By Jason Crane
At the Aurora city government City Council meeting Tuesday, through the Zoom video conferencing platform, the City Council listened to an update on research implementation of the Civilian Review Board.
More than 60 recommendations from the Community Review and Recommendations are available at www.aurora-il.org/2175/CHANGE-Reform-Initiative.
A listening tour is scheduled every Thursday in October at different locations in Aurora.
Mayor of Aurora Richard Irvin presented a proclaimation about Hispanic Heritage Month. The U. S. Congress designates September 15 through October 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month.
As part of Hispanic Heritage Month there will be a street dedication at 1 p.m. Saturday in honor of the late Herminia Rodriguea Gasca in the 300 block of Superior Street in Aurora. She was known as someone who fed and provided shelter to those in need.
Mayoral appointments included George Gutierrez and Landa Midgley to the Aurora Public Art Commission; and Penelope A. Torres and Ricky Rodgers to the Aurora Human Relations Commission.
The City Council approved the following agenda items:
• Unanimously approved was an ordinance deferring the implementation of the annual Water/Sewer rate increase as provided in Article II of Chapter 48 of the City of Aurora Code of Ordinances Entitled “Municipal Utility Service” until January 1, 2021.
City government of Aurora documents show a plan to provide rate relief to Aurora water utility users. The resolution will defer the increase already approved for Water Rates in 2020.
The COVID 19 Pandemic has created numerous financial hardships for Aurora residents and businesses. The City has already taken steps to suspend water shutoffs. Staff recommends the deferral of the scheduled rate increase of approximately 5.0% (average bill going from $90.60 to $95.20).
Rate increases are approved by the City Council every two years. As such, no approval was needed to increase rates this July. As noted the rate increase is approximately 5.0%. Due to the deferral of several capital projects in the Water Fund, it is financially able to incur the modest revenue loss from this temporary deferral. Early this year the City Council approved a deferral to October 1, 2020. Due to the continued impact of the COVID 19 Pandemic, staff is recommending a continued deferral of this increase until January 1, 2021.
This resolution will provide rate relief to Aurora water utility users and the Water Fund is financially able to absorb this deferral.
• Approved 10-2 with Ward 10 alderman Judd Lofchie and Ward 9 alderman Edward Bugg voting no was a resolution awarding the Job Order Contracting Vendor Services (JOC) for the City of Aurora to F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates, LLC of Chicago.
• Approved 11-1 with Ward 9 alderman Edward Bugg voting no was a resolution approving the director of purchasing to enter into intergovernmental agreement(s) with various agencies/entities to allow the use of the City of Aurora Job Order Contracting Services program.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing the City treasurer to consent to the mortgage of the leasehold interest of Joliet Avionics, Inc. at the Aurora Municipal Airport.
• Approved was an ordinance granting a revision to the special use permit for a special purpose recreational institution use on the property for Eola Tennis Academy, Inc. at 2320 and 2390 South Eola Road.
• Approved was a special use permit for a religious institution use on the property for Village Bible Church at 1401 W. Galena Boulevard.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing the execution of a local public agency agreement for federal participation with the state of Illinois, the execution of a phase 3 construction engineering agreement with Civiltech Engineering, Inc. not to exceed amount of $174,115.00, and the appropriation of $435,044.00 of REBUILD Illinois Bond funds for the Montgomery Road Bridge Project. A small bridge on Montgomery Road near Ogden Avenue.
• Approved was the purchase of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/public records request management software solution from GovQA of Woodridge with a 5-year contract and an amount not to exceed $130,309.
• Approved was a resolution to award McCarty Park Phase II improvements in Ward 2 to BCI Burke.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing the execution of a local public agency agreement for federal participation with the state of Illinois, the execution of a phase 2 design engineering agreement with Alfred Benesch & Company in the not to exceed amount of $292,794.00, and the appropriation of $300,000.00 of REBUILD Illinois Bond Funds for the Farnsworth Avenue Bridge Project.
• Approved was a resolution establishing OAP and Value HSA(HDHP) health insurance plans and rates effective January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing a renewal agreement with Aetna to administer a Medicare Advantage Plan for Medicare eligible retirees for the period of January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.
• Approved was a resolution establishing Blue Cross Blue Shield Advantage HMO (BCBS) for group health care services for the period of January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.
• Approved was a resolution establishing C.O.B.R.A. insurance monthly rates effective January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021.
• Approved was a resolution establishing health and dental insurance monthly rates of contributions for pre-Medicare retirees effective January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing agreement for administrative services with Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Cigna) for PPO and value HSA(HDHP) group health, prescription benefits management (PBM), flexible spending, dental, vision, C.O.B.R.A. and stop loss plan administration for period January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.
• Approved was a resolution approving an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Aurora and Forest Preserve District of Kane County for the Oakhurst Forest Preserve and adjacent area in Aurora.
• Approved was an ordinance deleting certain property from the redevelopment project area for City of Aurora Downtown Tax Increment Financing District No. 1.
• Approved was a resolution awarding Restoration Techs Aurora as the 2020-2021 contractor for emergency board up services within the City of Aurora.
• Approved was a resolution to approve payment to Tavarez and Son’s Lawn Care for removal of junk and trash services through code violation for the remainder of 2020.
• Approved was a resolution ratifying payment in the amount of $42,849.75 and approving additional payments of $105,715.00 to Richland Community College for police recruit training, lodging and meals in 2020.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing the approval and execution of a lease agreement between the City of Aurora and F.H. Paschen for the lease of office space on the second floor of a City-owned building at 1 S. Broadway, Aurora.
The purpose of the request is to fill a currently partially vacant building owned by the City of Aurora. The F.H. Paschen has found the size of the building’s second floor a fitting location for their new west suburban corporate office.
F.H. Paschen has more than three decades working in construction in infrastructure construction and rehabilitation, renovation and repair work, as well as in alternative delivery methods such as design-build construction, job order contracting and construction manager as contractor. F.H. Paschen serves both the public and private sectors with more than twenty LEED accredited professionals on staff, providing extensive construction experience in heavy civil transportation (including major highways, bridges, and mass transit systems), public works projects, municipal buildings, commercial properties, and private institutions.
The City has established a good working relationship and has had very good previous experiences with F.H. Paschen, where they completed projects as scheduled and on budget. The lower level of DSC, Elmslie/Hogan building repairs and the Route 59 Transit Center Staircase Replacement are just a few.
The proposed lease has an initial term of one year and affords F.H. Paschen the option to extend the lease at the end of the lease term. During the initial lease period, F.H. Paschen will pay the City $29,400 in annual rent or $2,450 per month.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing an agreement with the Fox Valley Park District Police Department, through the Fox Valley Park District, and the Aurora Police Department, through the City of Aurora, for emergency dispatch services.
• Approved was a resolution establishing the maximum number of Class B: On-Site Consumption licenses (unofficially related to the application from Q Bar North, Inc. d/b/a Saddle Up @ Q, at 4440 Ogden Avenue, Aurora.
• Approved was a resolution requesting approval to continue with BenTek Benefits Technology of Palm Beach Gardens, FL as the City’s benefits enrollment and administration software provider for up to 4 additional years for an amount not to exceed $251,184.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing the director of Purchasing to enter into an agreement with Oxie Valley Electric Supply, 1700 Liberty Street, Aurora in the amount of $198,160.00 for the purchase of street lighting poles/standards for East New York Street.
• Approved was a resolution Accepting the improvements and waiving the maintenance security for WASD 129 – McCleery School Improvements – 1002 W. Illinois Avenue.
• Approved was an ordinance repealing and amending various provisions of the Code of Ordinances, City of Aurora, pertaining to the Aurora Public Library.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing the execution of a memorandum of understanding between the City of Aurora, Kane County and the City of Elgin; the participation in the 2020 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program; and the use of the City of Aurora’s portion toward the Aurora Police Department equipment purchase.