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Village Board Minutes

 

NORTH AURORA VILLAGE BOARD MEETING

VILLAGE BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Monday, May 5, 2025

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Gaffino called the meeting to order.

 

SILENT PRAYER – MEDITATION – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

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.

 

AWARD – Officer Mason Brant Lifesaving Award

Sergeant Robinson spoke about the incident in which Officer Brant saved a life. Mayor Gaffino awarded the Lifesaving Award to Officer Brant. Mayor Gaffino expressed appreciation of the North Aurora Police Department.

 

PROCLAMATION – Motorcycle Awareness Month

In an effort to raise awareness of Motorcycle Awareness and safety, and in support of DuKane A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois, Inc., Mayor Gaffino proclaimed the month of May 2025 as Motorcycle Awareness Month. Mark Garrison, member of A.B.A.T.E. Illinois, was on hand to share the organization’s efforts to educate and raise awareness of motorcyclists.

 

AUDIENCE COMMENTS – Adam Pauley, resident of Aurora, president of the regional school board and representative of the 708 Mental Health Board for Aurora Township and the Overdose Taskforce for Kane County, shared about an awareness campaign for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Text/Call 988 or Chat 988lifeline.org).

 

CONSENT AGENDA

 

  1. Village Board Minutes Dated 04/21/2025; Committee of the Whole Minutes Dated 04/21/2025
  2. Bills List Dated 05/05/2025 in the Amount of $146,416.27
  3. Approval of Resolution for the 2025-26 Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) General Maintenance Program
  4. Approval of a Resolution Authorizing FY2025-26 Ongoing Professional Services Vendors Expected to Exceed $25,000

 

Motion for approval made by Trustee Guethle and seconded by Trustee Salazar. Roll Call Vote:  Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Niedzwiedz – yes, Trustee Salazar – yes, Trustee Christiansen – yes, Trustee Curtis –yes. Motion approved (6-0).

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

ACKNOWLEDGE OUTGOING BOARD MEMBERS

Jessi Watkins addressed the Village Board, staff and audience to express gratitude in serving the Village of North Aurora as Village Clerk. Mayor Gaffino thanked her for her years of service to the community.

 

ADJOURN

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

 

 

INSTALLATION OF NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS

  • Oath of Office for Newly Elected Officials
    1. Mark Gaffino, Village President
    2. Michael Lowery, Village Trustee
  • Todd Niedzwiedz, Village Trustee
  1. Carolyn Bird Salazar, Village Trustee
  2. Holly O’Brien, Village Clerk

 

NEW BOARD RECONVENES THE BOARD MEETING

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.

 

APPOINTMENT OF MAYOR PRO TEM

Mayor Gaffino reappointed Trustee Mark Guethle as Mayor Pro Tem. All in agreement. Motion passes.

 

NEW BUSINESS

  1. Approval of Ordinance Adopting the Budget of the Village of North Aurora for the Fiscal Year Beginning June 1, 2025 and Ending May 31, 2026

 

Finance Director Paprocki reminded the board that the budget proposal had been presented at the Committee of the Whole meetings of March 3 and March 17. Changes were presented at the April 7 Committee of the Whole meeting and that final budget is presented for vote.

 

Motion for approval made by Trustee Lowery and seconded by Trustee Curtis. Roll Call Vote:  Trustee Christiansen – yes, Trustee Curtis –yes, Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Niedzwiedz – yes, Trustee Salazar – yes. Motion approved (6-0).

 

  1. Approval of FY 2025-26 Appropriation and Budget Resolution for Messenger Public Library

 

Finance Director Paprocki explained that Messenger Public Library passed this resolution at its April 10 meeting for their budget for the current fiscal year. They are required to submit their budget to the Village Board for approval, which we use this fall for the tax levy process.

Motion for approval made by Trustee Salazar and seconded by Trustee Lowery. Roll Call Vote:  Trustee Christiansen – yes, Trustee Curtis –yes, Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Niedzwiedz – yes, Trustee Salazar – yes. Motion approved (6-0).

 

  1. Approval of Aurora Packing Company, Inc. Water Impact Agreement

 

Public Works Director Richter explained that APC received their special use PUD in 2020 and in 2022 the Village was informed that APC’s projected water use would be higher than estimated. This led to the Village and APC negotiating a water impact fee, which allows the Village to recoup some costs associated with providing essential services to new residents and businesses. The water impact fee was discussed at the Committee of the Whole meeting on April 21. The preliminary nonrefundable fee is $1.5 million and the estimated full impact fee will be $2.7 million.

 

Motion for approval made by Trustee Christiansen and seconded by Trustee Niedzwiedz. Roll Call Vote:  Trustee Christiansen – yes, Trustee Curtis –yes, Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Niedzwiedz – yes, Trustee Salazar – yes. Motion approved (6-0).

 

  1. Approval of Agreement with Infrastructure Management Services for Pavement Condition Study & GIS Asset Collection in the Amount of $32,128.00

 

Public Works Director Richter explained this contract allows a study to assess the condition of each road in the Village and is recommended to be performed every 3-5 years. The last study was conducted in 2021, and results help the Village determine the future road replacement programs. The contract includes data collection for condition of pavement markings and street sign asset inventory. The Village received quotes from 3 companies and has $45,000 budgeted in the 2025-2026 fiscal year budget. Staff recommends awarding this contract to Infrastructure Management Services.

 

Motion for approval made by Trustee Niedzwiedz and seconded by Trustee Salazar. Roll Call Vote:  Trustee Christiansen – yes, Trustee Curtis –yes, Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Niedzwiedz – yes, Trustee Salazar – yes. Motion approved (6-0).

 

  1. Approval of TIF Façade Grant for 227 South Lincolnway in the amount of $24,240.50

 

Community Development Director Darga explained the restaurant La Jaivita Beef and Bowls finished their rehab of the building and received a CO and are applying for a TIF grant for parking lot and signage improvments. The grant program allows up to $20,000 50% match. They are requesting $16,120.00 for parking lot repavement and $8,120.00 to remove the nonconforming pole sign and install new wall signs on the building.

 

Motion for approval made by Trustee Salazar and seconded by Trustee Lowery. Roll Call Vote:  Trustee Christiansen – yes, Trustee Curtis –yes, Trustee Guethle – yes, Trustee Lowery – yes, Trustee Niedzwiedz – yes, Trustee Salazar – yes. Motion approved (6-0).

 

VILLAGE PRESIDENT – Mayor Gaffino expressed his honor to serve the residents of North Aurora and thanked his family for supporting both him and the Village. He thanked his fellow board members for their desire to work together to serve the residents, and he thanked the staff for their fantastic work and dedication. Finally, he expressed his enthusiasm to continue serving another term and for the exciting projects to come in the Village.

 

TRUSTEES COMMENTS –

 

Trustee Salazar also expressed the honor and privilege of serving another term for the constituents of North Aurora and expressed appreciation for the Village staff. Trustee Lowery also expressed his joy of serving and commended the cooperation between Village staff and the board. Trustee Niedzwiedz expressed his enthusiasm to serve another term and thanked outgoing Village Clerk Watkins.

 

ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT –

 

Administrator Bosco explained that information regarding the Village’s Road Diet plan discussed at a previous Committee of the Whole meeting was posted to the Village’s social media and received much positive feedback. Bosco reminded the board that the Road Diet process will require a full engineering study by WBK Engineering and that those results will be presented at another Committee of the Whole meeting before submission to IDOT. Bosco also reminded the board that current construction on Rte. 31 is the valve replacement recently approved by the board and expedited by Public Works ahead of the state’s decision to move up the repaving of Rte. 31.

 

VILLAGE DEPARTMENT REPORTS

  1. Finance – None
  2. Community Development – None
  3. Police – None
  4. Public Works – None
  5. Village Attorney– None

 

 

ADJOURNMENT TO EXECUTIVE SESSION

Motion to adjourn to Executive Session was made by Trustee Lowery and seconded by Trustee Niedzwiedz. 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

 

ADJOURNMENT

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

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

Holly O’Brien

Village Clerk

 

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