NORTH AURORA DAYS
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Monday, February 12, 2024
Call to Order
Mark Gaffino called the meeting to order at 6:05 pm.
Attendance
Mark Gaffino, Lynn Miller, Jessi Watkins, Norma Yario, Robyn Stecklein, Steve Bosco, and Natalie Stevens | Not Present: Julie Shoemaker
Approval of Minutes
Robyn Stecklein made a motion to approve the January 8, 2024 meeting minutes, which was seconded by Lynn Miller.
Motion to Approve: All in Favor
2024 North Aurora Days
Administrator Steve Bosco informed the Committee that per a Beautification Committee project initiative, the Village was designing new banners for the light poles in town. Community and Board Relations Coordinator Natalie Stevens presented the Committee with several options and the Committee unanimously agreed they liked the design featuring the logo versus photos, but would like to see orange incorporated more. Stevens said she would bring back updated options to the next meeting.
Stevens provided several updates to the Committee, including that the contract for the fireworks had been signed as well as her research on face painting as the Committee had instructed to look into options. She presented three options, including the previously used Grin and Wear It organization, and they came in significantly lower than all other options. The Committee instructed Stevens to book them.
Stevens also provided for future possible alternatives to fireworks that could be drone shows or laser shows. Drone shows are currently more expensive than fireworks, but laser light shows would be a more equal cost to fireworks.
Jessi Watkins updated the Committee on children’s programming. She said the Messenger Public Library sponsored “Science Heroes” would be coming on Saturday from 6pm – 9pm for a dry ice demo and other related science type experiments. She said the DuPage Children’s Museum had just responded back and also indicated Saturday as their slot, so she would follow up to see if they would be available instead on Friday.
Lynn Miller said she had not yet moved forward with ordering or selecting any type of beverage for the Beer Tent run by the Lions Club. She did say she had visited several businesses about sponsorships and Stevens provided a quick update on all three so far received. Stevens said she’d be emailing all Village businesses by the end of the week.
Robyn Stecklein said there was no planned safety day for Touch-A-Truck but they would be interested in possibly still having child IDs and this year car seat installations. She said she was researching car seat installation classes for officers. Stevens said she would follow up with the school district to see if there was an indoor location to be used for child IDS and/or vision screenings. Stecklein also suggested possible bike checks and said she would reach out to Pedal and Spoke to see if they may be interested. The Committee confirmed that Touch-A-Truck hours would be revised to 10am – 1pm; shortening it by one hour.
Motion to Adjourn: All in Favor
Respectfully submitted,
Natalie Stevens
