Aurora Mayor’s Youth Service Leadership Award presented

By Jason Crane

The Aurora City Council welcomed scouts from Pack 712 and Troop 11 at the City Council meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Mayor pro-tem, Mike Saville presented the Mayor’s Youth Service Leadership Awards for a variety of community service projects to more than a dozen scouts.

Troop 11 has been active in Aurora for 107 years.

The award presentation can be viewed on the city government of Aurora’s YouTube page after the 7 minute mark by clicking here.

One individual used his voice for up to three minutes: His comment can be heard on the city government of Aurora’s YouTube page after the 22 minute mark by clicking here.

The City Council approved the following agenda items:

• Approved was a Resolution appointing Kameron DeBoer as manager of the City’s Animal Control Department.

City government of Aurora documents show at this time, DeBoer is the kennel programs and operations manager for Kane County Animal Control.

• Approved was a Resolution appointing Oscar Ramirez, Jr. to the Aurora Veteran’s Advisory Board.

City government of Aurora documents show the nomination brought forth represents one new candidate. Ramirez, Jr. is the owner of Tribe Staffing and a retired Marine after serving 21 years.

• Approved was a Resolution appointing Anderson Lee to the Aurora Planning and Zoning Commission.

City government of Aurora documents show the nomination brought forth represents one new candidate.

Anderson Lee is a resident of Ward 7 and a senior manager of Intelligence Engagement at CompTIA.

• Approved was an Ordinance authorizing the execution of a new lease of real estate agreement between the City of Aurora government and T D Hangar, LLC for lease of real estate at the Aurora Municipal Airport.

The purpose is to obtain City Council approval of a lease agreement between the City of Aurora and T D Hangar, LLC for the construction of an airplane hangar at the Aurora Municipal Airport.

City government of Aurora documents show at the direction of the mayor’s office, the City sent out a request for development proposals concerning two parcels Parcel A and Parcel B in July of this year. The City received one proposal, August 9, from Andy Faville for the development of Parcel A. Faville would like to build a corporate hangar for his business just west of the Airport. Faville owns three aircraft including a Cessna Citation business jet.

Faville intends to construct a 110’ x 110’ steel building with a brick-faced entrance incorporating exterior lighting, landscaping and a parking lot. The interior of the building will feature offices with kitchen and bath facilities. The hangar space will provide an overhead crane to perform maintenance on his aircraft.

City officials have stressed the importance of this location being on the main gateway of the airport and have requested premium building materials, landscaping and lighting, and the need for this property to be well maintained.

The approval of this lease will allow the construction of needed hangar space at the Airport. In addition, the approval of this lease could bring in more revenue by way of rent, additional rent, and higher fuel sales. In addition to revenue, this hangar will be a visual enhancement to the airport.

• Approved was a Resolution establishing the maximum number of Class D: Downtown Core On-Site Consumption liquor licenses (unofficially related to the application from Amore Mio J&G Corp. at 31-33 W. New York Street in Ward 6).

The purpose is to increase the number of Class D: Downtown Core On-Site Consumption liquor licenses. A new business, Amore Mio J&G Corp., at 31-33 W. New York St. would like to offer alcohol for on-site consumption on their menu. Amore Mio has submitted a liquor license application for review.

Staff members from the restaurant said they hope to open at the end of October.

City government of Aurora documents show this request is presented in accordance with the 2011 amendment to the City’s Liquor Ordinance, specifically Section 6-9(a), which charges the City Council with the authority to determine the number of licenses available in each classification.

Amore Mio has submitted a liquor license application to offer alcohol for sale for on-site consumption in their new restaurant. If approved, this liquor license will allow the sale of alcohol during business hours. Amore Mio plans to offer a full menu of Italian food.

The owners of Amore Mio are the same owners of Altiro Latin Fusion – Aurora, at 1 S. Stolp Avenue, who have a liquor license for on-site consumption since 2020.

If approved, this resolution will increase the number of allowable liquor licenses A to allow for the issuance of the license by the liquor commissioner. City staff members have been working closely with the business to ensure that all requirements for a liquor license, as set forth in Chapter 6 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, are met.

• Approved was an Ordinance authorizing execution of and establishing the costs of recapture for a portion of the sanitary sewer improvements east of Eola Road and South of Diehl Road.

City government of Aurora documents show this recapture is to establish the cost of the recapture and establish the benefitting properties.

Section 43-92 of the City Ordinance allows for the City to adopt a recapture ordinance for reimbursement that a private developer/subdivider, who have installed and completed certain improvements that will provide direct benefit to future subdivisions or developments.

Scientel Solution, LLC is the owner of 2001 N. Eola Road and 2021 N. Eola Road. These properties are part of the Eola Venture I Conditional Use Planned Development. In 2018, Scientel constructed their headquarters at 2021 N. Eola Road. As part of the construction, Scientel extended an offsite 12” sanitary sewer line on the east side of the property from the north property line of Metea Valley High School to the north property line of Scientel Solution, LLC to service not only the headquarter building but future development.

As part of the Annexation Agreement, a Recapture Agreement for a portion of offsite sanitary sewer line was entered into on December 14, 2010, between the City of Aurora, Yorkville Partners II, LLC, Eola Ventures I, LLC (now owned by Scientel Solutions, LLC) and Ronald, John, and Richard Cibulskis, depicting the portion of the offsite sanitary sewer line that can be recapture and indicating each party’s share of said sanitary sewer improvements.

Therefore, the Petitioner is requesting recapture from the Yorkville Partners II, LLC Property and from the Cibulskis Property (Benefited Properties) for a portion of the Sanitary Sewer Improvements which includes the design, permitting, construction, and easement acquisition of a 12-inch sanitary sewer line from the north property line of Midwest Generation, LLC to the north property line of Scientel Solution, LLC. Upon connection to the Sanitary Sewer, the City will collect the recapture amount from the Yorkville Partners II, LLC Property and from the Cibulskis Property and distribute to Scientel. This City is not subject to the recapture.

The total cost of the Sanitary Sewer Improvements from the north property line of Midwest Generation, LLC to the north property line of Scientel Solution LLC is $480,804.46 and the total recapture cost is $389,451.60. The properties that benefit and breakdown of recapture amount are shown on Exhibit “C” Benefited Properties.

These improvements have been completed and found to be acceptable by the City.

The requested amounts, submitted by Scientel, are based on actual construction costs incurred or comparable unit cost for similar items provided. The City’s Engineering Division has reviewed the requested items and recapture amounts. The submitted costs are reasonable and comparable to unit price received on City’s projects.

By Scientel Solutions, LLC constructing this improvement it allows for future development creating more tax base for the City. The is no cost to the City for this recapture.

• Approved was an Ordinance authorizing execution of and establishing the costs for the Scientel Solutions, LLC Recapture Agreement for the upsizing of watermain and roadway improvements east of Eola Road and south of Diehl Road.

City government of Aurora documents show this recapture is to authorize the execution of and establish the cost of the recapture to the benefitting properties.

Section 43-92 of the City Ordinance allows for the City to adopt a recapture ordinance for reimbursement that a private developer/subdivider, who have installed and completed certain improvements that will provide direct benefit to future subdivisions or developments.

Scientel Solution, LLC, is the owner of 2001 N. Eola Road and 2021 N. Eola Road. In 2018, they constructed their headquarters at 2021 N. Eola Road which included certain onsite and offsite improvements.

As part of these improvements, the City required the watermain to be upsized, increasing from 8” to a 12” looped watermain across Eola Road in order to serve future developments and DuPage County Department of Transportation also required Scientel to construct a right-hand turn lane within the Eola Road right of way to serve their property as well as the property to the south.

Therefore, the Petitioner is requesting recapture for the water upsizing from the Yorkville Partners II, LLC property and from the Cibulskis property, properties that benefitted, and is requesting recapture for the roadway improvements from the Cibulskis Property (benefitting property). Upon connection to the watermain, the City will collect the recapture amount from the Yorkville Partners II, LLC property and from the Cibulskis property and distribute to Scientel. Upon development of the Cibulskis Property, the City will collect the recapture amount from Cibulskis and distribute to Scientel. The City is not subject to the recapture.

The total cost for the water upsizing is $58,758.00 and the total cost of the roadway improvements is $399,283.00. The total recapture cost is for the water upsizing is $58,758.00 and the total recapture cost of the roadway improvements is $199,641.50.

These improvements have been completed and found to be acceptable by the City.

The requested amounts, submitted by Scientel, are based on actual construction costs incurred or comparable unit cost for similar item provided. The City’s Engineering Division has reviewed the requested items and recapture amounts. The submitted costs are reasonable and comparable to unit price received on City’s projects.

By Scientel Solutions, LLC constructing this improvement it allows for future development to increase the tax base for the City. The is no cost to the City for this recapture.

• Approved was a Resolution authorizing the City to accept a grant award of $487,000 from the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA)-Strong Communities Program Round 2 for the maintenance and demolition of abandoned and blighted residential properties.

The purpose is to obtain City Council approval of a grant to be used to for the maintenance of abandoned and blighted residential properties while going through the demolition process.

City government of Aurora documents show the grant will allow the City to board up unsecured residential structures, keep the exterior of the structures free of debris and the grass maintained while going through the demolition process.

The grant will provide $487,000 of funding to board up unsecured residential structures, keep the exterior of the structures free of debris and the grass maintained while going through the demolition process. These steps will keep the structures secured and minimizing potential hazards and safety issues to the community.

Revenues will be placed 101-1827-334.30-02

The expense account will be 101-1827-424.36-25

This resolution must be approved in order to be accept the grant award and use the funds made available through IHDA-Strong Communities Program Round 2 and not use the city funding.

• Approved was an Ordinance terminating the designation of the River City Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area and Dissolving the River City Special Tax Increment Allocation Fund.

City government of Aurora documents show in order to close a TIF, the City must notify the taxing bodies in which the TIF is of the intent to close the District. This notification provides all taxing bodies early information on the potential new tax base that will be accessible for their respective 2024 tax levies to be collected during calendar year 2025.

TIF #3 – known as the River City Area TIF District – was created in 2000 and is just south of the City’s former TIF District #1 (that expired in December 2022) and straddles both sides of the Fox River. The boundaries are generally described as being east of River Street, north of North Avenue, south of Benton Street, and west of LaSalle Street. A key redevelopment project that was included in this TIF was the reimbursement of River Street Plaza.

TIF#3 started in 2000 with an assessed value of $5.06 million and at this time has an assessed value of $13.152 million, a growth of $8.092 million or 160% over the life of the district.

The estimated tax increment revenue for calendar year 2023 is approximately $701,000. During 2023 two parcels were removed from TIF 3 to create the new Cross St TIF District. These two parcels have a 2022 levy year taxable value of $261,037 and they generate $23,107 in total property tax revenue with approximately $12,023 attributable to the TIF and approximately $11,000 distributed to the overlapping taxing districts for the 2022 levy year.

There may be additional incremental revenue through the end of next year as the TIF closes, but additional revenues for this TIF should relatively minor. The amount in new taxes to possibly receive, without any negative impact on taxpayers throughout the City. These amounts can be claimed by the overlapping districts in their 2024 levy year taxes payable during calendar year 2025.

The closure of TIF #3 will provide an increasing tax base to the overlapping taxing bodies in the City of Aurora and has the potential to provide increased tax revenues of approximately $700,000 annually.

The City of Aurora completes several annual financial reports that must be accepted and placed on file by the City Council.

Each year the City is required to complete various financial reports and these reports are audited by independent auditor Sikich LLP. These reports are as follows:

The 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) – This report provides a complete review of the status of the City of Aurora finances as of and for the year ended December 31, 2022. It also provides historical data on a variety of revenue, expense, and financing activities as well as relevant statistical information.

The 2022 Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District financial reports – These reports provide a report on compliance with Public Act 85-1142 for each TIF District for 2022.

The 2022 Single Audit – This report provides a compliance review in accordance with the federal OMB Compliance Supplement for the City’s federal grant programs.

The 2022 Illinois Grant Accountability and Transparency Act – Consolidated Year End Financial Report – This report provides a summary and report on compliance for the City’s state grant programs.

Sikich LLP has provided the City with an unqualified opinion regarding the 2022 ACFR, meaning the City has fairly stated its financial position in the audit reports. Specific recommendations regarding financial operations will be discussed by the Auditor with the Finance Committee, and these recommendations are included in the Board Communications.

Completion of the ACFR each year is required under state statute in Illinois and completion of an ACFR, a GATA Report, and a Single Audit Report is required for grant funding each year. Failure to complete and these reports would forfeit state and federal grant funds and violate state statute.

• Approved was a Resolution authorizing an intergovernmental agreement between the city of Aurora and Batavia Public School District No. 101 concerning tax increment financing districts in the vicinity of Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road.

City government of Aurora documents show the City and the School District desire to enter into an intergovernmental agreement to memorialize their mutual agreement and understanding concerning, and to set forth their rights and responsibilities regarding, a new TIF District in the vicinity of Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road (“Agreement”).

Pursuant to the Illinois Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act, 65 ILCS 5/11-74.4-1 et seq. (“TIF Act”), in 2011, the City established the West Farnsworth TIF District No. 7 (“Existing TIF District”). On December 13, 2011, the Parties entered into that certain intergovernmental agreement between the city of Aurora and the Board of Education of Batavia Public School District No. 101 concerning the Farnsworth TIF, the West Farnsworth TIF No. 7 and East Farnsworth TIF 8 (“existing IGA”) regarding the existing TIF District and the City’s East Farnsworth TIF District No. 8.

The City is considering establishing a new redevelopment project area to be known as the Farnsworth Bilter TIF District (“new TIF District”), which would include certain properties within the existing TIF District #7.

The new TIF District is necessary to permit the relocation of the Hollywood Casino and its redevelopment on property within the New TIF District (“Project”), to improve economic conditions, increase employment, tax revenues, and confer other valuable benefits.

This Agreement states that the School District acknowledges that the City will remove certain properties from the existing TIF District #7 in order to create the new (Farnsworth and Bilter) TIF District. The School District consents to the removal of the properties and to the creation of the new TIF District. The existing IGA will remain in effect and is not terminated by the new Agreement. To the extent of any conflict between any term of the existing IGA and the new Agreement, the new Agreement controls.

In each year that the new TIF District is in existence, the City will declare ten percent of the incremental property taxes deposited into the new TIF District’s special tax allocation fund as surplus (“Surplus”). The City will annually pay the surplus to the collector of Kane County pursuant to Section 7 of the TIF Act, 65 ILCS 5/11-74.4-7, and the Parties anticipate that the collector will redistribute the surplus to the taxing districts affected by the New TIF District. The surplus will be calculated before the payment of any new TIF District cost, expenses, or payments, including debt service.

• Approved was a Resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an intergovernmental agreement, between the city of Aurora and the county of DuPage for central signal system expansion 3, installation and future maintenance responsibilities at various locations.

The purpose is to execute an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Aurora and the county of DuPage for Central Signal System Expansion 3, Installation and future maintenance responsibilities at various locations.

City government of Aurora documents show the County has received congestion mitigation air quality funding to expand its central signal system under County section number 19-DCCSS-03-TL in DuPage County that extends into a portion of the city.

Per the City’s request, the County will install an upgraded traffic signal controller at two municipal traffic signals and connect the existing DuPage County and city of Aurora Transportation Management center networks through a server-level connection in the Centracs software.

The two signals that are modernized within City of Aurora are Bilter Road at the I-88 westbound ramps and Diehl Road at the I-88 eastbound ramps. The work involves installing an upgraded traffic signal controller, layer II ethernet switch, new fiber optic cable and the necessary peripherals.

The City has an existing PTZ camera at the intersection of Eola and Indian Trail and through this IGA, the City will be able to retain access to the camera and necessary equipment including its maintenance.

In addition, work will include server-level connection between the existing County and City Centracs centralized signal management software, including all the necessary hardware, software and integration thus allowing both parties to view the operations of one another traffic signals and video cameras in or near the city of Aurora’s municipal boundaries to help facilitate efficient traffic flow and improve interoperability.

The City will be responsible for 100% of the local share construction cost in the amount of $45,380.60 and 10% ($4,538.06) of the local share of the actual final construction cost for construction engineering of the said work. The total estimate of the city share is approximately $49,918.66.

• Approved was a Resolution awarding Meade, Inc., a two-year citywide traffic signal and street light maintenance contract.

The purpose is to award the low bid for citywide traffic signal and combination pole streetlight maintenance to Meade, Inc..

City government of Aurora documents show the City participates with DuPage County, the city of Naperville, and the village of Lombard on a joint bid for electrical maintenance services. The general premise was to increase the bid pool to receive the best per signal bid possible for traffic signal and combination pole street lighting maintenance. DuPage County was the lead bidding agency.

DuPage County opened bids for 2024-2025 Traffic Signal and Street Light Maintenance contract on September 12, 2023, and Meade, Inc was the low bidder. Engineering estimate for Aurora was $2,739,537.00 and the bid amount from Meade, Inc for city of Aurora is $1,574,363.36. The DuPage County Board awarded the 2024-2025 Traffic Signal and Street Light Maintenance contract to Meade, Inc on September 26, 2023.

The contract involves routine maintenance including monthly patrol checks of traffic signal and lighting systems, as well as non-routine maintenance including additional improvements as ordered by the city. The 2-year contract cost increased approximately 42% or $462,636.43 over the current contract. The largest part of the increase involves an increase to the base monthly fee for routine maintenance and monthly patrol visits to Aurora’s traffic signals. The State recommends performing monthly patrols on their signals and by agreement with the City, currently maintain 28 State traffic signals that are in need of monthly routine maintenance.

The contract includes detailed required maintenance items, monthly inspections of all signals and combination pole lighting, minimum response times and a 24-hour dispatch center. Meade, Inc. is one of the largest and most respected electrical maintenance companies in the Midwest and a pool of over 1000 employees to pull from, with a variety of specialties. They have performed this service for the city frequently throughout past contract years.

The total cost over two years (December 1, 2023 to November 30, 2025) for the maintenance of all 125 signals, 216 luminaires (only those on traffic signal combination mast arm standards) and contractor extra work is $1,574,363.36.

The following accounts will be utilized:

Repairs, maintenance, and services traffic signals 101 4020 418 38 22

Repairs, maintenance, and services traffic signals- State 101 4020 418 38 23

Traffic light pre-emption devices 255 3033 422 74 49

Video monitoring 255 4020 418 77 03

Risk management also utilizes this contract for repairs on an as needed basis for property claim/traffic repairs, account 601-0000-410-4077.

• Approved was a resolution authorizing the execution of a professional services phase 2 engineering agreement with HR Green, Inc. for the Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road roadway improvements in the amount of $1,118,218.72.

The purpose is to execute the Phase 2 agreement with HR Green, Inc. The purpose of the project is to improve roadway capacity and facilitate access to the casino development and the Outlet Mall along Farnsworth Avenue, Bilter Road, Church Road and Corporate Boulevard. This phase will create the engineering plans for construction and the bid documents for the roadway improvement.

City government of Aurora documents show the City’s Comprehensive Plan calls for the expansion of the traffic capacity and pedestrian connectivity to match that of Kirk Road north of Butterfield Road. The Hollywood Casino intends to relocate from downtown Aurora to the area bounded by Farnsworth Avenue, Church Road, Bilter Road, and Corporate Boulevard. Rather than have the Casino expand their side of their adjacent roads, it is in the best interest of the public to expand the capacity of Farnsworth along the entire corridor which will also benefit the Outlet Mall during peak sales events since the City will also coordinate with the Tollway to open an additional lane from the existing Tollway ramp to the Outlet Mall. This project will perform services that will include but not be limited to utility coordination, geotechnical investigations and reports, land acquisition services, drainage design and permitting, contract plans, specifications and estimates and phase III support.

This is the second engineering phase of the previously approved contract with HR Green.

The proposal from HR Green, Inc. would provide the above explained services. HR Green is uniquely qualified for this project as they were awarded a qualifications-based selection to perform these exact services on Bilter Road from the Illinois Prairie Path to Premium Outlet Boulevard which will match up with the eastern limits of this project.

This selection was in November 2021 where HR Green was selected by a three person panel from the Engineering Division. The City issued a request for qualifications for the Bilter Road design engineering services on August 12, 2021 to over 300 vendors in the Professional Services category. Statements of Qualifications were received from 13 firms on September 2, 2021.

A qualifications-based selection for this project should be waived because:

• HR Green has already completed the Phase 1 work for this project and staff members recommend to continue with them for Phase 2.
• HR Green has background knowledge of this area that no other firm has. Selecting another firm would require the City to spend additional resources to allow another firm to obtain that knowledge. Essentially paying for work to be repeated by another firm.
• A qualifications-based selection would require other firms to spend additional resources to compile a proposal for a project and location where another firm is already providing the exact same services at that exact same location.

Project GB 164 was budgeted in account 340-4060-431.73-99 in the amount of $950,000.00 for 2023, the current Phase 1 contract is for $470,000. The CIP shows $600,000 for engineering in 2024.

The services provided under this purchase order will have no impact on the public. The plans that are created will create traffic delays during the construction phase of this work. At this time, no detours are planned and two-way traffic will be maintained during the construction phase.