By Jason Crane
Discussions at the Aurora City Council meeting Tuesday, through the Zoom video conference platform, included requiring a certified statement of expenses detailing line items to a contractor’s statement and an owner’s statement to be included as part of an amendment to a redevelopment agreement before the City loans another $1.5 Million for the redevelopment of the former Copley Hospital on South Lincoln Avenue in Aurora.
According to documents by the City government of Aurora the reason for the loan request is the unexpected withdrawal of the project lender and to keep the project on schedule, allowing East Aurora School District 131 to relocate its offices to the facility in the fall. The School District is willing to add $1.5 Million in addition to the city government’s $1.5. Million.
Tenth Ward alderman Judd Lofchie requested the City require a sworn contractor’s statement and an owner’s statement to be included as part of the amendment before the City loans another $1.5 Million for the project.
Alderman-at-large Sherman Jenkins said, “Come on! We’re starting to get ridiculous with this. Staff has already said we have the ability to do this. Now we want to get nit-picky? Stop it! Stop it!”
Alderman-at-large Robert O’Connor defended the request by Lofchie and said, “Much respect to you alderman-at-large Jenkins, but this is not nit-picky. It’s the language that’s completely appropriate. I don’t see any reason why it just isn’t put in there. That’s fine!”
Third Ward alderman Ted Mesiacos, an architect, abstained.
David Dibo, director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development said, “We are in control here. We will not fund these dollars until and unless we get the exact documentation that we require verifying that these are the exact costs to complete the project.”
The amendment was unanimously approved for the redevelopment agreement.
City of Aurora corporation counsel, Rick Veenstra, stated the language added would read, “And further be it ordained, that prior to any disbursement pursuant to this agreement, the City shall request and obtain from the developer, a certified statement of expenses detailing line items per cost category, including, but not limited to a contractor’s statement and an owner’s statement.”