By Jason Crane
The Aurora City Council honored the Metea Valley High School girls soccer team Tuesday, Aug. 9 at the Aurora City Council meeting.
Metea Valley won the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 3A State championship in June. According to Max Preps, the team was number one in the U.S..
• Eight individuals used their voices for up to three minutes each:
Three expressed concern with the City government’s plan to revise the City’s fee structure for video gaming devices to reflect changes made by the General Assembly to the Video Gaming Act in December 2021.
The City Council agreed to place the agenda item on unfinished business for another two weeks to provide a meeting with those concerned.
Another resident spoke to create awareness of issues with a recently-installed basketball court at Village Bible Church on West Galena Boulevard. The speaker claimed the court is used from as early as 7:30 a.m. to as late as 2:30 a.m.. He added the Police have been called more than 17 times in less than a year. He added there aren’t any restrooms, therefore individuals are urinating on neighboring properties. Additional problems include loud music from boom boxes and cars and overflowing garbage containers.
Another resident expressed disappointment with City government staff members after recent approval of an Ordinance to redevelop the vacant property at 970 N. Lake Street. The former Carson Pirie Scott building, vacant since 2017, is planned to be developed into a storage facility and possible car wash.
Three Stonebridge neighborhood residents expressed concern for a proposal where the neighborhood will be divided by north and south and not in one ward any more. They requested the City government maintain a single ward representation for the Stonebridge neighborhood.
• Placed on unfinished business for a second time and held for two weeks was a Resolution setting local fees imposed on video gaming operations.
The purpose is to update and revise Chapter 8 fees related to “Amusements.”
City government of Aurora documents show at the end of 2021, the Illinois legislature amended the Illinois Video Gaming Act to require that any fees enacted under the statute shall be shared equally between the restaurant establishment and the terminal owner. This change has triggered the City government to re-evaluate and update amusement fees. City of Aurora amusement fees were last revised in September 2019.
Annual licensing fees: Under the City’s current fee structure, they only require the video gaming (gambling) terminal owner to be licensed, and do not require the restaurant establishment to be licensed. The City government licenses restaurants and other establishments for having arcade games and pool tables, so the City government wants to license them to have video gaming (gambling) machines. Based on this addition to the annual licensing, both the video gaming (gambling) operator/distributor and the establishment owner will both be required to be licensed, and each will pay an annual fee of $1,000.
Annual operational fees: Under the current operational fee schedule the establishment pays an operator’s fee of $25 a month and the distributor pays a $100 fee (per machine, per month). Because these fees are to be shared equally, the City government increased the total of these combined fees from $125 a month to $150 per month, per machine. This amount was increased and allows for the fee to be evenly split between both the establishment and the distributor.
These revised fees are an increase to current video gambling licensing and operational fees, and will update the City’s fee structure to be in compliance with the State statute.
The City Council approved the following agenda items:
• Approved was a Resolution authorizing the provision of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for Stolp Island Social in the amount of $45,000.
City government of Aurora documents show although staff members will be evaluating assistance requests from businesses throughout the City who experienced debilitating COVID-related financial impacts through the new Re-Start program; the City government has been evaluating case by case assistance to key downtown restaurants in the interim. The Paramount Theater continues its process of returning to a normal theatrical schedule after the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown and has not had a regular summer schedule this year.
The financial ramifications of this and other COVID losses has had an adverse impact on restaurants in the downtown most notably Stolp Island Social that is physically attached to the Paramount. Provision of ARPA Funding (money available to the City through federal funding) will allow Stolp Island Social to bridge the gap between theatrical seasons
The corner of Stolp and Galena Avenue is at the center of the downtown and is a key location in support of a positive downtown experience of dining and entertainment. A lynchpin of the redevelopment of the vacated Waubonsee College building was attracting an experienced and well regarded restaurateur as the ground floor anchor tenant. Amy Morton, daughter of the renowned founder of the steakhouses that bear the family name and owner of two successful and established restaurants in Evanston, signed on and opened the already well reviewed unique restaurant in the fall of 2019.
A robust financial structure to develop this award winning project spearheaded by Community Builders included city, ACCA, township, gaming funds, TIF, and federal assistance for the construction of the Art Center, Artisan Lofts, Coulter Court, and a future restaurant that became Stolp Island Social.
The City government financed most of its $3,500,000 outstanding commitment for this comprehensive development through a Section 108 loan and a Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) loan from the Aurora Township Program. These loans are paid back by various sources including rental payments by the restaurant.
The only City dollars not anticipated to be repaid is a Finish Line grant of $100,000. The $200,000 the city advanced in January of 2020 is scheduled to be paid back after the restaurant pays direct operating expenses. In summary the $45,000 requested, plus the Finish Line grant money are the only City funds that are grants rather than loans or profit participation.
In contrast the restaurant lost approximately $63,000 in 2021 and approximately $200,000 since its on and off opening since the end of last year.
The reason for these losses, even when the restaurant was closed, has much to do with maintaining staff members, reopening expenses and, as mentioned above substantially lower than projected revenues this summer.
Prior to the closing of the restaurant in 2020, Stolp Island Social was on track to exceed $1,750,000 in sales. The city is scheduled to earn approximately 4% of these revenues or about $70,000/year resulting in an approximately three-year payback period once the restaurant achieves profitability.
As the recovery from the pandemic continues, virtually every business has been disrupted by supply chain interruptions, increased costs for materials, and labor shortages which have significantly increased costs when workers can be found to fill jobs. These disruptions and changes to operations have significantly impacted the restaurant industry, so much so that the US Department of the Treasury in its final rule for Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds has provided that agencies receiving ARPA Funding allocations, such as the City, “…can also provide assistance to impacted industries like travel, tourism, and hospitality that faced substantial pandemic impacts…” In contrast to the assistance provided when the building was renovated and the space for Stolp Island Social was redeveloped, this funding is directly related and in direct response to the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on these factors, staff members are recommending an allocation of $45,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding that the City has received. These funds would be utilized to offset decreased revenues to allow for the retention of staff members. The funding would be utilized to help Stolp Island Social bridge the gap until the Paramount reboots with a full season of shows as anticipated in September. Without the funding, hours for staffing will be cut significantly, resulting in many workers taking other jobs and significantly impacting Stolp Island Social’s ability to achieve adequate staffing levels when the Paramount season opens.
Utilization of ARPA funding for this purpose is consistent with use guidelines as provided in the Final Rule. Assistance to small businesses and assistance for impacted industries such as the hospitality industry are specifically named permitted uses for funding allocations. This use of ARPA funding for restaurants is also consistent with City practices. The City Council approved an assistance package including a $41,000 ARPA funding allocation to Al-Tiro in May in response to the negative financial consequences of the Covid pandemic.
Approval of this allocation of funding from the City of Aurora’s ARPA funds will support the continued revitalization of vibrant restaurant locations in support of theater and entertainment activities in the downtown. Without this funding allocation, Stolp Island Social will likely incur significant additional difficulty being able to achieve adequate staffing levels when the Paramount season begins in September. In those cases wherein Stolp Island Social can attract staff members, the costs to do so will be higher than current retention.
• Approved was a Resolution authorizing the execution of labor agreement between the city of Aurora and Aurora Supervisors Association (ASA) of the Aurora Police Department from June 1, 2020 to December 31, 2024.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose is to obtain authorization to execute a labor agreement between the City of Aurora and Aurora Supervisors Association of the Aurora Police Department.
The ASA contract expired May 31, 2020. A rollover was set in place from June 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. Negotiations for a successor contract began in April 2022 between the City of Aurora government and ASA.
The Union ratified the new contract July 12, 2022. Highlights of negotiated terms include hazard pay, updated language to the 115 Trust, and an educational incentive increase. Wage increases are driven by a differential based on the APPO contract.
For 2020 and 2021, the wage increase is 2.5% and 2%, similar to what other bargaining units received in those years. For years 2022 and 2023, the wage increase is 3.5% per year. For 2024, the wage increase is 3%.
• Approved was a Resolution to renew a 12-month agreement with AT&T for Intrastate services in the amount of $115,716.00.
This contract establishes costs to provide intrastate calling rates for inbound and outbound calls at City government locations.
City government of Aurora documents show City intrastate telephony services are provided by circuits from AT&T that terminate at APD, City Hall, and two AT&T locations within the Aurora city limits. These circuits provide access to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) .
It is not a change to services, but a change to the rates provided by AT&T. It represents a 23% increase to the rates supplied in the previous contract signed in 2019. Staff members are requesting this one-year extension to allow for moving to more cost-effective Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) solution.
Without agreeing to this contract and fees, the City would fall to retail rates for these services which are more than double the rates being quoted.
• Approved was a Resolution to accept the low bid from Ramirez Group LLC at 3630 Randolph St., Lansing, Ill. for the repairs to the Stolp Island Place Parking Deck (“SIP”) in the amount of $153,430.00.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose is to maintain the SIP at 5 E. Downer Place in the Central Business District.
The SIP was built in 1991 and provides 350 public parking spaces. The SIP structure is a precast design and shear connectors are used to fasten the precast sections. The connectors used in the 1990’s were steel which is strong however these do rust and corrode over time. Many of the top deck connectors have already been repaired, however starting back in 2015, it was decided to do a more permanent repair that is estimated to last 30 years. The last repairs were done in 2018. Additionally, delaminated concrete repairs and traffic toppings to seal and waterproof the structure are part of the general maintenance. Traffic toppings are recommended every 8-10 years.
Six companies bid on this project. Ramirez Group LLC, Inc was the lowest, responsible bidder and has been recommended by Walker Consultants.
The Local Preference Ordinance does apply to this project, however no local contractors submitted.
There are funds of $107,000 available in an approved decision package, and a budget amendment of $46,500, approved by City Council July 12, in MVPS account 520-4432-437-38-05 for the SIP maintenance repairs.
There will be sections of the parking deck that will be closed during the repairs. Regardless, there should be ample parking spaces for users of the parking deck during construction.
• Approved was a Resolution to award a contract to Hard Rock Concrete Cutters, Inc. in the bid amount of $61,790.00 for the 2022 Sidewalk Cutting Project.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose is to award a Construction Contract for sidewalk maintenance projects throughout the City.
The City maintains more than 530 centerline miles of streets that include sidewalks, pavement markings and bike paths. In addition to the yearly street resurfacing project, the City tries to perform an annual maintenance contract to replace deteriorated sidewalks, deteriorated bike paths, deteriorated pavement and old pavement markings that need to be replaced.
In addition to the City wide sidewalk removal and replacement taking place under Contract 2 by Geneva Construction Company, part of the sidewalk maintenance plan recommended this year is a sidewalk cutting program. This work shall consist of saw cutting existing sidewalk horizontally to remove vertical elevation differences of ¼” up to 1 ¾” on each side of a sidewalk joint. All cutting will leave a non-slip surface in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements with the resulting finish being ADA compliant. The proposed work will complete the areas in the Carillon at Stonegate neighborhood that were not completed in 2021, as well as other subdivisions in Ward 10 and Ward 9.
This project was advertised on June 26, 2022 in the Aurora Beacon News. Several vendors viewed the documents from the City’s website and bids were opened and publicly read on July 15, 2022. The one bid received and lowest responsible bid was submitted by Hard Rock Concrete Cutters, Inc. of Wheeling, in the amount of $61,790.00 which is 19.4% more than the engineer’s cost estimate.
The local preference ordinance does apply to this bid, however no local bidders submitted.
Construction should begin by September and be completed by October. Only minor impacts to pedestrian traffic are expected.