VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES
Monday, July 17, 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 Attorney Kevin Drendel, Public Works Director Brian Richter, Police Chief Joe DeLeo, Village Planner David Hansen.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS – None
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None
DISCUSSION
1. Mobile Food Vendor Code Amendments
Administrator Bosco explained that this item had previously gone before the Committee of the Whole on June 19, 2023. Based on the Board’s feedback the Municipal Code regarding Mobile Food Vendors, the staff was suggesting amendments including that the Village can eliminate the mobile food vendor permit, the Village should eliminate the Route 31 exemption allowing food trucks to prepare food for brick and mortar establishments, as well as increasing the time a food truck can remain at an establishment to eight hours, two days a week.
Bosco stated that staff added a definition for Mobile Food Apparatus. He also stated that the current code was written in such a way that the Food Truck Vendors were responsible for all code adherence, the Code will now reflect onus on the part of the property owner for adherence to the Code as well. The staff had added definitions for Mobile Food Vendors as well as Mobile Food Apparatus in an effort to secure any loopholes regarding the regulation of being able to have a Food Truck on a property for up to eight hours a day for two days a week.
The new Code will reflect that no Mobile Food Truck will be the primary source of food for a brick and mortar establishment. It will now also cover the parameters of a vendor’s ability to park their food truck at their establishment for storage purposes.
There were no questions from the Village Board, they offered their approval of the changes.
2. Revisions to Human Resources Manual
Administrator Bosco explained that the Human Resources Manual is updated periodically to update language or practices that are outdated. The Manual is also updated to stay comparable with other municipalities.
Finance Director Jason Paprocki went through the changes to the Manual in detail.
The first of the changes related to the legalization of cannabis in the section titled “Drug-Free Workplace”. Changes to this section also included that if an employee shows any sign of intoxication, they can be sent home and may face disciplinary actions.
The next change was in the section title “New Hire Rate” to be changed to “Offers of Employment”. Paprocki stated the changes in this section would allow the Village Administrator to hire at any point in the employee pay range. This would give the Village more flexibility in the hiring process, allowing the Administrator to expedite the hiring process rather than having to go before the Village Board for approval of a salary offer.
Paprocki explained the next change in the section titled “Performance Evaluation and Salary Increases” altered the language that currently stated that evaluations were always to be done on the anniversary date, to reflect that evaluations were to generally be done on an employee’s anniversary date but gave the Administrator authority to review and approve increases outside of the anniversary date on a case by case basis.
In the section titled Lunch Periods, the Village would allow for non-union employees, a 15 minutes paid break which can be combined with their 30 minutes unpaid lunch for a 45 minute lunch break.
In the section titled Flexible Hours, the proposed changes would allow for remote work and flexible hours on a case by case basis.
The final change discussed was within the “Service Recognition” section. This change would remove the cap of $750 for the purchase of food and drink for celebrations of long time employees whom are retiring or otherwise moving on from the Village. The purchases made should be within reason.
There was discussion regarding whether or not employees were entitled to two 15 minute breaks. Bosco explained that union employees receive two 15 minutes breaks, however non-union employees do not.
The Village Board expressed approval of the changes.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – None
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn made by Trustee Guethle and seconded by Trustee Niedzwiedz. All in favor. Motion approved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jessi Watkins
Village Clerk
