VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
VILLAGE BOARD MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 4, 2019
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Berman called the meeting to order.
SILENT PRAYER – MEDITATION – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
In attendance: Mayor Dale Berman, Trustee Mark Guethle, Trustee Mark Carroll, Trustee Laura Curtis, Trustee Mike Lowery, Trustee Mark Gaffino. Not in attendance: Trustee Tao Martinez.
Staff in attendance: Village Administrator Steve Bosco, Finance Director Bill Hannah, Community & Economic Development Director Mike Toth, Public Works Director John Laskowski, Police Chief Dave Fisher, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel.
PRESENTATIONS
1. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) Presentation – Lauterbach and Amen
Jamie Wilkey of Lauterbach and Amen reviewed the Annual Finance Report.
Four (4) documents were noted:
1. Auditor required communication – Clean communication letter.
2. Management letter – No new recommendations this year.
3. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report – Village received a clean audit opinion.
4. TIF report – financial statements are materially correct. Clean opinion and clean compliance.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS – None
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None
PROCLAMATION
1. National Apprenticeship Week
Mayor Berman proclaimed Nov 11 – 16, 2019 as National Apprenticeship Week in the Village of North Aurora.
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Village Board Minutes dated 10/21/2019; Committee of the Whole Minutes dated 10/21/2019
2. Travel and Expenses for Business Purposes in the Amount of $100.00
3. Bills List Dated 11/04/2019 in the Amount of $1,499,914.09
4. Approval of Pay Request #1 Partial for Well #8 and Well #9 Pumps and Motors to Layne Christensen Company in the Amount of $54,450.00
5. Approval of Pay Request #3 Revised for 2019 Road Program to Geneva Construction in
the Amount of $760,024.93
Motion for approval made by Trustee Guethle and seconded by Trustee Lowery. Roll Call Vote: Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Carroll – yes, Trustee Curtis – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Gaffino – yes. Motion approved (5-0).
NEW BUSINESS
1. Approval of 2020 Road and Watermain Program Engineering Services Agreement
to Engineering Enterprises Incorporated (EEI) in the Amount of $247,866.00
Public Works Director John Laskowski reported that staff recommended an agreement with Engineering Enterprises Incorporated (EEI). EEI has experience in Batavia, St. Charles Montgomery, Oswego and Aurora. They have done over $10 million in work in 2019 alone. They are dedicated to municipal projects and have a significant amount of staff in their firm.
The agreement will be broken down into 2 components: design and construction. The design will be a fixed cost. The construction and inspection cost will be more variable due to not being able to pin down the duration of the project due to weather.
Motion for approval made by Trustee Gaffino and seconded by Trustee Guethle. Roll Call Vote: Trustee Gaffino – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Curtis – yes, Trustee Carroll – yes, Trustee Guethle – yes. Motion approved (5-0).
2. Approval of a Motion to Receive, Accept and Place on File the Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report as of May 31, 2019 and Other Related Reports for the Fiscal Year
Motion for approval made by Trustee Carroll and seconded by Trustee Guethle. Roll Call Vote: Trustee Carroll – yes, Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Curtis – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Gaffino – yes. Motion approved (5-0).
3. Approval of a Motion Approving the 2019 Property Tax Levy Estimate for the
Village of North Aurora and Messenger Public Library
Finance Director Bill Hannah reported that the total property tax extensions last year were $2,450,000. The village estimates those extensions could increase an additional $56,000. Staff recommends the Village incorporate a levy to capture those amounts in the upcoming tax levy which will be $2,550,000. The other item concerns the Village’s debt for the Messenger Public Library. This will be the last payment the village makes toward the debt for the library. Our bonded debt levy will go down from $544,000 to about $413,000. The effect of that reduction means that the total estimated property taxes extended to the village next year will be a decrease of $73,000. The village estimates an additional decrease next year once there is no longer a bond payment to make on the public library debt.
The Messenger Public Library has passed a resolution of $1,867,050 for their library levy.
Hannah noted that at this meeting the village board would be voting on approval of the tax levy estimate and that the actual property tax levy ordinances will be submitted for village board approval in December.
Motion for approval made by Trustee Guethle and seconded by Trustee Gaffino.
Trustee Curtis asked Hannah to confirm that the Village did not take the PTELL increase last year. Hannah said that was correct. Curtis asked if that is the case this year. Hannah said that is not the recommendation this year since the new construction number was so low this year and only generated $10,000. The EAV for new construction was just over $2,000,000. With the police pension valuation going up $180,000 the staff felt it was appropriate to levy for the full amount to help offset the cost of the increase in the police pension levy. Curtis asked if the offset of the bond retirement from the library would put a dent in that. Hannah said no because they are two separate pots and the village cannot transfer the authority of the bonded debt over to the general levy. Curtis asked if the increase in EAV would hold the numbers flat if the village did not take the PTELL increase. Hannah said that if there is a significant increase in EAV in a future year, the village could look at the CPI factor of the property tax levy calculation. Curtis asked Hannah what the increase in EAV was over last year. Hannah said it was $2.3 million in new construction EAV. The total EAV in the village is estimated to go up 6.25%, but most of that is an increase in current property values. Curtis asked why the village needs to take a 1.9% PTELL increase if the village’s EAV has gone up 6%. Hannah said because an increase in the current property EAV does not impact what your extensions are. The only two things that impact the property taxes are the CPI factor which was 1.9% and allowance for new construction. Curtis said she would like to see the village hold off on the PTELL increase.
Roll Call Vote: Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Carroll – yes, Trustee Curtis – no, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Gaffino – yes. Motion approved (4-1).
4. Motion Authorizing the Required Contribution of $293,610.24 to the IMLRMA for
The 2020 Coverage Year
Motion for approval made by Trustee Carroll and seconded by Trustee Lowery. Roll Call Vote: Trustee Carroll – yes, Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Curtis – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Gaffino – yes. Motion approved (5-0).
OLD BUSINESS – None
VILLAGE PRESIDENT – None
COMMITTEE REPORTS – None
TRUSTEES’ COMMENTS – None
ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT – None
ATTORNEY’S REPORT – None
VILLAGE DEPARTMENT REPORTS
1. Finance – None
2. Community Development – A permit was issued for the UFC Gym in the Randall Shopping Center between Target and JC Penney. They anticipate opening in January. A permit was also submitted for American Eagle Bank at Oak & Orchard.
3. Police – None
4. Public Works – leaf collections are scheduled for the west side of town this week and the east side next week.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – None
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn made by Trustee Carroll and seconded by Trustee Curtis. All in favor. Motion approved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori J. Murray
Village Clerk
