Aurora City Council & COW - 11/24/25

Aurora City Council and Committee of the Whole
​November 24, 2025

Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Chairman John Kudley with Council members present: Reva Barner, Peter French, Sara Grdina 
Gilmore, George Horvat, Dennis Kovach, John Seitz and Scott Wolf. Brad Duguay was absent. There were 8 City Officials and Employees present. There were 2 citizens present.

Minutes from November 10, 2025 were accepted with R. Barner abstaining.

Finance Director’s Report: Revenue collections are above budget and Expenditures are below budgeted amounts. “Fund balances remain in a healthy position with $49,176,093 unencumbered in all funds and $20,971,190 unencumbered in the General Fund”. The report was accepted.

 There were 6 Ordinances proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance revising and increasing various rates and charges assessed by Aurora including Sanitary Sewer Regulations, Water, Aurora Cemetery and Subdivision and Site Development Regulations for Cost of Living increases.
  

• An Ordinance to purchase a box culvert from McGill Septic Tank in the amount of $29,880.00 for emergency improvements near 887 E. Garfield Rd. 
  
• An Ordinance accepting the quotation of Grade Line, Inc. in the amount of $65,000.00 to replace the existing box culvert near 887 E Garfield Rd. The work needs to be done immediately so it can be completed prior to the start of the 2026 ODOT resurfacing project.
  
• An Ordinance selecting the bid of M. Campbell Contracting, LLC in the amount of $947,610.40 to relocate the Nancy Drive section of the Westerly Sanitary Sewer trunk line. Mr. Stark said the soil is bad near the trunk line and is limited to that area.
  
• An Ordinance repealing the contract with Gledhill Road Machinery Company for the purchase of 3 snow and ice upfit packages in the amount of $404,457.77. They are so far behind it would take them another 2 years to complete the upfit.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of the Concord Road Equipment Mfg, LLC for the purchase of 3 snow and ice upfit packages in the amount of $516,987.80 for the use of the Service Department. These will be ready to use for the 2026-2027 snow season. Their bid was the best, cheapest and quickest to deliver the order.
  

There were 5 Ordinances proposed for 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance amending “Sewer Utilization Permits and Charges” of Aurora’s Codified Ordinances.
  
• An Ordinance amending “Fees for Permit” of Aurora’s Codified Ordinances for water connections.
  
• An Ordinance appropriating and transferring excess operating funds in the amount of $6,500,000.00 from the General Fund with $500,000.00 transferring to the Stormwater Capital Fund and $6,000,000.00 transferring to the Capital Improvement Fund in order to close the books for the 2025 year -end. 
  
• An Ordinance “approving and adopting the annual budget and appropriations for calendar year 2026, as submitted by Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin, and appropriating the funds necessitated by the adoption of the budget.” The Mayor gave a brief recap of the accomplishments of the past year and some of the plans included in the budget proposal. 2025 projects included the $2.6 million FEMA stormwater project in the Geauga Lake neighborhood, the first leg of the Aurora Hike and Bike Trail, taking ownership of Geauga Lake and 47 adjacent acres and starting on the redevelopment and the Ravine bridge at Paddock River Preserve is almost finished. Mayor Womer Benjamin discussed some budget items including Aurora Park, Wastewater treatment projects, and a new 1M gallon water tower that will replace the existing water tower at the south end of the city when finished. The expected year-end transfer to fund these projects will be about $6.5M, which will leave a cushion of $13M in the General Fund. The “centerpiece of the budget is Aurora Park at Geauga Lake”. She is proposing a $20M bond issue to fund Phase 1A. The city has an AAA bond rating enabling the issuance of low-cost debt for Aurora Park. The intention is to pay for it as we go along so there are no plans to raise taxes. For the Mayor’s more detailed budget proposals, read the Committee of the Whole minutes or watch the live stream of the November 24, 2025 meeting at auroraoh.com. 
  

Meeting adjourned at 6:30 pm

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City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:34 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. Council members were present and absent as noted in the COW report. There were 8 City Officials and Employees present and 2 people in the gallery.

November 10, 2025 Meeting Minutes were approved with R. Barner abstaining.

Mayor’s Report: City News highlighted:

• Leaf collection will continue as weather permits.
  
• Breakfast with Santa sign up began November 6 for the December 6 event at Bertram.
  
• Turkey Trot 5K and Mashed Potato Mile is Thanksgiving morning.
  
• Holiday Tree Lighting Festival will be Saturday, November 29, 4:30-7:00 p.m. at Bicentennial Park.
  
• Holiday Lights Tour begins December 12. Register your address by December 6.
  

        The 2026 Budget will have its first reading this evening and thanked Council for their consideration over the next weeks.
        She had a busy 2 weeks preparing the Budget, speaking at the Veterans Day program and at Leadership Aurora’s Government Day hosted at Town Hall, attending the Aurora Schools Foundation Donor Appreciation Night, the Historical Society’s annual dinner and the Chamber’s Jingle and Mingle party at Abigail’s. She also met with representatives of the VOA, had lunch with the president of the Barrington HOA and Council representative Reva Barner and presented a proclamation to Wayside Workshop celebrating 40 years of business in Aurora. She also presented a proclamation to a resident of Avenue of Aurora celebrating her 102nd Birthday and she was a real life Rosie the Riveter in WWII.

Law Director’s Report: Mr. DiPiero’s report was included with the packet.

Citizens Comments on legislation– None
 Council Remarks on legislation–  None

Legislation:
Ordinances on 3rd Reading

• An Ordinance approving and adopting the current replacement pages of the Aurora Codified Ordinances, as prepared by the Walter H. Drane Company and verified by the Clerk of Council had been on the Consent Calendar and was adopted.
  

• An Ordinance selecting the bid of and awarding a one year contract to H&M Landscaping, Inc. for the 2026 Turf and Landscape Maintenance in the amount of $84,280.00, having the option to renew the contract for the second and/or third year at the amounts specified in the bid response was adopted.
  

Ordinances on 2nd Reading:

• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Carahsoft Technology Corp. in the amount of $25,868.15 to purchase a Skydio X10 drone for use by the Police Department was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance providing for the issuance and sale of not to exceed $20,000,000 of bonds for the purchase of paying costs of constructing, reconstructing, furnishing, equipping and otherwise improving capital improvements comprising a portion of the Geauga Lake Improvement Project, for park, conservation, recreational and other municipal purposes, and including all necessary related improvements and appurtenances thereto, went to 2nd Reading.
  

Ordinances on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance from Planning Commission approving the revised development plan for Walden Co. Ltd. Located southwest of West Garfield Road and West Pioneer Trail in a PD Planned Development District went to 2nd Reading.
  

• The 6 Ordinances proposed at COW for action on 1st Reading were adopted with rules suspended. See COW for details.
  
• The 4 Ordinances proposed for 1st Reading went to 2nd Reading. See COW for details.
  

Citizens Comments: None
Council Members Remarks:  None

Meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m. and Council went into Executive Session to discuss the employment of a public official.

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