Trustee, clerk, take positions in North Aurora

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By Jason Crane

Two individuals were sworn in at the North Aurora Village Board meeting, Monday, through the Zoom video conference platform.

North Aurora resident Carolyn Salazar was sworn in as Village trustee to serve the rest of acting Village president Mark Gaffino’s term. Gaffino is taking the place of retired Village president Dale Berman who officially retired two weeks prior.

Carolyn Salazar
Jessi Watkins

Berman recently won a seat on the Kane County Board for District 2. He was the Village president for 16 years after 14 years as a North Aurora Village trustee.

Trustee Laura Curtis expressed concern about the appointment of Salazar because she is one of two candidates running for the position of trustee.

Trustee Mark Guethle said the appointment was a good one.

The general municipal election is April 6, 2021.

North Aurora resident Jessi Watkins was sworn in as Village clerk to fill the long-vacant position.

At the Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, trustees verbally agreed to name the renovated and illuminated silo behind Harner’s Bakery in North Aurora near the Fox River close to the intersection of Routes 31 and 56 after retired Village president Dale Berman. The name proposed is Berman Tower to be voted on at a future meeting.

• Discussed was the Village’s five year waste collection agreement with Waste Management expiring in May. The Village received pricing from five vendors and seeks to save money.

Of the five bids, Groot provided the best overall core pricing with the lowest sticker price for all three programs and the second lowest monthly toter price.

Groot proposed pick up on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at a significant saving to the Village.

Trustee Curtis said, “I’m fine with that. To save 36 percent below Waste Management, I don’t care what day you pick up my trash.”

Groot’s sticker price at $4.09 is $0.66 less than the closest company and offered the second cheapest 95/96 gallon toters at $19.99. In comparison to current pricing, Groot’s pricing would be an increase of $.06 per sticker and a savings of $4.58 a month for toter users. Groot’s proposal gives residents the option of renting a smaller 65-gallon garbage toter, which is priced at $17.99 in the first year. On the contrary, Groot’s bulk and white good pricing is 4th highest. In comparison to the current program, it would require an additional sticker per item over 50 lbs. which results in an additional cost of $4.33 per item.

• Village staff members discussed a proposed million square foot two-phased, three-building speculative industrial development on the 67.15 acres that comprise the Valley Green Golf Course.

Village of North Aurora government documents show OPUS Development Company, LLC is proposing the development on the vacant land to the west of (and currently owned by) Euclid Beverage on Overland Drive.

The development would provide approximately 694 passenger parking spaces (354 land banked spaces for future use) and approximately 279 trailer parking spaces. Access to the development will be provided via two full access drives off Overland Drive. The developers are labeling this project the “Opus 1-88 Corporate Park”.

A public hearing was conducted on this item before the Plan Commission at its January 5, 2021 meeting.

Some concerns included noise for the residential subdivision north of the land.

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