VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 6, 2014
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Berman called the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL
In attendance: Mayor Dale Berman, Trustee Laura Curtis, Trustee Mike Lowery, Trustee Chris Faber, Trustee Mark Carroll, Trustee Mark Gaffino, Village Clerk Lori Murray.
Staff in attendance: Village Administrator Steve Bosco, Finance Director Bill Hannah, Community & Economic Development Director Mike Toth, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel, Police Chief Dave Summer, Public Works Superintendent Mike Glock, Water Superintendent Paul Young.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS – None
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None
DISCUSSION
1. Discussion on the Demolition of the North Aurora Activity Center
The Activity Center was closed in March of 2014 due to failures in the joists that were holding up the roof. Kluber Architects did an assessment of the building and determined that the cost to fix the joists to code would be $219,000. The Village received a check from the insurance carrier (IMLRMA) in the amount of $69,000. This was reviewed by the Village Board on May 5th at which time Staff was directed to look at cost for demolition.
Kluber came up with three options:
All options include: Asbestos removal, removal of an underground fuel storage tank, removal of the dirt and sand playground at the south end of the property and keeping the parking area at the north end of the site where the Village has a garage.
3 options:
Option 1 – $476,000 – Removal of the building and east and south parking lots remain.
Option 1a – $519,000 – Removal of the building and parking on east and south side.
Option 1b – $503,000 – Removal of building and leaving parking along the alleyway behind the North Aurora Fire District building..
Bosco said that if the Village moves forward with demolition, he would bring an agreement to the Board on October 20th to retain Kluber for $14,000. Kluber would draw the bid specs for the demolition and oversee the construction management of the project.
Timeline for the project: approval of creation of bid specs by November, posting the bid and awarding the bid by December or early January. Asbestos abatement and underground storage tank removal in January or February. Building demolition would be six weeks. Would be seeding the site for grass in March or April.
Trustee Curtis suggested leaving parking which would help with overflow parking for events such as the turkey raffle and 5k runs.
Mayor Berman said he was in favor of Option 1.
Trustee Faber said he would rather see a green patch of grass instead of a parking area with grass around it.
Curtis asked how the timeline looks for the Block 1 project. Bosco said it coincides perfectly if demolition is completed and everything is seeded by March or April The Comprehensive Plan is due to come out in the spring. Staff’s discussion was that this would coincide with the comp plan. The Village would hire a consultant company to do a market analysis for Block 1.
Trustee Gaffino agreed with Mayor Berman in favoring Option1.
Trustee Lowery said he is more in agreement with Trustee Faber. Lowery said the concept of the Route 31 corridor is to beautify and was in favor of having the property be greenspace.
Trustee Carroll said that if the parking lot is repaved and restriped that it will look nice.
Mayor Berman said that the Board was in agreement to remove the building. The majority was in favor of going with Option 1.
Trustee Faber said he would like to see grass up to State Street and rid the property of the south parking lot.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn to executive session for the purpose of personnel made by Trustee Gaffino and seconded by Trustee Carroll. All in favor. Motion approved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori J. Murray
Village Clerk
