Mayor of Aurora, Richard C. Irvin, presents proclamations at the Aurora City Council meeting Tuesday to three individuals working to create suicide prevention awareness. Former Aurora resident and Yorkville alderman, Joel Frieders; second from left, Liza Olivia, co-founder of Simply Destinee Youth Center and Dance Team; right, Martin Luna-Espinoza, co-founder of Simply Destinee Youth Center and Dance Team. Simply Destinee is a youth-inspired dance team that promotes suicide awareness in the memory of Destinee A. Oliva. Frieders who has struggled with the grief of losing friends to suicide, launched a national campaign for the Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Proclamation Project. The program has grown to 228 cities, 18 counties, and 38 states.
• Approved was a resolution authorizing the appointment of James J. Birchall as the superintendent of the Fleet and Facilities Maintenance department for the City of Aurora government. He will start in December when Joe Hopp will retire. City of Aurora government documents state Birchall is the superintendent of Central Services and has been with the City of Aurora since 2014. Jim has 19 years of progressive facilities operations and supervisory experience. He is a United States Navy veteran. The position of superintendent of Central Services will not be filled.
• Approved was a Special Use Permit for a Video Gaming Terminals License at TW Café, 4430 Fox Valley Center Drive. The Special Use permit is required because the location is less than 2,640 feet from another licensed establishment, per the Aurora Municipal Code. With this Special Use, the Petitioner is requesting the addition of five new video game terminals to a future restaurant.
• Held for another two weeks is the resolution to approve a Memorandum of Understanding with Smart City Media, LLC of New York, N.Y. for the installation, operation, and revenue sharing of interactive outdoor kiosks using the City Post smart media platform. Several downtown Aurora businesses expressed concerns, including the proposed cost of $175 to $250 a week to advertise and the use of national advertisers who will try to pull business away from the downtown. Director of communications for the City government of Aurora, Clayton Muhammad responded by E-mail the item has been removed from the agenda for further review, research, and discussion. The goal is to have all questions answered for the aldermen and downtown businesses.
Jason Crane/The Voice