City Council

City Hall - 2nd Floor Council City of Aurora Chambers 44 East Downer Place Aurora, IL City Council Meeting Minutes - Final Tuesday May 13, 2014 6:00 PM ROLL CALL The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m. by Mayor Weisner, and the Roll was called. Present: 12 - Mayor Tom Weisner, Alderman Tina Bohman, Alderman Ted Mesiacos, Alderman Bill Donnell, Alderman John Peters, Alderman Mike Saville, Alderman Scheketa Hart-Burns, Alderman Rick Mervine, Alderman Edward Bugg, Alderman Lynne Johnson, Alderman Richard Irvin and Alderman Bob O'Connor Absent: 1 - Alderman Juany Garza PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Leaders and members of Girl Scout Troop 4359, Brownie Troop 278, and Brownie Troop 1417 posted the colors, and led today's Pledge of Allegiance. The following schools were represented: Wolf's Crossing Elementary, Wheatlands Elementary, Homestead Elementary, and Oswego East High School. INVOCATION MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF APRIL 22, 2014 14-00388 Approval of the minutes of the April 22, 2014 City Council meeting . Alderman Hart-Burns moved, seconded by Alderman Saville, to approve the minutes of the Council Meeting held on April 22, 2014. Motion carried by voice vote. APPOINTMENT OF SERGEANT-AT-ARMS A motion was made by Alderman Hart-Burns, seconded by Alderman Saville, to appoint Officer Hornburg as Sergeant-At-Arms for this meeting. The motion carried by voice vote. MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS City of Aurora Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 13, 2014 14-00356 A Resolution Appointing Caryl Riley, Charlie Zine, Lisa Cotner, Karen Wan, Bernina Perkins and John O'Neill to "Sustainable Aurora" (The Mayor's Sustainable Aurora Advisory Board). Mayor Weisner acknowledged the new appointees to Sustainable Aurora , and thanked them for their willingness to serve. A motion was made by Alderman Hart-Burns, seconded by Alderman Mervine, to approve this resolution. The motion carried. Aye: 11 - Alderman Bohman, Alderman Mesiacos, Alderman Donnell, Alderman Peters, Alderman Saville, Alderman Hart-Burns, Alderman Mervine, Alderman Bugg, Alderman Johnson, Alderman Irvin and Alderman O'Connor Enactment No: R14-105 CONSENT AGENDA Approval of the Consent Agenda A motion was made by Alderman Hart-Burns, seconded by Alderman Saville, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: 11 - Alderman Bohman, Alderman Mesiacos, Alderman Donnell, Alderman Peters, Alderman Saville, Alderman Hart-Burns, Alderman Mervine, Alderman Bugg, Alderman Johnson, Alderman Irvin and Alderman O'Connor 14-00230 An Ordinance Amending Chapter Nine, Section 9-2 Regarding Foster Homes, Section 9-12 Regarding Nuisance Feeding. This Ordinance was adopted. Enactment No: O14-018 14-00239 An Ordinance Granting a Variance to reduce the required front yard setback from thirty (30) feet to ten (10) and the exterior side yard setback from fifteen (15) feet to six (6) feet for a parking lot located at 635 E. New York Street This Ordinance was adopted. Enactment No: O14-019 City of Aurora Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 13, 2014 14-00260 A Resolution Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of One (1) 2013 Wheeled Coach Ford F-450 Type I Ambulance for the Amount of $195,246.00 from Fire Service Inc . This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-106 14-00268 A Resolution Approving the Community Sponsor Agreement for the ‘GreenTown Aurora’ Conference and Contribution of $10,000 to Seven Generations Ahead and A5 Group Inc. This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-107 14-00275 A Resolution to Award the Contract for the 2014 Street Resurfacing Project - Phase 2 to Geneva Construction Company, PO Box 998, Aurora, IL 60507 in the amount of $2,398,106.05 . This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-108 14-00276 An Ordinance Dissolving Resolution R09-315 and Re-Establishing In Chapter 2, Article VI. A New Division 9 Entitled “Sustainable Aurora" (The Mayor's Sustainable Aurora Advisory Board). This Ordinance was adopted. Enactment No: O14-020 14-00277 A Resolution Establishing "Sustainable Aurora" (The Mayor's Sustainable Aurora Advisory Board) By-Laws This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-109 14-00279 A Resolution Authorizing a Professional Service Contract with Teska Associates, Inc. for Neighborhood Planning Consulting Services This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-110 14-00282 A Resolution Approving a Revision to the Final Plan for exterior façade changes and signage improvements, including a new car wash addition to the automobile dealership located at 4333 Ogden Avenue, Aurora, Illinois 60504 (Napleton Hyundai - NA28/2-13.296-Fpn/R - TM Ward 10). This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-111 City of Aurora Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 13, 2014 14-00292 A Resolution Authorizing an Easement Agreement at 28 West New York Street between the City of Aurora and West New York LLC, an Illinois Limited Liability Company . This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-112 14-00302 A Resolution requesting authorization for the Mayor to execute a Professional Services Contract with Wills Burke Kelsey Associates for the Demolition Program at 14 Blackhawk Street in the amount of $68,500.00 This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-113 14-00309 A Resolution requesting the award of the lowest qualified bid for city hall HVAC upgrades to Mechanical, Inc. of Freeport, Illinois in the amount of $172,500 . This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-114 14-00315 A Resolution Authorizing Execution of the Second Amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement between The City of Aurora and The Fox Valley Park District for RiverEdge Park This Resolution was approved. Enactment No: R14-115 14-00332 An Ordinance Amending Chapter 6 Entitled "Alcoholic Liquors" of the Aurora Code Ordinances This Ordinance was adopted. Enactment No: O14-021 SPEAKERS A motion was made by Alderman Hart-Burns, seconded by Alderman Irvin, to allow speakers to address City Council. The motion carried by voice vote. Lou deMartelly, of Downer Pl. in Aurora, is a Commander of the Chicago Rivers Division of the United States Coastguard Auxiliary. DeMartelly announced May 17-23, 2014 is designated as National Safe Boating Week, and explained this week's goal is to reduce the approximately 700 annual deaths on the American waterways. Evelyn Reid, of 75th Street in Naperville, representing TIPS @ 170, spoke about some of the services offered by her company, their program incentives, and associated healthcare costs savings. City of Aurora Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 13, 2014 UNFINISHED BUSINESS 14-00346 A Resolution Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Aurora, Batavia Public School District No. 101, Chicago Premium Outlets Expansion, LLC and Simon/Chelsea Chicago Development, LLC in Regard to a Tax Rebate relative to the Expansion of the Chicago Premium Outlets Shopping Center A motion was made by Alderman Saville, seconded by Alderman O'Connor, to approve this resolution. The motion carried. Aye: 11 - Alderman Bohman, Alderman Mesiacos, Alderman Donnell, Alderman Peters, Alderman Saville, Alderman Hart-Burns, Alderman Mervine, Alderman Bugg, Alderman Johnson, Alderman Irvin and Alderman O'Connor Enactment No: R14-116 REQUESTS AND REFERRALS 14-00381 AU17/3-14.154-V - Variance Petition to convert the existing 3 car garage into office space to be used to support the tenants in the 5 apartments located at 523-531 N. Edgelawn Drive by AID COMMUNITY HOUSING (Ward 5 - ES). The above Requests and Referrals were referred to the Planning Council and Planning Commission. REPORT 14-00349 Identity Theft Prevention Program Annual Report A motion was made by Alderman Irvin , seconded by Alderman Hart-Burns, to accept and file this report. The motion carried by voice vote. BILLS 14-00387 Bill Summary and Large Bill List A motion was made by Alderman Hart-Burns, seconded by Alderman Irvin, to approve and pay the bills as presented. The motion carried. Aye: 11 - Alderman Bohman, Alderman Mesiacos, Alderman Donnell, Alderman Peters, Alderman Saville, Alderman Hart-Burns, Alderman Mervine, Alderman Bugg, Alderman Johnson, Alderman Irvin and Alderman O'Connor City of Aurora Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final May 13, 2014 SPEAKERS Mr. Blattner, of Barkston Ln. in Aurora, addressed the City Council in regards to concerns related to real estate tax rates in Aurora . Chief Financial Officer Brian Caputo addressed Mr. Blattmer's concerns. Mr. Caputo reviewed the tax levy discussion held last fall, and reminded all that the City's portion of the tax bill is only about 20%, while 60% of the bill is attributable to the schools. Caputo explained that when the tax rate is broken down, a portion of the city's is attributable to operations, and a portion to pensions. In an effort to be sensitive to similar concerns as those of Mr. Blattner, the city reduced the operational portion by approximately $1 Million. The pension portion, however, increased, but the city has no control over the actuarial valuations. Caputo added that another factor that contributed to the rate increase is EAV. Assistant Chief of Staff Rick Guzman reiterated that education financing, which has the largest impact on property taxes, is controlled at the State level. Guzman added that the study is cited in a way that does not take into consideration the full scope of available revenues, and that, as an example, it is common for states with lower property taxes to have higher income taxes. Ergo continued by explaining that city staff leadership and the Mayor have been extremely active at the State level, especially in the pension reform area, which is what puts the biggest pressure on our budget, but that ultimately it will be the will of the state legislature. Ergo concluded by stating that the city has acted on what they were able to control, causing the levy to go down, and making Aurora the only government around with a tax levy lower than what it was in 2005. ADJOURN Mayor Weisner reminded those present of the upcoming street dedication on Saturday, May 17th for Walter E. Truemper, the only Aurora veteran to be awarded the medal of honor during WWII. The block to be dedicated is the 300 block of East Av., between North and Fourth Av., where Truemper grew up. Mayor Weisner also announced the Police Week Memorial service at the Aurora Police Department on the same day. Alderman Hart-Burns moved, seconded by Alderman Irvin, to adjourn the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Motion carried by voice vote. ____________________________________ Isabel M. Garcia-Kodron City Clerk City of Aurora Page 6