Project Altogether students honored at Aurora City Council
Aurora mayor John Laesch, honors Project Altogether students Zaire Robinson, Amirrah Robinson, and Faith Berry for their exceptional volunteerism and hard work in the community.
Aurora City Council Approves New, Comprehensive Ethics Ordinance Enacting $1,500 Cap on Campaign Donations from Businesses with City Contracts
The Aurora City Council has approved a new, comprehensive ethics Ordinance that creates a $1,500 cap on campaign donations from businesses or entities that are doing business with the City. The Ordinance builds off Aurora’s 2019 Ordinance, enhancing ethics safeguards around local elected officials. Key reforms from the Ordinance include
Aurora City Council will soon vote on ethics reform ordinance
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council voted Tuesday, June 9 to hold a special Committee of the Whole meeting to focus on an ethics reform ordinance. The proposed ordinance would amend and add several sections of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Aurora pertaining to the disclosure
Aurora City Council approves memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Phillips Park Foundation
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council, Tuesday, approved a Resolution for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the City of Aurora and Phillips Park Foundation, as requested by alderman of the Third Ward, Ted Mesiacos. The Phillips Park Foundation has recently been formed as a new Phillips Park not
Mayor John Laesch honors Aurora Regional Fire Museum
At the Aurora Committee of the Whole meeting, April 21, mayor John Laesch honored the Aurora Regional Fire Museum for winning two prestigious statewide awards from the Illinois Association of Museums. The museum received the 2026 Small Institution of the Year Award and the 2026 Award of Super Achievement (Exhibits),
Aurora approves new, first-of-its kind regulations on data center development
At the Tuesday, March 24 City Council meeting, the Aurora City Council approved new, first-of-its-kind regulations intended to safeguard residents and the environment from future data center development. The nearly five-hour meeting included 17 speakers. Most spoke out against data centers. The approval of the new ordinances came as the
Aurora continues work on ethics reform Ordinance
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council voted Tuesday to send an ethics reform Ordinance back to the Rules, Administration, and Procedures (RAP) Committee for further discussion. The proposed Ordinance would amend and add several sections of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Aurora pertaining to the disclosure
Aurora City Council considers stricter campaign disclosures
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council is considering an Ordinance amending and adding several sections of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Aurora pertaining to the disclosure of economic interests, campaign contributions, lobbying, and the use of City property and the City seal. Several members of the
City of Aurora Names New Chief Human Resources Officer, Emergency Management Coordinator, and Director of Property Standards
On Tuesday night, the Aurora City Council approved the appointments of Michele Clark to serve as the City’s chief Human Resources officer, Theodore Van De Sampel to serve as the City’s Emergency Management coordinator, and Josue Alcaraz to serve as the City’s director of Property Standards. All three employees had previously been serving in interim roles until their
Aurora City Council views summary about gas main leak
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council viewed a summary about a gas main that was damaged Wednesday, Jan. 21 near Rush-Copley Hospital at the Tuesday, Jan. 27 City Council meeting. Interim Fire Chief Kevin Nickel explained a construction company was installing a new sign and hit a five-inch supply
Aurora City Council set to accept grant to fight retail crime
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council is set to approve a Resolution authorizing the City to accept a grant award of $24,000.00 from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office as part of the 2026 Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Grant Program. The grant would be used to help the Aurora
Aurora’s Waubonsie Valley honored for performance in Rome
By Jason Crane Mayor of Aurora, John Laesch, and the City Council, honored an Aurora high school marching band that represented the City on the international stage, performing in Rome, Italy’s New Year’s Day Parade. The Waubonsie Valley High School Marching Warriors embarked on a Rome New Year’s Tour from
Aurora City Council votes to increase the number of video gaming terminals
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council approved an increase to the number of video gaming terminals permitted in Aurora at the Tuesday, Nov. 25 City Council meeting. City government of Aurora documents show the purpose is to amend the City Code to align with state law and the revision
Aurora City Council continues work on ICE-Free Zones
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council met from 5 p.m. to nearly 11 p.m. to listen to dozens of speakers after allowing extra time for comments at the Tuesday, Nov. 4 Committee of the Whole and City Council meetings. The Council agreed to work on the language of an
Aurora City Council considers ordinance to limit ICE from staging on City-owned spaces
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council listened to dozens of speakers in a standing-room-only crowd after agreeing to allow nearly an hour of extra time for public comments at the Tuesday, Oct. 28 City Council meeting. The majority of speakers expressed anger and sadness about the recent actions of
Aurora City Council honors native Kenny Battle, basketball star
Kenny Battle, an Aurora native, college basketball standout, and the first person from the City to be drafted to the National Basketball Association (NBA), was honored at Aurora’s Tuesday night City Council meeting for his impressive basketball career and extraordinary representation of Aurora on the national stage. Mayor John Laesch
Aurora City Council listens to thoughts on Sept. 12 flag raising
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council listened to many public comments, both in support of and against the decision of Aurora mayor John Laesch to raise municipal flags Friday, Sept. 12, after the flags were lowered in remembrance of lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. President Donald
Aurora city council expresses budget concerns over new hire
By Jason Crane After a lengthy discussion, the Aurora City Council approved, by a vote of 7 – 5 a Resolution to appoint Michele Niermann as assistant corporation counsel III to assist the City’s corporation counsel Yordana Wysocki. Niermann was approved to be hired to help part time with employment
Aurora Council votes to continue 1% tax on grocery items
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council voted 7 – 5 to continue a 1% tax on grocery items at the Tuesday, Aug. 26 City Council meeting. The Illinois state grocery tax of 1% is set to be eliminated effective January 1, 2026, as per Public Act 103-0781, and provides
Aurora focuses on lead service line replacement project
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council is set to approve an Ordinance authorizing a 100% principal forgiveness loan agreement for the Lead Service Line Replacement Project. The City previously applied for a 100% principal forgiveness loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to fund the upcoming “Lead Service Line