By Jason Crane
The Aurora City Council approved the following mayoral appointments at the Tuesday, July 9 City Council meeting:
•Approved was a Resolution appointing Carlos Anaya to the Innovation and Technology Advisory Commission.
•Approved was a Resolution appointing Gloria Ramos, Keshav Varma, and Delainey Baran to the Aurora Youth Council. City government of Aurora documents show Gloria Ramos is a resident of the 1st Ward and a student at Batavia High School. Keshav Varma is a resident of the 8th Ward and a student at Waubonsie Valley High School. Delainey Baran is a resident of the 5th Ward and a student at Kaneland High School.
•Approved was a Resolution appointing Christopher Linville as superintendent of the Fleet Operations Department.
•Approved was a Resolution appointing Jon Zaghloul as communications manager.
•Approved was a Resolution appointing Matthew Winthers as video production manager.
•Approved was a Resolution appointing Thomas King as brand and marketing manager.
•The presentations of awards for city of Aurora staff members at the July 9 Aurora City Council meeting can be viewed on the city government of Aurora’s YouTube page after the 5 minute mark by clicking here.
•Many individuals used their voices for various reasons up to three minutes each: Comments can be viewed on the city government of Aurora’s YouTube page after the 24-minute mark by clicking here.
The City Council approved the following agenda items:
•Approved was a Resolution authorizing the city of Aurora government to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Census Bureau to conduct a Special Census for $1,005,968.00.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose of this item is to obtain City Council approval, through an MOA with the Census Bureau, to conduct a Special Census for the City of Aurora in early 2025.
In August of 2021, the City received the results of the Decennial Census, which reported a shocking loss of approximately 17,000 residents. This reported loss followed an American Community Survey (ACS) population estimate of 197,757 provided in July of 2019, and a self-response rate of 73.8% during the 2020 Census, a 2% increase over our 2010 rate. In the time following the reported results, staff have been actively engaged in a review process as well as planning for the future.
The MOA and payment are both due to the Census Bureau by August 14, 2024, in order for the City to proceed with a Special Census in early 2025. The submission of this document for City Council approval represents due diligence of staff members, including representatives from the Mayor’s Office, the GIS Division, Finance, our Census Consultant and our Federal Lobbyist. The map of the area underwent several revisions prior to the agreement of both parties (the City and the Census Bureau).
Several revisions were required due to a new requirement for Special Census’ – contiguity. The map requires complete census tracts located in the jurisdiction and each area to be counted must be contiguous and connected.
Early in the process, staff indicated to the City Council a plan to conduct two Special Census’, one to “recapture” our missing residents in the central part of the city and one to capture new development. The new contiguity requirement combined with the State Law that a Census Tract may only be counted once every ten years eliminated the two-phase plan and our GIS team shifted focus and began working towards a new map to identify and incorporate high priority areas.
•Approved was a Resolution authorizing the engagement of Korn Ferry for consulting services related to the compensation of the City’s elected officials in a total contract amount not to exceed $23,940.00 on matters related to the formation and making of a recommendation for compensation adjustments of elected officials pursuant to the Local Government Officer Compensation Act.
City government of Aurora documents show City officials are requesting authorization for Korn Ferry to conduct a market survey for the purpose of making recommendations regarding compensation for elected officials pursuant to the Local Government Compensation Act.
Illinois law places the duty of setting the compensation of the mayor and the aldermen on the Council.
Korn Ferry is a vendor of the City, known for the “Hay Study” making compensation and benefit recommendations for City employees. At the request of the Finance Committee, Human Resources obtained a quote. The quote was presented and received consensus at the Thursday, June 27, 2024 Finance Committee, staff was directed to create an item for consideration on new business at the Tuesday, July 2, 2024 Committee of the Whole Meeting.
The study will include the following:
•Evaluation of the aldermanic and mayoral compensation;
•Create a custom peer group of up to 15 midwest cities comparable in size complexity and governance style to Aurora;
•Gather publicly available data for the role of mayor and alderman for each city in the peer group;
•Analysis and presentation of the publicly available data gathered;
•Market pricing of each job by KF Hay points against the KF database for public sector;
•Formal write up and delivery of analysis;
•Delivery in 2-3 weeks.
When the report becomes available, a presentation will be provided regarding the recommendations at the Finance Committee.
Approval of this resolution will provide for a third-party vendor to conduct a study and provide recommendations for elected officials compensation.
•Approved was a Resolution authorizing the third amendment to the second amended and restated lease between Holcim-MAMR, Inc., formerly known as LaFarge Aggregates Illinois, Inc., and the City of Aurora.
The purpose is to clarify specific language in the existing lease agreement as the Third Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Lease between Holcim and the City of Aurora without needing to renegotiate any terms.
City government of Aurora documents show the Holcim limestone mine is located at the intersection of Interstate 88 and IL Highway 25. The mine is approximately 200 to 400 feet below grade, is located in both Aurora and North Aurora, and is mainly used to produce limestone and dolomite aggregates for construction uses. The portion of the mine located in Aurora is typically referred to as the south mine and currently has two distinct levels with a third level to be constructed in the future. The first two levels of the mine are almost spent (completely excavated) and thus are longer useful for material production.
Lengthy discussions between Holcim and the City have produced two options for disposal of lime residual material produced by the City’s water treatment process. Initially the Illinois EPA issued an Underground Injection Control permit in 2015 to pump lime slurry to excavated areas of the south mine. This method was not implemented. Subsequently in 2016 an alternate transfer method to place dried lime residual material into the Holcim mine was conceived. Additional regulatory approvals were needed for the alternate transfer method. In 2023 legislative approval was received via House Bill 3095 and signed by the governor in July 2023. This approval requires the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) to adopt rules for the placement of municipal utility-generated limestone residuals in a limestone mine that is located in whole or in part below the municipality, effective January 1, 2024. The City and Holcim are proactively working with the IEPA to craft regulatory language for submittal to the IPCB.
The purpose of this amendment is to explicitly clarify that Holcim maintains the right to mine the 3rd level should the city not move forward or does not obtain the required regulatory approval. In addition, a lease extension through December 31, 2025, allows for the IPCB rule-making process to occur as well as related engineering/construction for the alternate transfer disposal method.
The recitals listed in the attached proposed third amendment (Exhibit A) clearly describe the pertinent history of this matter.
The proposed resolution authorizes an amendment to the lease agreement which clarifies the city’s position that Holcim may continue mining operations in the South Mine if for any reason lime residual disposal operations at the mine do not proceed. Approval of this resolution will extend the existing lease between the City and Holcim while both parties work cooperatively to pursue regulatory approval.
•Approved was a Resolution authorizing the director of the Purchasing Department to accept proposals from Alarm Detection Systems (ADS), National Technologies, Inc. (NTI), and Scientel Solutions, Inc. totaling $952,690.45 for IT and Security Infrastructure at the new Public Works Combined Maintenance Facility.
City government of Aurora documents show the purpose is to accept proposals from the above referenced companies to provide critical IT and security infrastructure for the new facility.
The Public Works Department is consolidating personnel and equipment from a handful of maintenance divisions (Electrical, Streets, Fleet, Water & Sewer, and Water Meter Maintenance) into a new, combined maintenance facility on a 25.4-acre city-owned parcel near Liberty and New York Streets. Construction of the main building is ongoing and is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2024 or shortly thereafter.
In order to ensure that all IT and security related infrastructure which is required at the site and in the new building is consistent and compatible with existing systems utilized throughout the City, the project’s design and management team enlisted the City’s IT Department to aid in the design and contracting of these services.