By Jason Crane
The North Aurora Village Board, through the Zoom video conference platform, discussed at the Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, to create a program to assist food establishments with costs associated with outdoor dining in the Winter due to indoor dining restrictions because of COVID-19.
Six establishments have reached out to the Village government directly to express interest in a reimbursement program.
Community & Economic Development director Mike Toth said, “We did estimate out of the 35 businesses, maybe 10 to 15 of them would have some sort of outdoor dining element.
“We took a look at who was taking advantage of the current outdoor dining and had outdoor space.”
The program would not reimburse for any personnel costs for staff members of the outdoor area.
Information on the Village’s website shows an eligible program expense would include temporary outdoor structures, lighting, furniture, barricades and heating devices.
In order to assist establishments with expenses needed to provide outdoor dining during the winter months, Village staff members created a Winter Outdoor Dining Policy that would offer reimbursement for eligible expenses up to $10,000 per establishment.
The money would be funded out of the Village’s general fund. Because it is not in the budget, it would require a budget amendment to make funds available for the program. The proposed maximum funding available would be $150,000..
Village trustees Laura Curtis and Mark Carroll expressed interest in communicating with restaurant owners to see if the proposed $10,000 would be enough.
Trustee Michael Lowery said, “I think it’s a great idea. We need to do what we can do, stay within our budget, but do what we can do to help our businesses survive here in our community.”
Trustee Carroll said he would like to see the addition of the waiver of the liquor license renewal fees and business registration fees added to the agenda.
Expenditures would be submitted throughout the Winter dining program period with reimbursements being paid out once per month.
Eligible expenditures through paid receipts or paid invoices must have occurred no earlier than August 1 and must be submitted for reimbursement no later than May 31, 2021.
In order to qualify, establishments must abide by Restore Illinois and any other tiered mitigation guidelines by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) guidelines as well as the North Aurora executive order allowing outside dining.
A signed hold-harmless agreement, layout plan, W-9, and an establishment’s certificate of general liability insurance with coverage extending to the outdoor dining area must be submitted with the application.
Upon completion of the work, the Winter outdoor dining area must pass an inspection performed by the Village of North Aurora and the North Aurora Fire Protection District.
The Village Board showed interest to have the program on the agenda of a future Village Board meeting, likely the November 16 Village Board meeting for further discussion and a possible vote.