Aurora City Council & COW - 6/12/23

Aurora City Council and Committee of the Whole - June 12, 2023
​Aurora, Ohio

Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:45 pm by Chairman Pro Tem Scott Wolf with council members present:  Reva Barner, Brad Duguay, Peter French, Sarah Grdina Gilmore, Harold Hatridge, George Horvat and Dennis Kovach. John Kudley was absent. There were 11 City Officials and Employees present and 10 people in the gallery.

March 27 minutes were adopted with H. Hatridge and R. Barner abstaining.  
 May 8, 2023 minutes were adopted with S. Grdina Gilmore and G. Horvat abstaining.

             There were 5 Ordinance proposed for Action that evening on 1st Reading:

• Employees Generally: Mr. Zellner was hired as a new Police Officer.
• An Ordinance to increase the proposal from Hall Public Safety Upfitters by $1,827.23 to accommodate changes in equipment installations and transfers from other vehicles.
• An Ordinance accepting the contract proposal with Garland/DBS, Inc. in the amount of $33,719.00 for the roof replacement project at the Central WWTP (Waste Water Treatment Plant) administrative building.  
• An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract with Battaglia Construction, Inc. in the amount of $48,000.00 for the demolition of structures located at 123 Pioneer Trail, 1053 and 1057 N. Aurora Rd. 
• An Ordinance rejecting all bids received for the waterline replacement project for Fox Hill Dr, Maple Lane, and SR 43 Intersection as the 2 bids received exceeded the engineering estimate by 10% and the project is to be re-bid as soon as possible.

There was 1 Ordinance proposed for first reading that will go to second reading.

• An Ordinance granting a tax abatement to BG Equity Holdings, LLC (Layerzero Power Systems) for a 100%, 15 year abatement of real property taxes for a 48,000 Sq Ft expansion. 

Meeting adjourned at 6:55 pm.
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City Council (CC):  Council President G. Horvat called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. Council members present and absent as noted in COW Report.

Minutes from the March 27 meeting were adopted. 
May 8 meeting minutes were adopted.

There was a Public Hearing for the Ordinance approving and adopting the Tax Budget of the City. There was no one present who commented on it. 

There was a 15 Minute Executive Session to discuss the Acquisition of Real Property

 Mayor’s Report: Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin’s report called attention to the upcoming presence of Food Trucks at Kiwanis-Moore Park on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays in June, July and August; There will be a special free event at the Splash Pad on June 15 from noon to 2; 4th of July Festivities;  the May 29 Memorial Day ceremony; assorted interviews, and meetings since the last Council meeting and the taping of her June Community Focus report.
There was a presentation on the new Ordinance proposed for Aurora to purchase Geauga Lake and 40 acres of surrounding land to be called The Aurora Park at Geauga Lake. The cost would be $4.5 million with 1.3 million from ARP money and the rest coming from the General fund. There would be no tax increase. Preliminary plans include renovating the pool and having a beach. Some of the existing buildings will be removed and others may be rehabilitated and repurposed. The current owner, ICP, will help with demolition and will build a trail around the Lake.

Citizens Comments: a citizen had a question about the warranty on the new roof for the CWWTP to which H. Stark replied that it is limited to materials.

Council Remarks: None

Ordinances on 3rd  Reading:

• An Ordinance approving the 2023 annual maintenance contract in the amount of $23,548.44 with Software Solutions for software support and maintenance for the Finance and Utility Billing Department was adopted.
  
• An Ordinance approving and adopting the tax budget of the City of Aurora for the calendar year 2024 was adopted with rules suspended- approving an Ordinance the same evening as the Public Hearing.
  

Ordinances on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance granting a Conditional Zoning Certificate to the Church in Aurora for Evergreen Preschool which is located in the R-3: Residential District went to 2nd Reading.
  

• An Ordinance granting a tax abatement to BG Equity Holdings, LLC went to 2nd Reading.
  
• Ordinance 2023-104 for the Purchase of 40 acres of land and 53.63 acres of Geauga Lake with a Trail Lake Loop easement from ICP went to 2nd Reading.
  

The 5 Ordinances proposed at the COW for action that evening were adopted with rules suspended. See Committee of the Whole report for details

Miscellaneous: None

Citizens Comments: H Caplin spoke favorably about the proposed purchase of Geauga Lake and spoke again about the need for senior housing and wants rezoning for that. He will seek 817 signatures to place the issue on the November ballot.
 Mitchell Edgecomb addressed the problem of the solid waste stream of plastic as a disease. The recycling rate of plastic has decreased to 4 %. He encouraged the use of reusable bags and a ban on the use of single use plastic bags.


Council Members and Committee Remarks: There were compliments on M. Edgecomb’s presentation; enthusiasm for the purchase of Geauga Lake and a reminder that the Vietnam Wall will be in Aurora June 22-25.

 The meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm.