Aurora city Council & COW - 12/15/2025

Aurora, Ohio, City Council and Committee of the Whole
​December 15, 2025

Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Chairman John Kudley with Council members present: Brad Duguay, Reva Barner, Peter French, Sara Grdina Gilmore, George Horvat, Dennis Kovach and Scott Wolf. John Seitz was absent. There were 10 City Officials and Employees present. There were 7 citizens present.

Minutes from November 24, 2025 were accepted with B. Duguay abstaining.

Finance Director’s Report: Revenue collections are above budget and Expenditures are below budgeted amounts. “Fund balances remain in a healthy position with $50,452,559 unencumbered in all funds and $22,133,102 unencumbered in the General Fund”. The report was accepted.

 There were 8 Ordinances and 15 Resolutions proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance approving a change order with MKSK, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $529,520.00 for additional design work for a new entrance location design for two new structures (maintenance and utility buildings) and design modifications at Aurora Park at Geauga Lake.
  

• An Ordinance accepting the bid of Mars Electric in the amount of $251,829.67 for electrical supplies associated with electrical needs at Aurora Park at Geauga Lake.
  
• An Ordinance amending Aurora Cemetery- Charges and Fees of Aurora’s Codified Ordinances.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the quotation of Grade Line, Inc. in the amount of $48,111.75 to install water and sewer utilities on the site of the prefabricated restroom at Paddock River Preserve.
  
• The 15 Resolutions are reappointments and appointments (the 3 appointments have all served on committees or Boards). They were passed en masse-they weren’t individually read. The people and their Committees or Boards are as follows: Ben Sutton, Dr. Doris Evans and Valoree Vargo for the Architectural Board of Review; Valoree Vargo on the Landmark Commission; Bruce Geier and Frank Vitale on the Audit Committee; Ryan Hall, Lila Webster, David Palchesko and Jason Coleman on the Board of Building Code Appeals.; Kevin Krane, Curtis Posner, Thomas Carr and Terese Fennell to the Board of Zoning Appeals; John C. Jones on Planning Commission
  
• An Ordinance extending the moratorium until July 1, 2026 with respect to the submission and acceptance of applications and the issuance of permits for vape shops, e-cigarette shops, smoke shops, tobacco shops and shops that sell any product related to CBD, cannabidiol oils or edibles. This will provide time to study the new Ohio State laws.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a Services Agreement with Bainbridge Township to clarify the terms of which the city provides Police, Fire, EMS, and Road Services to the 9 acres purchased by Aurora in the Bainbridge Township property located in Aurora Park at Geauga Lake. 
  
• An Ordinance amending Employees Generally to reflect the hiring in the Service Department.
  
• An Ordinance adopting the final appropriations for the City of Aurora for the fiscal year 2025. Mr. Clymer describes it as “clean up ordinance” for the end of the year.
  

There was 1 Ordinance proposed for 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance granting a tax abatement to Lynx Packaging Inc. for a 100%, 15 year abatement of real property taxes, in accordance with the provisions of the city’s Community Reinvestment Area known as CRA 1. They are adding 14,000 square feet at a cost of $2.5 million and adding 13 more employees with $480,000 in new payroll. The owner has been in the city since 1986 while living in Chagrin Falls.
  

Meeting adjourned at 6:23 pm

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City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:26 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 10 City Officials and Employees present and 7 people in the gallery.

November 24, 2025 Meeting Minutes were approved with B. Duguay abstaining.

There was a 9 minute Executive Session to discuss the Acquisition of Real Property.

Mayor’s Report: City News highlighted:

• Holiday Lights Tour began December 12 with maps available from Parks and Rec and online.
  
• Snowman Contest going through February 28. Submissions with name of artists and location can be made to Parks and Rec/Events on Auroraoh.com. 
  

   Holiday Tree Lighting was a “real hometown celebration….[t]he weather was cold but the music was warm, the amusements were engaging, the food was great and Santa was his jolly old self.” 
    As part of the effort to issue bonds to help finance Phase 1A of Aurora Park, City officials met with 2 prominent national financial rating agencies, Fitch and Moody’s who both reaffirmed Aurora’s excellent financial status.
    The Mayor presented proclamations and Keys to the City to Chamber’s Person of the Year, Katie Trook and Business of the Year, V Financial Partners, at the Chamber’s annual Holiday Luncheon.
    The Mayor also attended the League of Women Voters holiday dinner, the Chamber Holiday Luncheon and the Aurora Seniors Holiday Party. She also “participated in an Archives and Records meeting for which Clerk Marie Lawrie is doing an excellent job managing and cataloguing the city’s records.” She taped her holiday Community Focus program- featuring her Corgi, Kippy- and attended the annual Aurora High School veterans’ dinner. 
   J. Kudley added that Old Navy opened a store at the Outlets on December 13, which is managed by his Son-in-law


Law Director’s Report: Mr. DiPiero’s report was included with the packet. He said there is a tentative agreement with the Teamsters and hopes to present a contract in January. He also explained about the Council appointments being adopted en masse to save time in reading them all individually. There is an opportunity for anyone to question an appointment. The Council President, G. Horvat, thanked Ms. Lawrie and the Law Director for finding this solution.

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

Legislation:
Ordinances on 3rd Reading

• 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, was adopted.
  

Ordinances on 2nd 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 3rd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance amending “Sewer Utilization Permits and Charges” was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance amending “Fees for Permit” for water connections was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance appropriating and transferring excess operating funds in the amount of $6,500,000.00 from the General Fund with $500,000.00 trasnferring to the Stormwater Capital Fund and $6,000,000.00 transferring to the Capital Improvement Fund was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance approving and adopting the annual budget and appropriations for calendar year 2026 went to 3rd Reading.
  

Ordinances on 1st Reading:

• The 8 Ordinances proposed for action on 1st Reading were adopted with rules suspended. See COW for details.
  
• The 15 Resolutions proposed for action that evening confirming the appointments and reappointments of various individuals to Boards and Committees and Commissions on 1st Reading were adopted en masse with rules suspended. See COW for details.
  
• The Ordinance granting a tax abatement to Lynx Packaging, Inc. went to 2nd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance from the Executive Session for the purchase of 6.63 acres of property to be used as a future connector to the Hike and Bike Trail in the amount of $670,000.00 plus closing fees not to exceed $20,000.00.  This Purchase Agreement is with West Creek Conservancy for property at 1053 Fairview Lane and was budgeted.
  

Miscellaneous: 

• The 2026 City Council Meeting Calendar was adopted.
  
• There will be and Organizational Meeting on January 5, 2026 and Council members need to have their requests for Committee assignments in by December 19.
  

There was a proclamation from the Mayor for Peter French who chose not to run for Council at large for another term. She acknowledged his many years of service to the City as Councilman and also on various Boards. His Family was also in attendance in the gallery.

There was a Resolution proposed by Council “recognizing At Large 2 City Council Member Peter French for 20 years of leadership and dedicated public service to the residents of the City of Aurora”. Council President George Horvat presented the award. The Resolution was  adopted with Mr. French abstaining.


Citizens Comments: None
Council Members Remarks:  All Council members present applauded and thanked Mr. French for his many years of dedicated service, acknowledging his work ethic and friendship. Law Director Dean DePiero said he is one of the best public officials he has ever served with- the best planning commission member asking questions no one else thought to ask. Mr. Kudley acknowledged him as a former student of his and honored to have had him as a student and a colleague. Mr. French thanked everyone for everything. He grew up in Aurora, believing it to be a great community and wanting to expand on that- the vision shared by everyone.


Meeting adjourned at 7:24 p.m. with a motion by Peter French.

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