Aldermen unanimously voted to extend the city’s state of emergency to June 8 on Monday.

The state of emergency went into place on March 15 due to COVID-19, and has now been extended for a third time. The state of emergency has extended the city government’s powers, allowing the city to prevent the spread of the virus and provide support to residents.

As of Monday night, Evanston has 480 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths. Mayor Steve Hagerty said the city’s doubling time for its cases has extended to three weeks, signifying that the city appears to be “flattening the curve.”

Kelley Gandurski, the city’s corporation counsel, said Evanston City Council should consider state-wide measures for COVID-19 as it decides its next steps to prevent the spread of the virus. On May 5, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a five stage plan to reopen the state. As of now, the state’s stay-at-home order is set to end on May 31.

“We are asking for extraordinary measures — we are asking for FEMA reimbursement and state reimbursement — and we need to keep in mind what the state is doing on that level,” Gandurski said.

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