By Jason Crane
The Aurora City Council approved an ordinance amending Sec. 2-277(c) of the Code of Ordinances pertaining to the qualifications of the department heads of the City, at the Tuesday, July 8, City Council meeting.
Ward 2 alderwoman, Juany Garza, and Ward 10 alderwoman, Shweta Baid, voted against the ordinance.
The purpose is to revise the City Code requirement that the heads of the City’s departments must reside in the City.
City government of Aurora documents show in August 2017, during the City Council’s deliberations on proposed restructuring of the City’s departments and divisions, alderpersons began to discuss the concept of prospectively requiring department heads to become residents of the City within one year of their appointment.
Because the Rules, Administration, and Procedures Committee did not yet exist, deliberations on this concept occurred directly at City Council and led to the adoption of a residency requirement for all department heads appointed after September 12, 2017.
While a majority of the Council believed that requiring residency was important to ensure that senior City staff members maintained a strong connection to the City and participated in the community, other members expressed concern that a requirement might it difficult to recruit and retain qualified personnel.
Since the adoption of Ordinance O17-063, the Council has granted extensions to department heads who required additional time to establish residency in the City and considered broadening the requirement to other classes of employees.
In the eight years since the residency requirement was enacted, the housing market has become significantly tighter, increasing both the costs and the difficulty of relocation. Moreover, while Aurora government salaries are competitive with those offered by other communities as well as those in the private sector, the residency requirement potentially makes Aurora government positions less attractive. This can be particularly problematic when a qualified candidate may have children enrolled in schools or a spouse or partner whose own employment may be adversely impacted by relocation.
City officials believe revision of the residency requirement should have a positive impact on the City’s ability to recruit and retain qualified professionals to fill positions of significant responsibility in the City. Prior to 2017, no such residency requirement existed, but most department heads chose to reside in and near Aurora.
•A Resolution was approved to authorize the renovation of existing space in the Aurora Police Department (APD) Investigations Unit to support a digital forensic program workspace at a cost of $312,503.02.
City government of Aurora documents show digital forensics is crucial for law enforcement due to the increasing reliance on devices and online activity to plan and commit crimes. The APD has seen explosive growth in the number of cases involving some nexus to digital technology.
Digital forensics provides law enforcement with the tools and techniques necessary to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence during the investigation and prosecution of crimes. The complicated process of extracting and presenting digital data in a way prosecutors, judges, and juries can understand requires specialized equipment and training.
At this time, APD employs one full-time civilian digital forensics investigator and is currently in the hiring process for a second full-time civilian digital forensics investigator. APD plans to request a full-time civilian digital forensics analyst position in the upcoming 2026 budget process. Currently, the specialized equipment required for these tasks is housed in a cramped, makeshift forensics lab, located in a crudely converted storage closet within the secured Investigations Unit.
A viable solution for needed space and growth was identified in a seldom-used conference room located in the Investigations Unit. The room offers approximately three times the space as the currently used storage closet. The area offers restricted access and will provide an acceptable workspace for the tasks performed by the digital forensics investigator and analyst.
The City retained Kluber Architects + Engineers to create plans for the room renovation.
This engineering fee was borne by the City’s Central Services Department. After review and approval of the specifications and design plans, the City published solicitation 25-151 on April 18, 2025 and received bids from the following companies:
Carmichael Construction, Inc. (Marengo, Ill.)
Kandu Construction, Inc. (Skokie, Ill.)
KWCC Inc. (Montgomery, Ill.)
Lindblad Construction (Joliet, Ill.)
Lite Construction, Inc. (Montgomery, Ill.)
The bidding process closed on May 7, 2025 at 11 a.m., at which time OpenGov unsealed all submissions. Carmichael Construction, Inc. submitted the lowest responsible bid of $185,990.00. Kluber Architects + Engineers conducted a contractor bid scope review and determined the low bid submission of Carmichael Construction, Inc. to be responsive and complete.
Interiors for Business, Inc. was selected to provide additional furnishings for this workspace utilizing a cooperative purchasing agreement under OMNIA contract #R191814 and GSA contract #GS-28F-00335. Total cost of said furnishings is $98,103.65
A ten percent (10%) project contingency of $28,409.37 is requested for this project.
The bid tabulation, specifications, proposal, plan drawings, and pictures are attached.
This bid was subject to the Local Preference Ordinance; however, no Aurora contractor submitted a bid for consideration.
Carmichael Construction, Inc. is not indebted to the City
This project is an approved 2025 Decision Package funded in account #256-3536-421.38-05 (Department of Justice asset forfeiture funding) and is an allowable expense under the US Department of Justice Equitable Sharing Program. A budget amendment will be entered to add additional funding as needed for this project utilizing asset forfeiture funds.
Approval of this resolution will allow the Police Department to renovate existing space in the APD Investigations Unit to accommodate and provide a workflow in an orderly and more efficient manner.
•A Resolution was approved to authorize the appointment of Tracey Vacek and Nicholas Richard-Thompson to the Tree Board.
City government of Aurora documents show the nomination brought forth represents two new candidates:
- Tracey Vacek – director of the City’s Zoning and Planning Department.
- Nicholas Richard-Thompson, deputy chief of staff.
•A Resolution was approved to authorize acceptance of the low bid from Bennett & Brosseau Roofing, Inc. for the roof replacement of the 5th Floor City Hall and 77 S. Broadway DSC, in the amount totaling $687,300.00 and a five percent (5%) contingency of $34,365.00.
The purpose is to obtain the City Council’s approval to accept the lowest bid of Bennett & Brosseau Roofing, Inc. totaling $687,300.00 for the replacement of the two (2) roofs one (1) located at 5th Floor of City Hall, 44 E. Downer Place and the second roof located at the Development Service Center, 77 S. Broadway.
City government of Aurora documents show in 2024, following numerous spot repairs for roof leaks on the 5th Floor of City Hall and the roof at 77 S. Broadway DSC, the Public Facilities Department carried out a thorough evaluation. This assessment confirmed significant deterioration of both roofs, indicating the need for complete replacement.
In 2025, the City’s Public Facilities Department retained Kluber Architects and Engineers. Along with Olsson Roofing, they conducted core sampling and used infrared testing, along with best construction practices, to create roof replacement specifications.
For the roof replacement phase, Kluber Architects and Engineers, in collaboration with the City of Aurora, published Bid 25-126, “City Hall & Broadway Roof Replacement,” on April 18, 2025, and received three bids, one was disqualified.
Of the two bids received, Bennett & Brosseau Roofing, Inc. of Romeoville, Ill., submitted the lowest, and most responsible bid of $687,300.00. A five percent contingency of $34,365.00 is requested for this project.
This bid is part of an approved decision package, for which monies are available in account 340-4411-417.38-05 of the 2025 budget.
The City’s Local Preference Ordinance did apply to this bid.
Bennett & Brosseau Roofing, Inc. is not indebted to the City.