VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES
Monday, December 6, 2021
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Village Board meeting was conducted live remotely
via telecommunications.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Gaffino called the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL
In attendance: Mayor Mark Gaffino, Trustee Mark Carroll, Trustee Laura Curtis, Trustee Mark Guethle, Trustee Mike Lowery, Trustee Todd Niedzwiedz, Trustee Carolyn Salazar
Staff in attendance: Village Administrator Steve Bosco, Finance Director Bill Hannah, Community & Economic Development Director Mike Toth, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel, Public Works Director John Laskowski, Police Chief Dave Fisher.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS – See below
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None
DISCUSSION
1. Water Tower Bids
Administrator Bosco introduced Dan Watson of Rempe-Sharpe who spoke about the bid results for the Water Tower Project.
Mr. Watson stated that the Village of North Aurora reopened bids for the Central Water Tower 750MG Project on Tuesday, November 30, 2021. The Village bid out two types of water tower being bid, the first is an all steel waterspheriod tower similar to the three towers already in the Village. There is only one tower contractor in the United States that has the experience necessary to construct this type and size of water tower. To attract more competitive bids, a second style of tower was bid out, a composite tank which consists of a concrete pedestal with a steel tank on top which holds the water, there are three contractors that work throughout the Midwest that are qualified to construct such a tower.
No bids were received for this project.
Mr. Watson explained that when the project was bid out in July 2021, there was only one bid and the Village rejected it because the contractor could not meet the Village’s Join Apprenticeship Training Program standards. There are only four qualified elevated tank contractors in the United States that could bid on this project. Since the qualified contractors travel throughout the United States building water towers, none of the tank contractros can meet the Village’s Joint Apprenticeship Training Program requirements.
Mr. Watson said that the Village has three options for this project. The first is that the Village can Bid this the same way for a third time but the results will be most likely the same. The Village could waive their Joint Apprenticeship Training Program for this project. All Contractors would still be required to meet the prevailing wage requirements as required by the State of Illinois. Or, the Village could bid this project out with the General Contractor not required to meet the Joint Apprenticeship Training Program but would still be required to pay prevailing wage. All subcontractors working on this project would be required to meet the Joint Apprenticeship Training Program requirement. The general contractor would be required to list all subcontractors and provide their USDOL approved Joint Apprenticeship Training Program certificates.
The Village Board was in agreement that the third option, to waive the Joint Apprenticeship Training Program provision for the general contractor but require it for subcontractors, was the best option.
2. Recreational Vehicles
Administrator Bosco explained that at the November 15, 2021 Village Board meeting, a resident addressed the Board with his concerns about the Village’s recreational vehicle provisions. Bosco stated that the code is complicated and the Village receives many calls on it, with residents wanting both looser restrictions as well as tighter restrictions.
Director Toth stated that the Village recognizes recreational vehicles to be utility trailers, pop-up campers, motorhomes and boats. The Village allows for one recreations vehicle to be stored on a property at a time. It can be parked on a hard surface either at the front or side yard of the house between the hours of Friday noon to Monday noon, and from April 15 to April 30 and October 1 to October 15. RVs parked inside a structure are exempt.
In 2013 the Village Board passed an ordinance amending the recreational vehicles in residential districts, the definition of a recreational trailer was changed to include utility trailers, it removed the 48 hour parking allowance provision for recreational vehicles and limed the number of recreational vehicles parked or stored on a residential lot to one.
In 2014 the Village Board passed an ordinance removing the requirement that only allowed a recreational vehicle to be parked or stored behind the front of the house if they were completely screened from view by a solid fence at least six feet in height.
The Board discussed the potential of expanding the timeframe that a recreational vehicle could sit on a residential property. They discussed how far their legislative role should reach in deciding how residents plan their travel with recreational vehicles and how that could be balanced with the residents who do not own recreational vehicles and prefer not to have them parked in neighborhoods for long periods due to aesthetic reasons.
The majority of the Board agreed to extend the time that a Recreational Vehicle can be on residential property to Thursday at 6pm until Monday at noon rather than Friday at noon until Monday at noon.
3. Contractor Registration
Director Toth explained that in 2010 the Village Board approved an ordinance which required all contractors performing any work within the municipal limits of the Village of North Aurora to be registered with the Village. Contractors were required to be insured, bonded and pay a registration fee. Originally the fee was set at $150 for the calendar year. An amendment was approved in 2012 that established proration amounts. In 2016 the Board further amended the ordinance and established that the $150 fee was good for a full year rather than a calendar year, the bonding requirement was eliminated at that time as well.
Staff is suggesting the elimination of the Contractor Registration program. Director Toth stated that the registration process slows building permit issuance and is a drain on staff time and efficiency. The program does not provide any meaningful benefit or assurance that contractors are qualified in any way.
Director Toth stated that in fiscal year 2019-2020 the registration program generated $46,050 and in 2020-2021 generated $42,600 in revenue. Staff is in the process of evaluating building permit fees, upon updating, the new fees may offset some of the funds generated by the registration program.
The Village Board and staff discussed what, if any, role the Village should play between residents and whom they contract to do work on their home. They also discussed other Village building permit fees and how staff time and effort affect the determination of the fees and what the benefits to the residents are.
The Village Board was in agreement to eliminate the Contractor Registration program.
After staff review, the building permit fees will come back before the Village Board.
4. 2022 Meeting Schedules
Administrator Bosco presented the Annual Meeting Schedule for the North Aurora Village Board and Committee of the Whole meetings, Plan Commission and Committee meetings for the 2022 calendar year.
The Village Board and Committee of the Whole will meet every first and third Monday of each month at 7pm. There will be no Village Board or Committee of the Whole meetings due to observed holidays, July 4, 2022 and September, 5 2022.
The Plan Commission will meet the first Tuesday of each month at 7pm.
The North Aurora Days Committee will meet the second Monday of each month at 6pm.
The Beautification Committee will meet the third Monday, quarterly at 6pm.
The Village Board was in agreement.
EXECUTIVE SESSION –
1. Review of the Executive Session Minutes Dated 05/03/2021, 05/17/2021, 10/18/2021, 11/15/2021
2. Review of Release of the Executive Session Minutes
ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion to adjourn made by Trustee Carroll and seconded by Trustee Lowery. All in favor. Motion approved.
RETURN FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION
ROLL CALL
In attendance: Mayor Mark Gaffino, Trustee Mark Carroll, Trustee Laura Curtis, Trustee Mark Guethle, Trustee Mike Lowery, Trustee Todd Niedzwiedz, Trustee Carolyn Salazar
Staff in attendance: Village Administrator Steve Bosco, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn made by Trustee Carroll and seconded by Trustee Lowery. All in favor. Motion approved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jessi Watkins
Village Clerk
