VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES
Monday, February 17, 2025
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, Community Development Director Nathan Darga, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel, Public Works Director Brian Richter, Police Chief Joe DeLeo, Assistant Public Works Director/Village Engineer Brandon Tonarelli.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS – See below
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None
DISCUSSION
- Water Connection Fees
Administrator Bosco stated that the Village water system had been currently going through a life cycle review. The Village connection fees had not been updated in more than ten years. The connection fees are paid at the time of development, to tap into the Village’s water system. As the Village’s infrastructure is aging, the Village was conducting a master study that had been going on for a year and a half with EEI. The study takes a year to two years to complete at a cost of almost $300,000. The study looked at what the Village’s water capabilities are, how much water can be provided to residents, what the flow rate is, areas of low and high water pressure, capital planning, and water rates.
Administrator Bosco added that the Village did pass an ordinance for large water users last year, because of the impact large water users have on the Village’s system. Large water users that use more than 5,000 gallons of water a day were subject to a study reviewing the impact the business’ water usage would have on the Village’s water system.
Bosco then explained water connection fees, stating that they are usually paid at the time of first connection to the water system. The fee takes into account the cost of the Village’s wells, treatment plants and towers. Connection fees do not aid in maintaining the current system, water rates facilitate that.
Bosco spoke about the Village’s current connection fees. He explained that the fees were currently attached to the size of the connection pipe, the Village staff would like to adjust the fee to take into account potential water usage.
Administrator Bosco stated that the Village would like to start using Population Equivalents which he explained to be the amount of water an average person uses in one day. This number is estimated to be 100 gallons per day.
He then spoke about calculating a connection fee with PE.
Trustee Curtis asked how the anticipated water usage was determined, Bosco said that it could be provided by the development’s engineer, however the Village was looking to use the meter size.
Bosco spoke about updates the Village staff would like to make to large water user connections. He talked about raising the number that triggered a connection study from 5,000 gallons to 15,000 gallons. He also spoke about updating to automatically requiring studies for users requesting six inch or eight inch connections.
Bosco moved on to speak about residential water connection fees, including a reduced PE value for residential connections.
Trustee Niedzwiedz asked how the new structure would compare to neighboring towns. Bosco explained that while other towns were using PEs, the differences in what was factored into the calculations were nuanced. He said that the more that is collected at the time of impact on development, the lower the water rates could be kept. Collecting the impact on the water system from the developer and not from the homeowner paying for monthly usage.
Bosco then turned the discussion toward the existing commercial connection fees versus the proposed options. These proposed options included offering a 25% reduction of fees for qualified uses in an effort to stay competitive.
Trustee Guethle stated that he was in favor of the ideas and found it to be a reasonable request.
Trustee Niedzwiedz asked about the approach to businesses with high water usage that would like to develop within the Village. Administrator Bosco spoke about the efficacy of the connection study required of high water users, and its ability to determine how the business will impact infrastructure as well as its impact on the Village’s resources.
Trustee Salazar asked who pays for the connection studies. Administrator Bosco stated that the study was basically the developer providing their engineering numbers to the Village, and the Village applying that information to an existing formula. There was further discussion regarding this topic.
Trustee Christiansen asked what would happen if a new business wanted to open in an existing structure, there was discussion about how the Village would approach that circumstance.
The Board was in favor of moving forward with the proposed updates.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – None
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn made by Trustee Guethle and seconded by Trustee Salazar. All in favor. Motion approved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jessi Watkins
Village Clerk
