Aurora City Council could approve health care savings

Amy Roth
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Aurora aldermen are expected to approve a three-year contract with a health care benefit consulting firm during their next regular City Council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 9. The Committee of the Whole participants passed the agreement to the City Council for approval.

The city government has worked with Group Alternatives, Inc. since 2015, said Aurora human resources director Alisia Lewis. Group Alternatives specializes in controlling costs and maximizing benefit offerings for large employers.

The firm’s recommendation to convert Medicare-eligible retirees to Aetna Medicare Advantage this year resulted in a reduction to city funding of $4 Million, Lewis said.

Payment for the first year of the contract (2019), is $43,400, with subsequent payments of $50,000 each in 2020 and 2021.

In other business, aldermen will vote Tuesday on an ordinance to amend the current year’s city budget.

Chief financial officer Martin Lyons said among other overruns, the Special Events Division saw an expenditure increase of $39,500 for costs associated with crowd control fencing for parades. Lyons said the fencing was a good value from the perspective of both participants and public safety professionals, and that the city government will continue to outsource parade fencing next year.

Another expenditure increase, totaling $170,000, covers snow cleanup from earlier this year.

If the proposed budget amendment is approved, expenditures in the 2018 budget will increase from $417,941,910 to $422,088,710. The total amendment across all funds of $4,146,800 is offset by revenues of $3,389,000.

No additional revenues are required for the changes, Lyons said. He added, “This is not an amendment requesting a tax increase to businesses or residents.”

• On the consent agenda will be a liquor license request for AC’s Pub, which is to be at 2124 W. Galena, the home of the former Hound’s Blue Moon restaurant. AC’s Pub owner Steve Edwards said he is remodeling the interior of the building and hopes AC’s will open November 1.

• Aldermen were apprised of Halloween Trick or Treat hours of 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31.

• The Winter Lights activity will be staged downtown from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16.

• Held over to the next meeting were two items concerning East Aurora School District 131.

• There was no discussion on a resolution to enter into an agreement concerning “reciprocal reporting of criminal and quasi-criminal offenses” of students between East Aurora School District 131 and the city of Aurora through the Aurora Police Department for this school year.

• There was no discussion on a resolution for the city, through the police department, to enter into an agreement with the School District 131 concerning the Police School Resource Officer Program and the Crossing Guard Program.

• The attorney who worked on the resolutions was unable to attend the Tuesday meeting.

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