By Jason Crane
Discussions about a residence requirement for city of Aurora police and fire employees was part of the Aurora city government Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, through the Zoom video conference platform.
Rules, Administration and Procedures (RAP) Committee chairperson, alderman Carl Franco, gave an update about the meeting which was held two hours earlier. After the City’s C.H.A.N.G.E. Initiative, the RAP Committee was given the task to research the possibility of requiring police and fire employees to live in Aurora.
He said, “The Committee found that residency for police and fire would definitely be an enhancement for the community. However, with some of the testimony and the pros and cons in there, the process seems fairly overwhelming to accomplish that.
“It would be a contractual type of situation where we don’t believe that would really resonate well with the [police and fire].
“If that were the case and it became an impasse and would go to arbitration. If we were to proceed with this or want this to happen, basically we would have to prove that there’s harm by not having this residency rule. Which, in essence, would be very hard to do because over the last 20 years crime has been reduced in Aurora.
“Based on the challenges going forth with that we felt it would be more appropriate to emphasize residency but based via on the incentives we might be able to impose to bring people in for promotions and stuff like that.
“In a nutshell, as we felt it was a good idea, the challenges are overwhelming and we think we’ll go a different direction to incentivize people to move in as opposed to mandating it.”
Alderman Ted Mesiacos asked two questions, “When residency requirements were changed to allow employees to leave the City, was there any incentive to stay or leave Aurora?
“Was there a financial overview in regards to the impact of our City? Roughly 42% of our employees only live in the city of Aurora?”
Franco deferred to city of Aurora government’s chief financial officer, Marty Lyons, who said, “We did go through that, I went through line by line talking about property tax, sales tax, and various taxes, and it all hinges on the issue of is it somebody who is going to come into town and build a new house, effectively, comparing it to anybody else who might buy a house.
“If it’s the choice between a City employee moving into town or another person moving into town, it’s the same impact to our finances.
“Now, we also did talk about the fact that on average, City wages are higher than the average wage, according to our Census statistics.
“So from that perspective, there could be some marginal increase.
“Under no terms do I see a residency requirement having a negative impact on the economy.”
Alderman Scheketa Hart-Burns said, “It really came from the policeman’s union. One of the points made was we would have more qualified applicants.
“Most, I believe, do live close by, however the concern from the community is they want police and fire to live in the community.”
Hart-Burns included that one concern is it might not be safe for the officers to live in the same area of someone they have arrested.
Alex Alexandrou, chief administrative services officer for the City of Aurora, said, “We are looking forward to taking the report from RAP and fully vetting all the aspects of any incentives that might apply and any programs.”
The City Council gave consent to the following agenda items:
• Consent was given to 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 HR Green, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $895,105.94, and the appropriation of $4,448,257.00 of REBUILD Illinois Bond Funds for the East New York Street – Segment III (Farnsworth Avenue to Welsh Drive) Project.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the execution of real estate contracts to purchase properties and to appropriate motor fuel tax funds required for the East New York Street – Segment III (Farnsworth Avenue to Welsh Drive) Project, Section 14-00210-02-PV, in the amount of $21,500.00.
• Consent was given to an ordinance designating the city of Aurora Fox Valley Mall Area Tax Increment Financing District redevelopment project area.
• Consent was given to an ordinance approving the city of Aurora Fox Valley Mall Area Tax Increment Financing District, redevelopment project area, redevelopment plan and project.
• Consent was given to an ordinance adopting Tax Increment Financing for the city of Aurora Fox Valley Mall Area Tax Increment Financing District.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the execution of phase 2 design engineering amendment #1 with HR Green, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $94,402.31 for the East New York Street – Segment III (Farnsworth Avenue to Welsh Drive) Project.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the purchase of a replacement 2021 Ford Utility Police Interceptor from Currie Motors for $37,183.00.
• Consent was given to a resolution entering into an agreement for a traffic impact analysis addendum for Orchard Road and Bushwood Drive property access with Iteris, Inc.
• Consent was given to a resolution establishing the maximum number of Class B: On-site consumption licenses (unofficially related to the application from El Burrito Loco-Aurora, Inc., d/b/a El Burrito Loco, at 880 N. Farnsworth Ave.).
• Consent was given to a resolution to award a contract to HR Green, Inc. in the amount of $182,000 for design engineering services in accordance with resolution R19-053 a redevelopment agreement with Aurora Town Center Associates for engineering design work associated with phase I of the agreement.
• Consent was given to a resolution to reject all bids for 2021/2022 materials and supplies for the electrical division.
• Consent was given to an ordinance amending Chapter 49 of the Code of Ordinances, City of Aurora, commonly known as the “Aurora Zoning Ordinance”
• Consent was given to an ordinance amending Chapter 34 of the Code of Ordinances, City of Aurora, in its entirety and repealing conflicting prior enactments
• Consent was given to a resolution appointing Judy Durham to the Block Grant Working Committee.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing and approving an extension of the intergovernmental agreement between the city of Aurora and the Village of Plainfield.
The purpose of approving boundary agreements with neighboring municipalities allows each respective community to adequately plan for future growth, and fund necessary improvements in anticipation of meeting the needs of properties being annexed in the future. Development can then be based upon sound financial, land use and transportation planning.
September 13, 2000 the city of Aurora approved a jurisdictional boundary agreement with the Village of Plainfield with ordinance O2000-091 which has expired. Staff members from Aurora and the Village of Plainfield worked together to create the updated agreement, a boundary map, and corresponding legal description.
The boundary line as drawn in the agreement set forth is primarily the same line as from the 2000 agreement. The proposed boundary agreement gives both municipalities the opportunity to clearly define maintenance responsibilities spelled out in the actual jurisdictional boundary agreement. The city of Aurora will have the ability to annex the parcels north of the boundary line.
City of Aurora government staff members anticipate this project will increase the City’s overall tax base, by facilitating investment and development, which will offset any incidental department or staffing impacts. Additionally, certain impacts will be augmented by the applicable impact fees.
Final approval is set to be made at the November 10 Aurora City Council meeting.