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Committee of the Whole Minutes

VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES
Monday, May 15, 2023

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 Jason Christiansen, Trustee Laura Curtis, Trustee Mark Guethle, Trustee Mike Lowery, Trustee Todd Niedzwiedz, Trustee Carolyn Salazar

Staff in attendance: Village Administrator Steve Bosco, Finance Director Jason Paprocki, Village Planner Dave Hansen, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel, Public Works Director John Laskowski, Police Chief Joe DeLeo.

AUDIENCE COMMENTS – None
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None

DISCUSSION

1. School District 129 Vocational School Use Concept
Administrator Bosco explained that Village Planner Dave Hansen was sitting in for the meeting, handling the zoning questions for the meeting. Bosco stated that the Village was approached by West Aurora School District 129 who had been looking for a location that would accommodate a mechanics vocational school. Bosco said that they had been looking for a while and found locations in North Aurora and narrowed it to the location being discussed. Bosco explained to the Board that the item was a concept review, because it would be a change of zoning use, the School District wanted to gain a perspective on how the Village Board would feel about it. He said that the concept would be reviewed by the Board and then it would go to the Plan Commission for recommendation, back to the Committee of the Whole for discussion and then before the Board for approval.
Village Planner Dave Hansen introduced the concept, he stated that the addresses that the School District was interested in converting was 202-208 Genesis Drive, which previously housed a Merlin’s Muffler Shop. The location is a multi-use, commercial strip center that includes an auto repair shop and three separate office spaces. The School District would like to utilize the entire building for a vocational automotive training center. The northern portion would house auto repair shops where they would accommodate lab activities and where vehicles would be used as demonstration and practice opportunities. This type of use, from a zoning perspective, would be an educational facility/vocational school which is classified as a special use in the B2 district in the Village. The site more than accommodates the parking requirements. The School District had stated that they would bus a majority of the students in.
Trustee Curtis asked if the School District assumed that property, if that would take the property out of our property tax roll. She also expressed concern for the loss of sales tax revenue. Hansen stated that she was correct about the property taxes.
Administrator Bosco added that he had looked at the property tax bill. He stated that the property taxes were about $47,000, of that the School District receives $29,000. The Village receives $2,400. Bosco then addressed the sales tax concerns, he stated that there had been a Merlin Muffler Shop and a salon in the strip mall, those are services. He stated that the loss of sales tax was minimal.
Trustee Curtis asked what the Village would get out of the plan, she questioned if a vocational school would be the best use for the property.
Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, Brent Raby, was on hand for discussion. Mr. Raby spoke about the history of the program that had led to the decision to move the program to North Aurora. He explained how the building would be laid out and how the students would learn. He also spoke about the benefits of the program for the students.
Mr. Raby stated that the School District was in discussions with other districts to be able to offer the program to additional local schools.
Trustee Guethle asked how long the classes would be. Mr. Raby stated that each class, Auto 1 and Auto 2 are year-long classes. Guethle also asked what the students learn. Raby replied that in Auto 1 they learn the basic maintenance of a car, Auto 2 is more intensive, students learn to diagnose problems and troubleshoot.
Trustee Niedzwiedz asked if the school was looking to purchase the building or rent. Raby stated that the District wanted to purchase.
Trustee Niedzwiedz asked the Staff if there had been any interest in that building recently. Administrator Bosco stated that there had not been. He also stated that the tenants had been service based and there had been much turnover in tenants. He did not think there was a tenant there currently.
There was discussion regarding how long the building has been vacant.
Trustee Curtis expressed concerns regarding the benefits to the North Aurora community. She asked if the partnering school districts would be reimbursing District 129 for the use of the facility and programming. Raby stated that if School District 129 were to acquire the building, they could accommodate approximately 160 students. The District would not accept students from neighboring districts until all of SD129’s students had been placed. Open seats would be sold to neighboring school districts.
Mayor Gaffino along with the majority of Trustees agreed that this would be a good use for the building.
Administrator Bosco reminded the Board that this item would go before the Committee of the Whole who can add conditions, including parking and vehicle storage conditions.
2. Public Works Staffing
Administrator Bosco introduced the item stating that when the Village has vacant positions that are not going to be filled, the Village de-authorizes them and when they are filled, they are re-authorized. Bosco stated that this item addresses a bit of each, de-authorizing, re-authorizing as well as restructuring.
Public Works Director Brian Richter stated that with his promotion to Public Works Director, it has left the Streets Superintendent job vacant. Staff had discussions regarding how to fill the vacancy, concluding that promoting from within was best. There had recently been two crew members that were promoted to Crew Leaders, however it was felt that neither of them were ready for the Superintendent position. Staff created a plan that would allow for retention of employees and develop succession planning.
Richter broke down the details of the restructuring plan. He stated that Public Works has three divisions, Water, Streets and Engineering, all headed by the Public Works Director. As of June 1, 2023 the department will have a total of 20 full-time employees. Currently, the Water and Streets divisions are led by superintendents, and the Engineering division is led by the Village Engineer. The Water Department has a Superintendent, one lead water operator and four laborers. Streets has two crew leaders and seven laborers. One of the laborers is focused on fleet maintenance and the other performs J.U.L.I.E. locating. The custodian answers to the Superintendent. The Village Engineer oversees the Civil Engineer.
The restructuring would leave the Streets Superintendent spot vacant and reauthorize the Foreman position which would likely be filled by one of the recently promoted crew leaders. A new crew member would be hired. An Assistant Public Works Director title would be added to the Village Engineer’s position. The function of the new position would be supervision of the civil engineer, facilities, and fleet operations. The Foreman would oversee the two Crew Leaders and the Streets Department. The Water Department would remain the same. The Assistant Public Works Director/Village Engineer would report to the Public Works Director.
Richter stated that restructuring would provide an opportunity to continue the succession planning, provide a financial cost benefit to the Village, and provide additional supervision internally as the department grows. The changes would also reduce salaries and benefits by approximately $74,000 while the total headcount of the Public Works Department would remain unchanged.
Administrator Bosco spoke about the internal discussions and how staff came to the restructuring conclusion that they had. He suggested that the restructuring offered an opportunity to promote the talent that was already within the Village Staff and to potentially retain these people to fulfill future roles.
The Village Board was in support of the restructuring.
Mayor Gaffino stated that having the opportunity for promotion boosts morale while offering the Village an opportunity to retain skilled and talented staff.
EXECUTIVE SESSION –Collective Bargaining

ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION

Motion to adjourn to Executive Session made by Trustee Niedzwiedz and seconded by Trustee Curtis. All in favor. Motion approved.

RETURN FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION

CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Gaffino called the meeting to order.

ROLL CALL
In attendance: Mayor Mark Gaffino, Trustee Jason Christiansen, Trustee Laura Curtis, Trustee Mark Guethle, Trustee Mike Lowery, Trustee Todd Niedzwiedz, Trustee Carolyn Salazar

Staff in attendance: Village Administrator Steve Bosco, Finance Director Jason Paprocki, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel, Public Works Director John Laskowski, Police Chief Joe DeLeo.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to adjourn made by Trustee Guethle and seconded by Trustee Curtis. All in favor. Motion approved.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Jessi Watkins
Village Clerk

 

 

 

 

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