By Jason Crane
At the Aurora city government Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, through the Zoom video conference platform, the names of the nine members of Aurora’s Civilian Review Board (CRB) were revealed.
Mayor of Aurora, Richard Irvin established the CRB to review, evaluate, and make recommendations concerning the police department’s activities and efforts in promoting and achieving equity with respect to racial, gender, and cultural diversity in officer recruitment and training.
Starting with 134 applicants, the 9-member Board will review and evaluate the administration and consistency in the imposition of discipline within the department with respect to civilian complaints.
Board members are: Kim Bright, Dr. Timothy Brown, Rajesh Char, Dr. Vincent Gaddis, Jacqueline Gibson, Ginger Ingram, Andrea McMillian, Lily Rocha, and Curtis Wilson.
At the Aurora City Council meeting next week, a lottery will be held for the nine positions, terms to stagger the end date of service.
Three members will serve a one-year term, three members will serve a two-year term, and three members will serve a three-year term.
• More than a dozen speakers, including Aurora Township supervisor William “Bill” Catching and Kane County Board member Monica Silva, spoke out against a plan to build a gas station at the northwest corner of Farnsworth Avenue and Molitor Road.
The speakers, mostly residents near the proposed gas station, together used all of the 30 minutes allowed to express concern, including traffic on Molitor increasing from an already bad situation. This property and the surrounding area are susceptible to flooding and there are concerns that this property will only exacerbate the issue.
There was concern about some areas along the property lines lacking adequate natural and artificial buffers, such as landscaping and fences. Concerns regarding the potential for runoff and damage to well water and existing landscaping.
Engineers replied that the issues have been addressed and will be mitigated.
The petitioners are requesting approval of a preliminary plan and plat for a gasoline station use and are not opening an additional gas station, instead plan to move across the street to a larger property.
The existing Circle K, on the northeast corner will be demolished and sold for a different type of use. There are four pumps with eight fueling positions at the station at 1851 N. Farnsworth Avenue while there seven pumps with 14 fueling positions being proposed at the new location.
Along with the gas station, an approximately 5,200 sq. ft. convenience store is being proposed as well; larger than the 1,500 sq. ft. store on the current property. Due to this property being in the floodplain, a large amount of the property is being utilized as detention/compensatory storage. Roughly 106,000 sq. ft., or 2.43 acres, would be dedicated to open space in order to mitigate the concerns of flooding. As proposed, the building is approximately 150 feet to the nearest residential lot line, and further to the nearest house.
Ward 1 alderman Emmanuel Llamas requested the resolution to be placed on unfinished business for further review, but could be approved as early as next Tuesday.
• A report was given regarding outdoor dining throughout Aurora for the 2021 season, including a newly streamlined temporary outdoor dining application and approval process, as well as a new pilot program for parklets to better accommodate restaurants.
The city government plans to continue the program to offer restaurant patrons more seating options with the continuation of outdoor seating.
• Placed on New Business was a resolution authorizing the acceptance of the donation of frames from Feltes Photography to Public Art.
• Placed on Unfinished Business was a resolution authorizing the execution of a first amendment to the redevelopment agreement previously entered into between the Aurora city government and Bernie Laskowski/Craft Urban.
• Placed on New Business was a resolution authorizing the execution of a revised second amendment to the Y’All LLC (F/K/A Windy City Distribution, Inc.) redevelopment agreement. There is a new buyer.
The City Council gave consent to the following agenda items:
• Consent was given to a resolution approving of third-party administrative services for Cities in Schools to administer the 2021 Summer and after-school programs in the amount not to exceed $163,000.00 for the Community Services Division.
• Consent was given to an ordinance vacating a storm easement, sanitary easement, and a watermain easement on the property located on the east side of Fox Valley Mall, west Route 59, south of New York Street in DuPage County, Aurora.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing well maintenance services for well no. 23 for the Water Production Division.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing a professional services agreement with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc., for the development of a source water protection plan for the Water Production Division.
• Consent was given to a resolution approving the installation of Plymovent systems by Hastings Air Energy Control, Inc. at Aurora Fire Station 4 and Station 5 for reserve vehicles.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the replacement of obsolete programmable logic controllers for the Water Production Division.
• Consent was given to a resolution Authorizing various laboratory water analyses from Eurofins Eaton Analytical, LLC for budget year 2021 for the Water Production Division.
• Consent was given to a resolution allowing the Aurora Police Department to enter into intergovernmental agreements with other local public safety agencies for radio interoperability for mutual aid purposes.
• Consent was given to a resolution establishing the maximum number of Class A: Package Sales liquor licenses (unofficially related to the application from Aurora Mart, LLC d/b/a Galena Liquors, 133 W. Galena Blvd., Aurora.
• Consent was given to a resolution to purchase an Eagle Air Talon II self-contained breathing air (SCBA) compressor and fill station, in the amount of $45,030.00 from SCBAS Inc., of Washington, Ill..
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the director of Purchasing to enter into an agreement with Abbey Paving & Sealcoating Company, Inc., Aurora in the amount of $143,344.15 for the replacement of concrete at Aurora Fire Department Station 5.
• Consent was given to a resolution to allow the Aurora Financial Empowerment Center to apply for a Kane County Grand Victoria Riverboat Grant, to help with staffing of the new financial counseling program.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the City of Aurora’s Division of Communications in the office of the Mayor and the Division of Information Technology in the Office of Innovation & Core Services to enter into an agreement with Duke Energy Corporation (Duke Energy), for the purpose of permitting Duke Energy to publish a digital kiosk case study and related promotional releases.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the director of Purchasing to enter into an agreement with Schroeder Asphalt Services in Huntley in the amount of $894,040.00 for the 2021 Citywide Pavement Patching for water and sewer maintenance.
• Consent was given to a resolution to award a three year contract to Cox Landscaping, LLC in the amount of $83,300.00 per year for the landscape maintenance of rain gardens and miscellaneous storm BMPs project.
• Consent was given to a resolution to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Fox Valley Music Foundation for the calendar year of 2021.
• Consent was given to a resolution authorizing the 2021 Ward Neighborhood Cleanup Program and shred events in all wards in the city of Aurora.
• Consent was given to an ordinance amending chapter 27, sections 27-171 and sec. 27-183 of the code of ordinances, city of Aurora.
Amending this ordinance will allow police cadets the ability to assist in removal of motor vehicles as necessary.
The City’s code discusses the ability for police officers to authorize a tow of vehicles under the two sections. The state statutes regarding tows allow more than a police officer (or peace officer) the ability to remove a vehicle.
• Final approval for items on the consent agenda are set to be made at the March 23 Aurora City Council meeting.