WE OFFERED IT TO OUR PARTNERS.

>> AND WHAT IS THE ORDER FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC?

>> WELL, NEW GUIDANCE CAME OUT TODAY OR YESTERDAY FROM THE STATE TALKING ABOUT NOW PHASE 1-B GOES TO THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 65 AND THOSE REALLY ESSENTIAL WORKERS, BUT WHAT WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR HIS GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE ON HOW EXACTLY THEY ARE GOING TO OPERATIONALIZE THAT, BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN GIVE EVERYBODY VACCINATIONS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL STRUCTURE.

I THINK THERE IS STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE WITH OUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE STATE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN ALL CONTRIBUTE AND PARTICIPATE IN VACCINATING THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

BUT THE NEXT GROUP, THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 65 AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

>> LET ME TURN TO DAN, BECAUSE WHILE OSF IS FULLY OPERATIONAL, AND THEY MUST BE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU ARE NOT.% THE JUKEBOX COMEDY CLUB IS CLOSED, REOPENED TEMPORARILY UNDER LIMITED CAPACITY, AND THEN HAS CLOSED AGAIN.

>> RIGHT.

WE DID WHAT WE WERE ASKED TO DO IN MARCH, CLOSE DOWN LIKE ALL BARS AND RESTAURANTS, NIGHTCLUBS DID.

WE JUST KIND OF WAITED TO SEE HOW IT WOULD GO.

YOU DON'T KNOW.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS, NO ONE REALLY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON A LET'S FACE IT, WHEN WE STARTED HEARING ABOUT COVID-19 IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, IT WAS LIKE THIS KIND OF MYSTICAL THING, BUT TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, IT REALLY HIT HOME THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING.

AND THEN WHEN THE SHUTDOWN HAPPENED ON I THINK MARCH 20th , THE LAST SHOW WE HAD WAS MARC.

WE JUST KIND OF BATTENED DOWN THE HATCHES AND SEE HOW LONG WE CAN LAST, BECAUSE FOR A SMALL BUSINESS, THEY ARE NOT ALL LIKE MINE, BUT FOR ME I ONLY HAVE USUALLY A FEW MONTHS RESERVES.

THAT'S JUST HOW IT HAS BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND SO WHEN THE SHUTDOWN LASTED ALMOST FOUR MONTHS, THAT PUT ME RIGHT TO THE END OF EVERY DOLLAR I HAD, TO BE HONEST.

I'VE GOT A LITTLE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM MONEY.

$8700, NOT A LOT.

THAT ARRIVED ON JULY 5th.

WE REOPENED ON JULY 7th.

IT WAS A REAL STRUGGLE FOR EVEN THE MONTHS THAT WE REOPENED.

>> BUT YOU REOPENED AT A LIMIT OF 50 PEOPLE WHEN YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE 220.

>> THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD BOOK ANY LARGER NAME ACTS.

WE HAD TO BE SUPER CONSERVATIVE ON HOW MUCH WE ADVERTISED.

IT WAS EVEN DIFFICULT TO FILL THE 50 SEATS OUT OF 225.

>> ANOTHER THOUGHT IS YOUR EMPLOYEES.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM?

>> WELL, FORTUNATELY, ALMOST ALL OF MY EMPLOYEES HAVE OTHER JOBS THAT WERE FULL-TIME JOBS, AND THE JUKEBOX WAS PART-TIME.

EXCEPT FOR TWO EMPLOYEES.

HELPING THEM OUT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME FOR SURE.

THEY APPLIED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT AND FOR A LONG TIME IT WAS $600 PER WEEK, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS PROBABLY MORE THAN THEY WERE MAKING AT THE JUKEBOX, BUT THAT CAME TO AN END AS WELL.

THE LAST MONTH OR SO ESPECIALLY HAS BEEN PRETTY HARD FOR THEM.

>> I MIGHT POINT OUT FOR THE AUDIENCE THAT DAN HAD SURGERY RECENTLY.

>> JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO.

>> YEAH, JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO, SO WE ARE BEING EXTRA CAUTIOUS IN THE STUDIO WITH HIM WEARING A MASK.

OF COURSE, THE CREW WEARS MASKS AND WE ARE SOCIAL DISTANCING.

LET'S GO TO BLOOMINGTON.

YOU HAVE HAD SEVERAL FACILITIES ALSO CLOSE SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE COVID-19 VIRUS.

>> WE HAVE.

ACTUALLY, CITY FACILITIES SINCE MID-MARCH HAVE NOT BEEN OPEN, EXCEPT BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, WITH SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PHASES THAT WE HAVE HAD THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.

THE ONE THING THAT WE DID DO DAY ONE, SO MID-MARCH, IS THE ARENA.

WE USE THE TICKET WINDOWS, SO WE HAVE STAFF THERE FOR RESIDENTS TO COME AND HAVE THAT INTERACTION, PAY BILLS, THAT KIND OF STUFF THROUGH THE TICKETING WINDOW.

IT HAS WORKED VERY WELL.

AND THEN STAFFING.

NO MORE THAN 50% ARE ACTUALLY WORKING WITHIN THE OFFICE.

THAT HAS BEEN THAT WAY THE ENTIRE TIME SINCE MID-MARCH.

AS FOR NECK AND THE ZOO IS UNDERNEATH THE CITY ADMINISTRATION.

WHAT IS THEIR STATUS?

>> THE ZOO IS CLOSED.

PARKS AND RECREATION IS A MUNICIPAL FUNCTION, AND ON THE PUBLIC WORKS SIDE, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THIS WAY IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, BUT SOLID WASTE OR GARBAGE COLLECTION IS ALSO A MUNICIPAL FUNCTION.

ON THE PARKS SIDE, THEY LOST ALL PROGRAMMING.

TRYING TO DO SOME THINGS VIRTUALLY, BUT IT IS NOT NEAR WHAT THE OFFERING WOULD HAVE NORMALLY THEN.

>> HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER PROGRAM CUTS YOU HAVE HAD TO INSTITUTE BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS?

>> THE BLOOMINGTON VCR BE, THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WE STILL HAD SOME MAJOR ACTS THAT WERE BOOKED, AND THEN ALL OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION.

SO THOSE HAVE BEEN CLOSED.

SOME OF THE ACTS HAVE BEEN RESCHEDULED.

RESCHEDULED ONCE AND THEN RESCHEDULED AGAIN FOR NEXT SPRING.

WE HAVE LAUREN DAIGLE, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A PRETTY BIG CHRISTIAN ACT.

SHE IS COMING IN MARCH, BUT THAT'S ALREADY -- IT WAS RESCHEDULED IN MARCH.

I'M SORRY.

IT'S RESCHEDULED FOR THIS FALL.

SO IT HAS BEEN A MAJOR IMPACT.

>> SO, OBVIOUSLY, LIFE IS NOT THE SAME.

WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR THAT WINDOW AT THE END THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AND SAY HERD IMMUNITY OR HOW SAFE.

WHEN CAN WE GET BACK TO NORMAL?

WHEN CAN WE GET BACK TO IF THERE IS A NORMAL EVER AGAIN?

>> I THINK WE ALL WANT TO KNOW THAT ANSWER TO REALLY IMPROVE THE IMPACT THAT THIS HAS HAD ON THE COMMUNITIES.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO DEPEND A LOT ON THE VACCINE ROLLOUT.

NOT JUST THE PRODUCTION OF THE VACCINE BUT THE ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK AS WELL THE WILLINGNESS TO INDIVIDUALS TO BE VACCINATED SO THAT WE COULD REALLY GET UP TO THAT 70% THAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE TO GET HERD IMMUNITY.

>> WHAT YOU TELL AND HE VACCINATION -- ANTI-FACTORS?

>> IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PERSON.

IT'S ABOUT NOT GETTING IT YOURSELF, NOT BRINGING IT HOME TO YOUR FAMILY.

I THINK OUR OBLIGATION WE HAVE TO OUR COMMUNITIES TO GET BUSINESSES OPEN, TO RESTORE JOBS TO THOSE SERVICE SECTOR WORKERS WHO ARE HURTING SO MUCH AT THE PRESENT TIME.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

I THINK THAT'S HOW WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THE VACCINE.

LET'S DO IT.

LET'S DO IT FOR OURSELVES.

LET'S DO IT FOR OUR FAMILIES BUT ALSO LET'S DO IT FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND DO IT FOR EACH OTHER.

>> YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT HOSPITALS CANNOT BE THE ONLY PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GIVE THE VACCINES.

IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN TESTING FOR COVID MIGHT BE A METHOD OF OFFERING INOCULATIONS?

>> I THINK A LOT OF THAT PLANNING IS STILL UNDERWAY.

I THINK WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO REALLY START PUTTING FORWARD WHAT THEIR OPERATIONAL PLANS ARE TO VACCINATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

>> DAN, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF RESERVE MONEY, AND THAT IS GONE NOW.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HOLD THE JUKEBOX COMEDY CLUB TOGETHER?

>> YEAH, TOWARD THE END OF DECE DECEMBER, IT BECAME VERY REAL THAT IF I DIDN'T GET A LOAN OR GRANT, I NEEDED A MIRACLE, REALLY.

I MEAN, YOU DO NOT GENERATE MONEY IF YOU ARE NOT OPEN SELLING TICKETS FOR SHOWS, SELLING SOME DRINKS, A LITTLE BIT OF FOOD.

ON JULY 19th -- ON JULY 19th -- THAT'S MY BIRTHDAY.

ON DECEMBER 19th, I STARTED A GO FUND ME.

I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU'VE NEVER STARTED A GO FUND ME IN A SITUATION LIKE I AM AT, IT'S SOMEWHAT HUMILIATING.

IT FEELS LIKE THE LAST DITCH EFFORT TO TRY TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS OPEN.

I SPILLED MY GUTS ON THE GO FUND ME.

IT'S ONLINE UNDER THE SAVING THE JUKEBOX COMEDY CLUB.

YOU CAN FIND IT.

I EXPLAINED MY STORY, EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS IN THE SITUATION I WAS IN, AND HOPED PEOPLE WOULD HELP OUT.

SOME HAVE.

WE HAVE RAISED OVER $202,000 SO FAR.

MY GOAL IS CERTAINLY MUCH LARGER THAN THAT, BUT I AM GRATEFUL FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT HAS COME IN.

>> MIGHT YOU USE TECHNOLOGY TO TRY TO RE-CREATE COMEDY AT LEAST IN THE INTERIM?

>> SURE, THAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES.

MICAH INSTINCT IS TO RESIST PUTTING OUT A PRODUCT THAT IS SUBSTANDARD TO WHAT YOU SHOULD BE AND HOW YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING LIVE COMEDY.

I'M A REAL BELIEVER IN THE ART OF STAND-UP COMEDY AND HOW POWERFUL IT CAN BE WHEN IT IS VIEWED LIVE WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT DOING COMEDY SHOWS OVER THE COMPUTER, ON ZOOM, IT IS TO ME VERY UNAPPEALING, UNLESS I CAN GATHER TOGETHER, AND PERHAPS I CAN DO THAT IN THE NEXT MONTH, IF I CAN GATHER TOGETHER SOME REALLY BIG NAME STARS CLIP INTO THE JUKEBOX OVER THE YEARS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY, MANY LARGE NAME COMICS.

IF WE COULD PUT A SHOW LIKE THAT TOGETHER, I MIGHT CONSIDER IT, BUT ON A SMALLER SCALE, I AM NOT REALLY INTERESTED.

I WOULD RATHER SEE IF WE CAN MAYBE START SELLING SOME MERCHANDISE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO RAISE SOME MONEY.

BUT PUTTING THE SHOW OUT THAT IS NOT, IT'S JUST FLAT.

IT'S A COMEDIAN SITTING THERE AT HIS DESK TELLING JOKES WITH NO AUDIENCE.

IT JUST FEELS TO ME NOT WHAT LIFE STAND-UP COMEDY SHOULD BE.

>> WE'VE SEEN THAT ON TELEVISION WITH THE LATE-NIGHT HOSTS.

IT'S NOT THE SAME.

TIM GLEASON, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INCOME.

OBVIOUSLY, THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON HAS INCOME SOURCES.

WHAT IS NOW IN WHAT IS OF IN TERMS OF COMING TO THE CITY DURING THIS TIME?

>> ACTUALLY, WHAT IS UP IS STATE INCOME TAX, SALES TAX, STATE SALES TAX IS PERFORMING WELL, VEHICLE SALES IS SOMETHING THAT WE SEE AS EXCEEDING WHAT OUR BUDGETARY EXPECTATIONS.

AGAIN, THOSE WERE PRE-COVID NUMBERS FOR A LOCAL SALES TAXES DOWN A LITTLE BIT, AND OTHER IMPACTS, BUT SOME OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS LIKE WATER, AS AN EXAMPLE, WE ARE ACTUALLY UP.

WE SEE THAT WATER USAGE IS EXCEEDING WHAT THE PROJECTIONS WERE.

AND AT THE ONSET OF THIS, WE TOOK A MAJOR I THINK CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, YOU KNOW, SHARED THAT APPROACH WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEN STARTED COMMUNICATING THAT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS WITH THE MAIN PLATFORM BEING COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND WE RATCHETED DOWN OUR MAJOR REVENUE SOURCE EXPECTATIONS BY 50%.

WE ARE EXCEEDING OUR PROJECTIONS.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THERE IS A COVID FINANCIAL IMPACT, BUT WE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESILIENT THAN SOME OTHER DOWNSTATE COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, IN ILLINOIS AND ACROSS THE NATION.

IN FACT, WE ARE CONTINUING SOME OF THE PROJECTS, MAJOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE APPROVED THE DESIGN WORK TO THE TUNE OF THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE LIBRARY REMODEL AND EXPANSION.

THE O'NEILL POOL AND THEN ALSO A CONVERSATION WITH OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, THE DOWNTOWN TRANSFER STATION.

WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT 22 OR 23, AT LEAST DESIGN WORK WAS NOT HALTED BECAUSE WE ARE SORT OF TAKING THE APPROACH THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE A VICTIM BECAUSE OF COVID.

IF WE ARE SETTING UP MID-21 AND FIND WE CANNOT ADVANCE TO THE DESIGN WORK THAT WE HAVE CONDUCTED, THEN WE WILL CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE GET TO IT.

>> DAN?

>> IS THE FACT THAT YOUR REVENUES ARE NOT AS DOWN AS SOME COMMUNITIES IN ILLINOIS, IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE MAJOR BUSINESSES IN BLOOMINGTON?

THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, THE UNIVERSITIES, ARE THEY NOT AS IMPACTED, SO THEREFORE OVERALL YOU ARE NOT AS IMPACTED AS SOME COMMUNITIES.

>> I THINK YOU HIT IT RIGHT ON THE NOSE.

THAT WAS AN APPROPRIATE COMMENT.

I THINK OUR MAJOR EMPLOYERS HERE HAD THE CAPACITY TO SEND EMPLOYEES HOME AND TO CONTINUE RECEIVING A PAYCHECK, BEING ACTIVE, AND WORKED AT HOME TO CONSUME IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK YOU ARE SPOT ON.

>> THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON HAS A RAINY DAY FUND.

HAVE YOU HAD TO DIP INTO THAT IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET?

>> WE HAVE FOR YOU TO THE TUNE OF A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS.

ALL FUNDS BUDGET, ABOUT $230 MILLION.

OUR TRUE OPERATING BUDGET IS $110 MILLION, AND I THINK A COMMUNITY, ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, THEY RECOMMEND THAT A COMMUNITY HAVE AROUND 18% RAINY DAY FUN OR UNOBLIGATED CASH RESERVE FUND, AND WE ARE SITTING AT ABOUT $24 MILLION CURRENTLY.

SO TO THAT $110 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET, WE ARE PUSHING ABOUT 25%.

WE HAVE SUSTAINED THAT.

WE HAVE ONLY HAD TO TAP INTO THAT AT THIS POINT TO ABOUT $2 MILLION.

ALSO, NOT WANTING TO COMPOUND THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF COVID, WE ARE STILL ADVANCING A LOT OF OUR MAJOR PROJECTS.

WE HAVE HAD TO HOLD BACK SOME, MORE SO THE MAJOR EQUIPMENT PURCHASES, BUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND DIFFERENT THINGS, WE ARE ADVANCING THOSE.

WE DO NOT WANT IT TO COMPOUND TWO, THREE, FOUR FISCAL YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

>> SO CAPITAL PROJECTS HAVE NOT BEEN TO ADVERSELY AFFECTED?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> LET ME TALK ABOUT -- WE ARE ABOUT 10 OR 11 MONTHS INTO COVID.

THERE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE A CURVEBALL.

IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE A CURVEBALL NOW WITH THAT THE VARIANCE.

APPARENTLY, THERE IS MORE THAN ONE VARIANCE.

SHOULD WE BE WORRIED ABOUT THIS, OR IS THE VACCINE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS?

>> I THINK WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE IS THAT IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL AND NATURAL FOR VIRUSES TO MUTATE OVERTIME.

IT HAPPENS IN EVERY VIRUS.

THE CDC NOW IS MONITORING THREE SPECIFIC MUTATIONS.

THE ONE WE HEAR ABOUT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THERE'S ANOTHER IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ANOTHER ONE IN NIGERIA.

THESE MUTATIONS SEEM TO AFFECT THE SPIKE PROTEIN, AND IT SEEMS THAT THEY LATCH ONTO CELLS MORE READILY THAN WHAT WAS IN THE PAST.

MAKING THEM A LITTLE MORE CONTAGIOUS.

SO WE LEARN THINGS NEW EVERY WEEK, EVERY MONTH.

AS OF TODAY, THE BELIEF IS THAT PERHAPS THESE ARE MORE CONTAGIOUS.

THEY DO NOT SEEM TO BE ANY MORE DEADLY OR DANGEROUS OR CAUSE MORE SEVERE DISEASE.

BECAUSE THEY AFFECT THE SPIKE PROTEIN, OUR VACCINES, WHICH TARGET THE SPIKE PROTEIN IN NATURAL IMMUNITY THAT TARGETS THE SPIKE PROTEIN REALLY SHOULD BE EFFECTIVE AT MITIGATING THE SPREAD OF THESE OVERTIME PERIODS MIMIC AND WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT A SPIKE PROTEIN IS.

WE HAVE SEEN THE COVID CORONAVIRUS.

>> THE RED SPIKES.

>> DAN, I ASKED THE DOCTOR FOR A CRYSTAL BALL EARLIER.

I WANT A CRYSTAL BALL FROM YOU.

>> I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT, TOO.

WHAT IS A NEW NORMAL LOOK LIKE?

I THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.

I THINK MAYBE THE REASON OF WATER USAGE IN BLOOMINGTON IS UP SO MUCH IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WASHING MORE, MAYBE MORE PEOPLE TO THE SANITIZING LORE, WASHING THEIR HANDS MORE, CARING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE, CARING ABOUT DISTANCING WHEN THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE RIGHT UP IN SOMEONE'S FACE, BEING MORE CONCERND WHEN THEY ARE FEELING A LITTLE SICK MAYBE TO NOT GO OUT.

SO THERE ARE SOME POSITIVE THINGS I THINK THAT WILL PERHAPS COME OUT OF THIS.

FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WAITING UNTIL WE ARE ALLOWED TO REOPEN, AND THAT I HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION IF I FEEL IT IS SAFE ENOUGH TO REOPEN.

>> YOU PLAN ON REOPENING AT SOME POINT.

>> I CERTAINLY HOPE SO.

I WOULD LIKE TO OWN THE CLUB AND HEAR THE LAUGHS UNTIL THE DAY I DIE, BUT IT GOT TO THE POINT FINANCIALLY IN DECEMBER THAT I WOULD -- YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THE CLUB MIGHT CLOSE RIGHT AWAY.

I DON'T WANT TO DIET 58.

I, CERTAINLY, HOPE TO REOPEN IN THE SPRING.

YOU KNOW, VACCINATIONS ARE GOING TO COME FOR THE COMMON MAN PROBABLY NOT UNTIL APRIL OR MAY AT THE VERY EARLIEST.

I THINK IT'S OPTIMISTIC TO LOOK ANYTHING BEYOND MAY.

>> LET ME TURN TO TIM GLEASON IN TERMS OF WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR BLOOMINGTON POST COVID?

WHAT ARE THE POSITIVES THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT AND SEEING RIGHT NOW?

>> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POSITIVES.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE THRUST UPON US.

IN TERMS OF HAVING TO FIND A WAY TO DELIVER THE CITY SERVICES THAT WE DO TO THE COMMUNITY.

BY DOWNTOWN, 20 BLOCKS OF CHARACTER AND CHARM.

WE DID NOT HAVE OUTDOOR DINING.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAD BEEN TALKED ABOUT BY THE COMMUNITY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

WE MADE THAT HAPPEN OVER THE SUMMER, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.

AND IT WAS ALSO ONE TO HELP THE RESTAURANT AND BAR OWNERS.

OUR PUBLIC WORKS CREWS AND OTHERS HELP SET THINGS UP, AND THERE WERE NO SHORTCUTS.

IT WAS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK MOMENT TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS, FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND, YOU KNOW, CONSUME AT A RESTAURANT OR TAVERN.

SO IT WAS SUCCESSFUL.

NOW, INTERNALLY THERE'S A NONUMBER OF THINGS THRUST UPON US.

WE HAD TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER CITY SERVICES, SO WE HAVE MANY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING FROM HOME.

IT'S ALSO FORCED US TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR DELIVERY, WHETHER IT'S VIRTUALLY, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, AS AN EXAMPLE, AN INSPECTION DOING AN INSPECTION OF A HOUSE.

THAT IS NOW SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO A SCREENSHOT INSTEAD OF AN INSPECTOR HAVING TO SHOW UP AT THE HOUSE TO PROVIDE THAT NEXT STEP IN ORDER FOR THE PERMITTING PROCESS.

SO THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF SEIZING THOSE.

I KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BECOME, YOU KNOW, THE FOREVER AS A RESULT OF COVID.

>> EFFICIENCY IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE COMING OUT OF THIS POST COVID, APPARENTLY.

>> I THINK SO.

>> AND LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU.

THE CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

DAN CONLIN, THE OWNER OF JUKEBOX COMEDY CLUB.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR SITUATION.

AND TIM GLEASON, CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE WILL BE BACK NEXT TIME WITH ANOTHER ADDITION OF THAT ISSUE.

THIS TIME FIVE PEOPLE SEEKING THE ADDITION OF MAYOR IN PEORIA.

WE WILL HEAR FROM ALL FIVE OF THOSE PRIOR TO THE PRIMARY ON THE NEXT AT ISSUE.