Aurora mayor John Laesch, alongside City of Aurora officials, were host to the first listening session of the new Mayoral Administration Thursday, focusing on the future of downtown Aurora.
“Let’s Talk Downtown: A Community Conversation” started mayor Laesch’s City-wide listening tour, in which Laesch will speak directly with residents, businesses, and community leaders to gather valuable feedback on the current direction of the City.
A second listening session for downtown businesses is scheduled for at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 21 at Society 57, 100 S. River Street. More listening sessions are currently being planned, and will take place across the entirety of Aurora, including the West Side, East Side, and Far East Side.
“One thing that I campaigned on was the idea of doing listening sessions around the City,” Mayor Laesch said. “This is the first of those listening sessions.”
Business owners, employees, and property owners, all of whom pay in to the City’s Special Service Area (SSA) Number One, were on hand to share successes, challenges, goals, and input that will help shape the path forward for Aurora’s vibrant downtown district.
“With the SSA One fund, this is a tax that you [downtown businesses] pay, and you should have a say in how that money is spent,” Laesch said.
—City of Aurora government