Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Chairman John Kudley.  All Council members were present: Reva Barner, Brad Duguay, Sarah Grdina Gilmore, George Horvat, Dennis Kovach, John Seitz, Ralph Ware and Scott Wolf. There were 9 City Officials and Employees present. There were 7 citizens present.

Minutes from September 14, 2026 were adopted.

Finance Director’s Report: “Fund balances remain in a healthy position with $47,439,103 unencumbered in all funds and $17,295,701 unencumbered in the General Fund.” With 2/3 of the year over, revenue is up 13% and expenses are down by 3%.

New Business:
 There were 4 Ordinances proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance amending “Employees Generally” to reflect changes in compensation. There were 2 promotions in the Police Department.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract with Lincoln Dental for employee dental coverage from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2028, at an annual cost of $172,580.00 each year of the 2 year contract. This is an 8.4% decrease which allows the city to enhance the benefits. Mr. Horvat asked why the urgency in passing this. Answer: It allows them to do things earlier and not be rushed.
  
• An Ordinance renewing the contract with VSP (Vision Service Plan)  for the employee vision insurance plan from January 1, 2027 to December 31. 2030 at an annual cost of $62,092.00 each year of the 4 year contract. This is a 6.9% increase but coverage is enriched a little.
  
• An Ordinance rejecting all bids received for the Aurora Park Utility Improvement Project as all bids received exceed the engineering estimate by more than 20%. This is on emergency so that the project can be re-bid as soon as possible. In answer to several questions posed by Mr. Ware, Director H. Stark replied that there were only 2 submitted bids from the 11 contractors that came on site to bid. This is an $8.5 million project and the submitted bids had confusion and errors. Changes will be made in the next bid request.
  

There was 1 Ordinance proposed for 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance “amending Part Three-Traffic Code of the Aurora’s Codified Ordinances to clarify the use of bicycles, e-bicycles, low speed micromobility devices and personal assistive mobility devices within the city and declaring an emergency for the safety of the residents.” The Law Director Mr. DePiero highlighted some of the changes that will make the new sections more comprehensive. They looked at 12 other cities and other law directors so that the changes can be enforced. There is an educational outreach component and this is a working document. Violations could be misdemeanors and disability vehicles are not affected. There will be sections on the responsibility of guardians to educate their kids. Most of the Council members responded positively about this proposal: that it is well written and detailed; good to be proactive; likes parental accountability; and thinking it could be part of health education which would be key. Mr. DePiero encouraged them to submit their concerns and would appreciate their feedback. School Superintendent Paul Milcetich was in attendance and was asked to comment. He said most School Superintendents are relying on the police to take the lead on this. 
  

Meeting adjourned at 6: 35 p.m.

​

City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:37 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. Council members, City Officials and Employees and people in the gallery were present as noted in the COW report.  

 September 14, 2026 Meeting Minutes were adopted.

Presentation: Aurora City Schools, Essential Plan. Superintendent Dr Paul Milcetich spoke about the Essential Plan, “Aurora City Schools’ long-term facility master plan focused on the district’s most critical needs for buildings and infrastructure. It is a road map for making sure schools remain safe, functional, and efficient for students and staff.” For more information on this bond issue visit www.aurora-schools.org “The Essential Plan”.

Mayor’s Report: 
  “City Calendar”:

• Fall Festival and Business Showcase on Saturday, October 10, 12-4 pm. at Sunny Lake Park.
  
• Shred Day Saturday, October 24, 9 am-12 pm at the Service Department.
  
• Turkey Trot 5K and Mashed Potato Mile early pricing going on now.
  
• Trick or Treat Saturday, October 31, from 6-8 pm.
  
• Aurora Trail Challenge began September 1 and runs through October 31.
  

             
POGO Bus Service: PARTA is providing new local bus service called Portage County GO (POGO) for Streetsboro and Aurora’s Industrial Park. This service provides rides requested through an app between Aurora’s Industrial Park and Streetsboro from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm weekdays. There are 4,000 Industrial Park workers who can benefit from this service for $10.00 per ride.

Water Supervisor: Mike Reker was presented with a plaque congratulating him on his retirement after 31 years of service to the Service Department by the Mayor, Service Director Harry Stark and Assistant Service Director Dave Frisbee.

Flu Shots: A free flue shot clinic for City of Aurora employees and covered dependents will be held on Thursday, October 8, 3-6 pm at Fire Station One. Portage County Health Department is providing this service.

Leaf Collection: Leaf collection begins mid-October and runs through December, weather permitting.

Focus on Parks and Recreation
Park Use Data: Sunny Lake Park continues to have the most visitors, with over 100,000 people so far this year. Aurora Trail is also well-used, with a monthly average of 3,500 visitors. Hartman and Kiwanis-Moore Parks each averaged over 25,000 monthly visitors in June and July.
Aurora Seniors got a New Bus: A new 28- passenger bus arrived this summer and been busy on trips already. Contact Aurora Parks and Recreation for more information about Aurora Seniors programs.
Liz Strahan Park Improvements: Liz Strahan Park in the Geauga Lake neighborhood received a significant update this year including a new pavilion, new picnic tables, park benches, charcoal grill, new asphalt on walking paths, replacement of playground equipment and removal of deteriorating play pieces.
Paddock River Preserve Restrooms: The newest public restroom facility is open at Paddock River Preserve on Trail’s End has a drinking fountain and water bottle filler and will be open year-round as weather permits.
Sunny Lake Park Improvements: Improvements to the boathouse dock area include a new storage shed, accessible kayak launch, and boat launch.

  Mayor’s Office: Since the last Council meeting the Mayor has continued to have budget meetings with staff and council members. She had an interview with Melissa Reid from Fox 8 News, presented Mike Reker with a retirement plaque, met with Lizzie Sanders regarding attracting retail to Aurora, taped her Community Focus report, volunteered at the Aurora High school concession stand, and was interviewed by a Portager reporter regarding POGO Bus Service. 
     
Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero’s report was included with the packet. 

Citizens Comments on the Mayor’s Report/Legislation– None
 Council Remarks on legislation –  None


Legislation:
Consent Calendar:

• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of 3 vacant lots on Dora Lane went to 3rd Reading
  

Ordinance on 3rd Reading: 

• An Ordinance authorizing the decommission and sale of Police Canine Ory to his handler Sergeant Scott Brown in the amount of $2,500 was adopted.
  

Ordinances on 2nd Reading:

• An Ordinance from Planning Commission approving a Conditional Zoning Certificate for the property owned by True North Energy LLC located on the north side of West Garfield Road, in a C-2 zoning district went to 3rd Reading. 
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of bulk road salt was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance awarding a 5 year contract to Rumpke was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance approving a change order to Wertz Geotechnical Engineering was adopted with rules suspended.
  

Ordinances on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance from City Council 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 fo Council went to the Consent Calendar.
  
• An Ordinance from Planning Commission approving the amendment of the Architectural Board of Review residential guidelines, pertaining to standards for metal roofs went to 2nd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance from Planning Commission amending Section 1321.99 “Architectural Board of Review – Penalties” of Aurora’s Codified Ordinances to update the penalty section went to 2nd Reading and a Public Hearing is set for October 12, 2026.
  
• An Ordinance from Planning Commission amending Section 1329.01 “Permits and Fees – Fee Schedule” of Aurora’s Codified Ordinances to update fees went to 2nd Reading and a Public Hearing is set for October 12, 2026.
  
• The 4 Ordinances from COW proposed for action that evening were adopted with Rules Suspended. See COW for details.
  
• An Ordinance amending Part Three – Traffic Code of the Aurora’s Codified Ordinances to clarify the use of bicycles, e-bicycles, low speed micromobility devices and personal assistive mobility devices within the city went to 2nd Reading.
  

Citizens Comments: Elissa Katz, co-chair of the Citizens Committee for Quality Schools, spoke in support of Issue 4 – Aurora City School’s Essential Plan. She emphasized that it addresses the most pressing needs of the Schools to replace, repair and protect, and the importance of the schools to the entire community. 6,000 votes are needed by November 3 and she said there are 4 ways to help: a yard sign, donate to the campaign, endorsements and to Vote. Information can be found at auroralevy.com web site.

Council Members Remarks: None.
  
Meeting adjourned at 7:32 p.m.

​

Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Chairman John Kudley.  All Council members were present: Reva Barner, Brad Duguay, Sarah Grdina Gilmore, George Horvat, Dennis Kovach, John Seitz, Ralph Ware and Scott Wolf. There were 9 City Officials and Employees present. There were 7 citizens present.

Minutes from August 17, 2026 were adopted.

New Business:
 There were 7 Ordinances proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance accepting the quotation of Golf Preservations Inc. in the amount of $33,700.00 to install 4400 linear feet of drainage pipe on a 50,000 square foot area of multipurpose field at Hartman Park. Parks and Rec Director Laura Holman said that this is needed to make a safer play area. In answer to several questions she replied that they hope to start October 16, take about a week to complete and it should not interfere with any soccer games. This item was budgeted.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of 2 vacant lots on Fairview Ave in the amount of $80,000.00 plus applicable closing costs not to exceed $5,000.00. This is strategic purchase for future connectivity to Aurora Park at Geauga Lake.
  
• An Ordinance to purchase 19 air release valves and accompanying supplies to replace the existing air release valves from the Marketplace lift station to the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant in the amount of $148,907.13. This is part of a planned upgrade to switch from the existing 6” pipes to the 10” pipes for 3 miles. The city was quoted $900,000.00 to install them but the Service Department will do this in house. The project should take 6-7 months to complete so they want to start as soon as possible.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the quotation of C&J Contractors, Inc. in the amount of $480,000.00 for the demolition of the aquarium building at Aurora Park at Geauga Lake. The building was deemed structurally unsound and unsafe with 50 pylons failing. It was necessary to go to the Army Corps of Engineers with the process to remove this structure since it is over the water. This process took 3 months. A demolition permit must also be obtained from Bainbridge. Exact measurements were taken of the building with the hope that it might be rebuilt on land in the future. Answers to questions posed by Council members included proposed safety measures to keep people away from this “attractive nuisance”; don’t know why there were significant differences in the demolition quotes- this company is smaller and might have less overhead; there was nothing salvageable from the building; and compliments on the “phenomenal” prep on this complicated project.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the 2027 H2Ohio Rivers Initiative-Chloride Reduction State Grant offered by the Ohio EPA in the amount of $73,623.00. Ohio EPA is eager to minimize salt and regulations may be coming. This grant is to use brine, making our own, which uses 77% water on our rock salt. Brine will use less salt, not bounce off the road, can pretreat the roads. The city is hoping to save money on the purchase of salt but will need this upcoming year to  assess. Many of the vehicles used for snow events already have the ability to spread brine.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the quotation of Brine Worx in the amount of $82,315.41 for the purchase of equipment to begin producing and storing salt brine. The Ohio EPA grant will cover all but about $9,000.00 which the city will pay for from the Capital Improvement Fund.
  

• An Ordinance amending “Employees Generally” to reflect changes in compensation. There were 4 Employees named: Water supervisor promotion due to retirement, Service tech for Parks and Rec, Fire Fighter/Paramedic p/t and Sports Monitor p/t.
  

There were 4 Ordinances proposed for 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of bulk road salt from Cargill, Inc. at a price of $72.20 per ton for basic salt and $89.60 per ton for Clearlane in an amount not to exceed $400,000.00 for the 2026-2027 snow season. Clearlane is used in lower temperatures when salt is not as effective.
  

• An Ordinance selecting the bid of and awarding a five-year contract to Rumpke for the 2027-2031 collection and disposal of solid waste and recycling. 2 bids were received and Rumpke was chosen. 4 Council members had comments and expressed concerns they received from their constituents about missed houses and breakdowns of vehicles. 1 member thanked the Rumpke representative present and another appreciated the weekly recycling and said they thought Rumpke was responsive to missed houses usually coming back in 24 hours.
  
• An Ordinance approving a change order to the contract with Wertz Geotechnical Engineering in an amount not to exceed $25,000.00 for additional soil investigations at the Aurora Park at Geauga Lake.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of 3 vacant lots on Dora Lane in the Geauga Lake neighborhood in the amount of $1.00 plus applicable closing costs not to exceed $1,000.00. These lots are landlocked and unbuildable. The owner offered them to the city and after doing due diligence will take ownership which should help with stormwater issues.
  

Meeting adjourned at 6: 37

​

City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:42 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. Council members, City Officials and Employees and people in the gallery were present as noted in the COW report.  

August 17, 2026 Meeting Minutes were adopted.

Mayor’s Report: 
  “City Calendar”:

• Aurora Trail Challenge began September 1 and runs through October 31.
  
• Aurora High School Concession Stand  will be hosted by City and Council volunteers on September 18 at 7 pm for the Homecoming Game.
  
• Fall Festival and Business Showcase on Saturday, October 10 at Sunny Lake Park
  
• Shred Day Saturday, October 24, 9 am-12 pm at the Service Department.
  
• Turkey Trot 5K and Mashed Potato Mile early pricing going on now.
  

             

Aurora Park: 40 workers are at Aurora Park 6 days a week when possible and things are moving very quickly. Weather delays and long lead times on key items being delivered is pushing the opening back from September to sometime in October. The Park entrance sign construction is completed and the sign will be installed soon.

Distracted Driver Effort: The Ohio State Highway Patrol and police recently collaborated to target reckless, speeding, and distracted driving across major Ohio roadways. Aurora PD participated in the effort resulting in 195 total stops, 102 distracted driving citations and 30 other citations.

Flood Assistance: 2 of our firefighter personnel traveled to Perry County one day last month as part of the Portage County Urban Search and Rescue team (USAR) where they participated in operations that involved searching for flood victims in an area where the flood had washed away a homeless persons encampment.

ODOT Paving: ODOT has completed resurfacing SR 82 and 306. There are a few remaining issues which should be completed by contractual completion date of September 30.

Sidewalk Assistance Program: There have been 23 applications and 12 have paid. Improvements will be completed in-house by the Service Department.
 
Natural Gas Aggregation Program: Beginning in October 2026, the program will offer a fixed rate of $3.99/Mcf for 12 months which is a decrease from the current rate of $4.00/Mcf. Questions regarding the program or enrollment can be directed to IGS Energy at 877-353-0162. Current participants will receive a rate change notice and automatically continue in the upcoming term. 

Chamber Events: Nominations for Business and Person of the Year are being accepted until September 30. The David M. Benjamin Memorial Golf Outing is September 29 at Tanglewood Golf Club. Check allaboutaurora.com for more details.
            
  Mayor’s Office: Since the last Council meeting the Mayor has continued to have budget meetings with staff and council members. She had an interview with Clay LePard from News 5 and one with Fox 8 Today. She spoke with the Harmon 8th graders during their recent visit to City Hall as part of their annual City Walkabout, spoke at the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony and presented awards at the Car Show.
     
Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero’s report was included with the packet. He said they are working on updating the code on e-bikes and scooters. He wanted to be careful not to over regulate and should have It ready in 2 weeks.

Citizens Comments on the Mayor’s Report/Legislation– A citizen had a general comment not on legislation and it was addressed at the end of this meeting.

 Council Remarks on legislation –  None


Legislation:

Ordinance on 3rd Reading: 

• An Ordinance on the Consent Calendar, accepting a donation of 4 Kwikgoal soccer goals was adopted.
  

Ordinance and Resolution on 2nd Reading: 

• The Resolution to confirm the appointment of Eric Steinel to the Tree Commission was Adopted with Rules Suspended
  
• The Ordinance authorizing the decommission and sale of Police Canine Ory to his handler Sgt Scott Brown went to 3rd Reading.
  

Ordinances on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance from Planning Commission approving a Conditional Zoning Certificate for the property owned by True North Energy LLC located on the north side of West Garfield Road, in a C-2 zoning district went to 2nd Reading. A representative from True North was present and answered questions from Council: The existing True North facility will be used until the new one is built. It will then be remediated and maintained until it sells. It will not be sold to another gas station.
  
• The 7 Ordinances proposed for action this evening were Adopted with Rules Suspended- see COW for details.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of bulk road salt went to 2nd Reading
  
• An Ordinance awarding a 5 year contract to Rumpke went to 2nd Reading
  
• An Ordinance approving a change order to Wertz Geotechnical Engineering went to 2nd Reading
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of 3 vacant lots on Dora Lane went to the Consent Calendar.
  

Miscellaneous: There were no objections to a Liquor Notice for Tasty Hospitality, LLC- Nicky and Smitty’s Deli and Restaurant for a new D-3 permit.

Citizens Comments: A Citizen asked about the presence of a Flock camera on the Aurora Trail Hike and Bike Trail and how many Flock cameras there are in Aurora. Chief Byard answered that the camera on the Hike and Bike Camera is not a Flock one but is there for the safety and security of the walkers and bikers. The City has 7 Flock cameras.

Council Members Remarks: None.
  
Meeting adjourned at 7:12 p.m.



​

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

Minutes from July 20, 2026 were adopted.

Finance Director’s Report: “Fund Balances remain in a healthy position with $48,708,852 unencumbered in all funds and $19,552,352 unencumbered in the General Fund.” “The 2025 financial audit has been released by the Auditor of State’s office with an unmodified (“clean”) opinion. Many thanks to our Finance Department staff….along with all city employees and officials for their instrumental work in helping the city achieve this result!” Mr. Ware asked if there were any differences between this report and the last one to which Mr. Clymer answered there were some minor items to address but none worth reporting. Council voted to accept the report.

New Business:
 There were 4 Ordinances proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance amending “Employees Generally” to reflect changes in compensation. There were 9 promotions from several departments: Parks and Rec, Service and Fire Department.
  

• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of F & S Automotive, Inc. in the amount of $39,468.65 for the repair of rust damage to the frame of the 1999 Emergency One Fire Engine which is used as a backup vehicle for use within the department. Fire Chief McBirney gave background for the request. The body of the vehicle is aluminum and in good shape but upon inspection prompted by damage noted by another vehicle that had been inspected and declared ok by the current provider of  servicing the vehicles, the 1999 Engine was found to have severe damage to the frame. 3 repair shops were contacted for quotes for repairs and F & S Automotive in Mantua was the only one to give a quote. They proposed it in person, providing comprehensive paper work. They are a trusted vendor for the city. The damage was unexpected and therefore not included in this budget cycle. The Engine is needed as backup for the City’s firefighting readiness and therefore, after consulting with the Finance Director, was told the General fund would be able to support this emergency Ordinance. 4 Council members posed questions to the Chief and were satisfied with the answers and recognized the need for this to be repaired and made roadworthy as quickly as possible. The City is not expected to get a new Truck until 2033.
  

• An Ordinance assessing the cost of abating unpaid water and/or sewer invoices to property owners listed and submitting the invoices to the Portage County Auditor. In answer to a question from Council if there is any other deterrent for homeowners to pay their water/sewer bill, it was stated there is no other mechanism to charge them except for the late fee and then a tax lien.
  
• An Ordinance assessing the cost of abating lawn maintenance nuisances to property owners listed and submitting the invoices to the Portage County Auditor. A member of Council asked why it is mostly one homeowner who is being charged multiple times and what his background was, it was replied no other information is given and some people seem to prefer paying the city a lot more money than hiring a landscaping service to mow their property.
  

There was 1 Resolution and 1 Ordinance proposed for 1st Reading:

• A Resolution confirming the Mayor’s appointment of Eric Steinel to Aurora’s Tree Commission, replacing Gary Cook, for the term ending December 31, 2007. He is a very active member of the Aurora Community and asked to be on the Tree Commission.
  

• An Ordinance authorizing the decommission and sale of Police Canine Ory to his handler Sergeant Scott Brown in the amount of $2,500.00 and declaring an emergency to allow the department to move forward with pending promotional process. 6 Council members posed questions and commented on this to Chief Byard: 1 Member stated he didn’t like “selling a police officer”; answer: His handler is being promoted and it is in the best interest of the dog that he stay with the handler who has cared for him. Orly’s original cost was $14,000.00 and there was a lot of negotiation on the price. Aurora still has a Police dog and there is mutual aid from area Police Departments if there is a need. The life span of a Police Officer dog is between 6 and 8 years and Orly is 4 ½ years old. 2 Council members said they would like to see another dog but there aren’t any immediate plans to get one. There was general understanding of the difficulty of having a new handler and that this is the right thing to do for all concerned.
  

Meeting adjourned at 6:24 pm

​

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, City Officials and Employees and people in the gallery were present as noted in the COW report.  

June 8, 2026 Meeting Minutes were adopted with J. Kudley abstaining.
June 30, 2026 Meeting Minutes were adopted with R. Barner, B. Duguay and S. Grdina Gilmore abstaining.

Mayor’s Report:   “City Calendar”:
            Food Truck Wednesdays, second and fourth Wednesdays, beginning June 10 from 11:00 a.m.-2 p.m. at Kiwanis-Moore Park. Details on participating trucks can be found on the Parks and Rec Facebook page the week prior to each event.
            Summer Concert Series, second and fourth Thursdays, beginning on June 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.
            The Splash Pad, Snack Shack and the Sunny Lake Boathouse are open.
            Sidewalk Assistance Program is accepting applications until August 5.
            National Night Out is Tuesday, August 4, 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Kiwanis-Moore Park which will feature free food, fun, city vehicles and equipment.
            Tax Free Holiday August 7-9, 2026
            Safety Forces Bike Rodeo August 8, 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. at Miller Elementary School
             First Day of School August 18.

Aurora Park: “The conceptual plan of the park is coming to life as the contractors on site are working tirelessly through all the weather conditions. Most, if not all, underground work is complete allowing for surface level improvements to take place. Concrete pathways are being poured while some building structures are taking form (IT building and restroom/office building)”



ODOT Paving: Paving of 82 east to Townline began the week of July 6. The milling process of 306 to Crackel Road was expected to start July 20 but hadn’t as of this meeting.

Party in the Park 250: “Birthday Bash Tour: is the final installment of the Party in the Park series celebrating America’s 250th birthday on August 1, with the opportunity to explore participating businesses and enjoy special giveaways and activities, collecting stamps along the way. If participants visit enough stops, they will earn entry to the After Party at Bicentennial Park, where participants will receive a special treat and have a chance to win raffle prizes.”

Senior Bus has arrived and is already in use.

Property Tax Delay: Because of Ohio law changes, the Ohio Tax Commissioner has extended the property tax payment deadline from the standard July due date to August 31, 2026.

Focus on Service Department

The Mayor listed many projects nearing completion, ongoing and routine maintenance, improvements and special projects including: The Westerly Trunkline Replacement is nearing completion; The next phase of sidewalks on North Bissell Road along 43 is being designed; 4 remaining properties covered by the FEMA grant will soon be demolished and restored to green space; AquaDoc will maintain the water quality of the basins in the Geauga Lake area; Additional paving efforts on Len Court and a portion of East Jackson Road; City made improvements to the walkways at the Aurora Memorial Library and focused on full-depth joint repairs in the Wellington Subdivision; Routine maintenance of storm and sanitary sewers throughout the city; Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements and the Waterline at SR82 and SR43 was upgraded and improved. 
             
  Mayor’s Office: Since the last Council meeting the Mayor “attended a MAPPS meeting at FirstEnergy headquarters, participated in Aurora’s 4th of July festivities, swore in Police Sergeant Nathan Boston, met with three new board/committee members, recorded my Community Focus report, attended our Audit Conference, attended the swearing in of new Municipal Court Judge Mary Beth Kiah, wrote articles for Aurora Neighbors and Walden Life, and married a couple from Aurora.”

The Mayor added that specific requirements are being added before any drilling can be done in Aurora. OUPS requirement is a line on the application. First Energy is claiming they don’t have to abide by that so lawyers are now looking into it.

There were 2 questions posed about the proposed walking path around Geauga Lake. The City owns the easement but there are a number of issues to work out. There will be walking paths as part of the different phases as the Park develops and there are no time frames on the project yet.
     
Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero’s report was included with the packet. There was nothing new to report to Council.

Citizens Comments on the Mayor’s Report/Legislation– None

 Council Remarks on legislation –  None

Legislation:

Ordinance on 3rd Reading:

• An Ordinance granting an easement to Lynk Packaging to allow emergency vehicles ingress and egress was adopted.

Ordinance on 2nd Reading: 

• An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a consulting agreement with Capitol Consulting Group, Inc. in the amount of $60,000.00 to provide consulting services for state and federal government procurement dollars for capital projects at Aurora Park at Geauga Lake and other applicable city projects was adopted with rules suspended.

Ordinances and Resolutions on 1st Reading: 

• The 3 Resolutions and 4 Ordinances proposed at COW for action that evening were adopted with Rules Suspended. See COW for details.
• The Ordinance accepting a donation of 4 Kwikgoal soccer goals from Next Play Soccer valued at $13,220.00 went to 2nd Reading and was moved to the consent calendar.

Citizens Comments: None

Council Members Remarks: Mr. Ware is the council rep for the Chamber of Commerce and will keep Council updated on the list of activities including the Birthday Bash. The Dueling Pianos fundraiser was very successful. Mr. Duguay agreed the Piano Fundraiser was very good. He thanked Parks and Rec for the upgrades to Liz Strahan Park. He also commented that the 4th of July events were very well done. Mr. Kovach asked if any additional work needed to be done for the installation of the in-car routers for the Police Department. Answer: No. Mr. Horvat remarked that the clean up after the 4th of July events was great.
  
Meeting adjourned at 6:59 p.m.
​

City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:24 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. Council members, City Officials and Employees and people in the gallery were present as noted in the COW report.  

May 26, 2026 Meeting Minutes were not adopted since there were not enough members present who could accept them.

Public Hearing: Ordinance 2026-101 Road and Bridge Tax Levy Renewal:  There were no citizens present to speak about this but the Finance Director spoke about the importance of the levy for the upkeep of Aurora’s roads and this is a renewal, no new taxes.

Mayor’s Report:   “City Calendar”:
            Food Truck Wednesdays, second and fourth Wednesdays, beginning June 10 from 11:00 a.m.-2 p.m. at Kiwanis-Moore Park. Details on participating trucks can be found on the Parks and Rec Facebook page the week prior to each event.
            Summer Concert Series, second and fourth Thursdays, beginning on June 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.
            The Splash Pad, Snack Shack and the Sunny Lake Boathouse are open.
             City Offices closed Friday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day.

Aurora Park Update: The Aurora Park IT building is going up quickly and will be followed by the restroom and office for the Gatehouse. The drawings for phase 1B are 50% completed. The Law Director is working on obtaining a liquor license for the park. The Ohio Legislature’s capital budget included $1 million allocated to the City of Aurora “for the development of the beach area as part of Phase 2A of Aurora Park.”

Fourth of July activities were listed and details can be found on the City’s website. The Parade Grand Marshal is Barb Kudley. “Barb recently retired after more than four decades of service in the Aurora City Schools. Barb is a lifelong resident, former elementary school librarian, active in numerous community organizations, and helped bring Relay for Life to Aurora. Congratulations, Barb!”

82 paving update: After several delays from ODOT, paving is expected to begin July 6.

Purple Heart City: The City of Aurora was presented with a plaque designating Aurora as a Purple Heart City because Portage County is a Purple Heart County.

New Rescue Squad: The Fire Department recently took possession of a new rescue squad that was ordered in March 2023. It is being prepared for service in a few weeks.

Party in the Park 250: “Birthday Bash Tour: is the final installment of the Party in the Park series celebrating America’s 250th birthday on August 1, with the opportunity to explore participating businesses. Registration is taking place now through July 1 at Allaboutaurora.com .

Focus on Economic Development: The Mayor gave an Economic Development Overview of Last Year stating the importance for Aurora’s economic health as we receive 80% of our income tax revenue from these businesses. She listed 11 new businesses from summer 2025-June 2026. 42 Companies are housed in Aurora’s Industrial Park with almost 4,000 people working there and frequenting other Aurora businesses. There is still approximately 103 acres that remain to be developed. The City has implemented plans for retention strategies for the Industrial Park including a Food Truck program and offers of support for Retail Businesses. The Office of Economic Development in partnership with the Mayor’s Office designs ads and advertises in regional publications such as Crains and Cleveland Magazine. They are actively engaged in promoting and encouraging people to visit Aurora. Aurora businesses give back to the Aurora Community through food drives, blood drives, care packages for veterans, among other initiatives. Details are available in the Mayor’s Report on the City’s website.
              
  Mayor’s Office: Since the last Council meeting the Mayor “signed the first set of FEMA closing documents, prepared my article for Aurora Neighbors, attended an event hosted by Governor DeWine,  visited with children at the Splash Pad and handed out popsicles, and looked in on the Splash Bash.”

The Mayor addressed the concerns about drilling in light of the gas explosion in Twinsburg. Aurora has very stringent requirements including needing engineering plans that are reviewed and accepted or denied. She has a great deal of confidence in the Service Department and asked that if anyone sees marking being done, they contact the city.

J. Kudley thanked the Mayor for honoring his wife Barb Kudley as Parade Grand Marshal. He said she has been dedicated to making sure every student gets a Library Card and she would present each child with a personalized book mark. In return, upon her retirement, she received 1,600 personalized book marks from the students.
R. Ware appreciated the Mayor’s comments on drilling and asked about Aurora’s emergency response. The Mayor said Aurora has an overall emergency plan and a mobile command center is on order. Aurora Fire Department was on site in Twinsburg after the explosion to assist.
 
     
Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero’s report was included with the packet. There was nothing new to report to Council.

Citizens Comments on the Mayor’s Report/Legislation– None

 Council Remarks on legislation –  None

Legislation:
Consent Calendar: The 5 Ordinances on the Consent Calendar were on 3rd Reading. They included: The purchase of GETAC cloud storage for body cameras, etc; Accepting an easement from Hawthorne Limited Partnership for the construction of a sidewalk on North Aurora Road and Bissell Road; Approving a 3 year maintenance contract for software support; An Ordinance amending “Contracts & Performance Bonds”; An Ordinance amending to establish a rounding policy to align with currency in circulation were adopted “in gross”.
Ordinances and Resolution on 3rd Reading:

• A Resolution submitting to the electors of the city the question of the renewal of an existing 0.9 mill tax levy for streets, roads and bridges was adopted with the Rule that legislation cannot be approved at the same meeting as the Public Hearing was suspended and the Resolution was adopted.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Kompan, Inc. for the design and construction of a custom themed accessible play area at Aurora Park and Geauga Lake was adopted.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Rent.Fun, LLC to provide and service a 16-unit self-serve rental kiosk for Aurora Park and Geauga Lake that will include kayaks, paddleboards and life jackets was adopted.
  

Ordinances on 2nd Reading:

• An Ordinance extending the moratorium on Vape shops, etc was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance to purchase a vacant lot on Eldridge to help control storm water damage was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance granting an easement to Lynk Packaging to allow emergency vehicles ingress and egress was adopted with rules suspended.
  

Ordinances on 1st Reading:

• The 4 Ordinances proposed for action this evening were adopted with rules suspended. See COW for details.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a consulting agreement with Capitol Consulting Group, Inc. in the amount of $60,000.00 to provide consulting services for state and federal government procurement dollars for capital projects at Aurora Park at Geauga Lake and other applicable city projects went to 2nd Reading.
  

Citizens Comments: None

Council Members Remarks: G. Horvat wished everyone a Happy 4th of July
  

Meeting adjourned at 6:58 p.m.

​

Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Vice Chairman Scott Wolf with Council members present: Reva Barner, Brad Duguay, Sarah Grdina Gilmore, George Horvat, Dennis Kovach and John Seitz. John Kudley and Ralph Ware were absent. There were 11 City Officials and Employees present. There were 2 citizens present.

Minutes from May 26, 2026 were adopted.

New Business:
 There were 5 Ordinances and 1 Resolution proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance amending Employees Generally to reflect changes in compensation for 4 employees. 2 are for Police Officer Cadets, both Aurora residents who were in the top 10 of their class, and will go through Police Academy and Peace Officer Test before they are sworn in. They will move into already approved places in the Police Department. In answer to questions, Chief Byard said recruitment is tough and the PD is down 4 officers. If for some reason they leave before 3 years there is a clause in the contract that they will reimburse the City for their training. 1 hire is for a Dispatcher and the other is for an employee returning from maternity leave into  part time Community relations while retaining status as a part time officer.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of an Inmar Marine Group 600R-DR water rescue boat and associated fitments and accessories from Heritage Fire Equipment in the amount of $55,131.10. There is 1 model in stock at pre-tariff pricing which will save the city approximately $7,000.00. With the purchase of Geauga Lake there is a need for a bigger and better boat for rescue. The conditions are different than Sunny Lake. There is a 24’x24’ shed at the Aurora Park to store it. In answer to questions Chief McBirney said there was only 1 quote because Portage County had done research on this, had gotten 3 quotes and shared the information with Aurora. There will be a few items that will need to be purchased – a few flotation items and a sonar system that will cost about $3,000.00. Most everything else is included in the quote. Emergency clause is necessary as the quote has a deadline.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to apply for a Natureworks grant through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) for financial assistance with the toddler play area at Aurora Park at Geauga Lake. The filing deadline is July 1, 2026.
  
• An Ordinance awarding a contract to Hummel Construction Company in the amount of $232,650.00 for renovations at the James Converse Building at 10 S. Chillicothe Rd. This is the 3rd time for a bid which has been going on for several years. This company “did a similar job in Peninsula and it looked good”. The City wants to get on their calendar as soon as possible.
  
• A Resolution confirming the Mayor’s appointment of Diane Bush to membership on Aurora’s Landmark Commission for the term ending December 31, 2028. She expressed an interest in being on the Commission and lives in the Historic District.
  

• An Ordinance amending Employees generally to clarify “Holidays”. Reference to “observed” holiday will be removed to clarify that an employee will earn double time for working on the actual holiday. There are 4 holidays: Memorial Day, 4th of July, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day that will affect non-union employees.
  

There were 4 Ordinances proposed for 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance extending the moratorium until December 31, 2026 with respect to Vape shops, e-cigarette shops, etc. The city is going through a zoning code review and there will be local and state considerations.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of a vacant lot on Eldridge Rd. in the amount of $45,000.00 plus applicable closing costs not to exceed $5,000.00. The property was appraised at $60,000.00. A creek runs through the property which has seen erosion. The city wants to eliminate any future erosion that was undermining the culvert work. Options are being looked at.
  
• An Ordinance approving a change order to the current contract with Ronyak Paving, Inc in the amount of $118,920.00 to expand the scope of resurfacing work beyond what was authorized in the original contract. After the initial paving was done, some money remained and the work will be done in July on 2 roads that were in poor condition.
  
•  An Ordinance granting an easement to Lynk Packaging for the purpose of providing vehicular and pedestrian ingress and egress for emergency purposes to allow emergency vehicles access for safety services. With the large addition being planned and for its approval, they need an area for emergency access. The City will give them an easement which will not be paved but give them emergency access.
  

Meeting adjourned at 6:22 pm

​

City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:24 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. Council members, City Officials and Employees and people in the gallery were present as noted in the COW report.  

May 26, 2026 Meeting Minutes were adopted.

Mayor’s Report:   “City Calendar”:
            Food Truck Wednesdays, second and fourth Wednesdays, beginning June 10 from 11:00 a.m.-2 p.m. at Kiwanis-Moore Park. Details on participating trucks can be found on the Parks and Rec Facebook page the week prior to each event.
            Summer Concert Series, second and fourth Thursdays, beginning on June 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park with Nick Costa & Company (vintage Vegas hits).
            Youth Fishing Derby will take place on June 13 at Sunny Lake Park- register with the Parks and Rec Department.
            The Splash Pad, Snack Shack and the Sunny Lake Boathouse are open.
             Splash Bash will be on June 19 from noon-3 p.m. at Kiwanis-Moore Park.
            July 4th Fun Run registration is going on now and many activities are planned.


Aurora Park Update: Underground electric conduit is going in and where it is completed, electric line is also being installed in the conduit. Good weather has helped with the continuing utility installation and grading. The pier framing is completed and approved. Foundation block at the Gatehouse buildings and IT building are being installed. ServPro has begun remediating the attic in the Gatehouse.

2026 Locate, Stay, and Grow Event: “On May 27, I attended the Portage Development Board’s 2026 Locate, Stay, and Grow event, recognizing 16 businesses that brought $118 million in investment to Portage County in 2025. Five Aurora businesses were recognized. Congratulations to Aurora Bulk Storage for receiving the Locate Award; LayerZero for receiving the Stay Award; and Piping rock, R.P. Gatta, and ThyssenKrupp (Rotek) for receiving the Grow Awards.”

Baseball: Aurora hosted 72 teams this past week and weekend for the Aurora Baseball League’s 45th Annual Community Tournament. “The Parks and Rec staff worked tirelessly to prepare all 16 fields for play. I would like to congratulate ABL President Kristen Lipson;   Tournament Director Eric Quinn, the ABL Board, and the many volunteers for the hard work that made this tournament a success.” The investment in Hartman Park was well worth it- there were lots of compliments.

4th of July Events: The annual Fun run and 5K begin at 8 a.m. The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. followed by the festival at Kiwanis-Moore Park from noon to 3 p.m.. There will be a special concert featuring Moonshine Groove at Kiwanis-Moore Park from 7-9 p.m. followed by fireworks at dusk.
              
  Mayor’s Office: Since the last Council meeting the Mayor “attended the 2026 Locate, Stay, and Grow event; met with River Kale from Congressman Dave Joyce’s Office; recorded my June Community Focus program; and attended the annual meeting of the League of Women Voters of Northern Portage County.”
 
     
Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero’s report was included with the packet. There was nothing new to report to Council.

Citizens Comments on the Mayor’s Report/Legislation– None

 Council Remarks on legislation –  None

Legislation:
Consent Calendar: The 5 Ordinances and 1 Resolution on the Consent Calendar were on 2nd Reading. They included: The purchase of GETAC cloud storage for body cameras, etc; Accepting an easement from Hawthorne Limited Partnership for the construction of a sidewalk on North Aurora Road and Bissell Road; Approving a 3 year maintenance contract for software support; The Resolution submitting to the electors the renewal of an existing 0.9-mill tax levy for roads, etc. (this item was moved to the regular agenda); An Ordinance amending “Contracts & Performance Bonds”; An Ordinance amending to establish a rounding policy to align with currency in circulation.

Ordinances and Resolution on 2nd Reading:

• An Ordinance declaring surplus and unnecessary certain property be advertised for sale via online auction was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• A Resolution submitting to the electors of the city the question of the renewal of an existing 0.9 mill tax levy for streets, roads and bridges was removed from the Consent Calendar went to 3rd Reading with a public hearing date set for June 22, 2026.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Kompan, Inc. for the design and construction of a custom themed accessible play area at Aurora Park and Geauga Lake went to 3rd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Rent.Fun, LLC to provide and service a 16-unit self-serve rental kiosk for Aurora Park and Geauga Lake that will include kayaks, paddleboards and life jackets went to 3rd Reading.
  

Ordinances and Resolution on 1st Reading:

• The 4 Ordinances proposed for Action on First Reading were adopted with rules suspended. See COW for details.
  
• The Resolution confirming the appointment of Diane Bush to the Landmark Commission was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance to clarify “observed” holiday was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance extending the moratorium on Vape shops, etc went to 2nd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance to purchase a vacant lot on Eldridge to help control stormwater damage went to 2nd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance approving a change order to the current contract with Ronyak Paving to add 2 more streets with money that was not all used for this year’s road paving was adopted with Rules Suspended.
  
• An Ordinance granting an easement to Lynk Packaging to allow emergency vehicles ingress and egress went to 2nd Reading.
  

Citizens Comments: None

Council Members Remarks: None
  

Meeting adjourned at 6:47 p.m.

​

Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Chairman John Kudley with all Council members present: Reva Barner, Brad Duguay, Sarah Grdina Gilmore, George Horvat, Dennis Kovach, John Seitz, Ralph Ware and Scott Wolf.  There were 10 City Officials and Employees present. There were 3 citizens and 2 representatives from Wichert Insurance present.

Minutes from May 26, 2026 were adopted with S. Grdina Gilmore and S. Wolf abstaining.

Finance Director’s Report:  “Fund balances remain in a healthy position with $46,694,449 unencumbered in all funds, and $16,576,357 unencumbered in the General Fund.” Revenue collections through April are at 40% of budgeted revenues with 33.3% of the year completed. Income tax collections are at 36.3% of budgeted revenue and General Fund expenditures are at 32.3% of budgeted- “where we want to be”.

New Business:
 There were 3 Ordinances proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Perram Electric in the amount of $37,861.56 for the installation of a pedestrian activated rectangular rapid flashing beacon on N. Bissell Road. In answer to several Council members questions, Mr. Stark added that there were 3 proposals submitted; there is a 12-16 month lead time and the city wanted to coordinate its installation with the completion of the sidewalk that will connect N. Bissell and run north along Rt 43 in August/September; there won’t be a need for a warning sign alerting drivers to the crosswalk as it will be further south on the road and very visible.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Adorama in the amount of $20,739.99 for the purchase of a Skydio drone for use by the police department. A drone was ordered in 2025 and was never delivered and the company kept pushing the delivery time back. The price is comparable and there was no deposit given so the city is not out any money.
  

• An Ordinance accepting the proposal and renewing the city’s property, casualty, cyber and crime insurance policies for the policy period June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027 through Wichert Insurance Services, Inc., the total premium for which shall be $286,765.00. 2 Insurance agents were present and gave an overview of the policy. There was a slight increase from last year. They also mentioned that this was very good compared with other cities in the area.
  

There were 8 Ordinances and 1 Resolution proposed for 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance declaring as surplus and unnecessary certain property which is not required for the operation of the city and authorizing the Mayor to advertise them for sale via online auction. Some of the items include a bus and gator.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Midwest Public Safety in the amount of $22,307.90 for the purchase of GETAC cloud storage for body cameras and dash cameras for the police department.
  
• An Ordinance accepting an easement from Hawthorne of Aurora Limited Partnership, for the purpose of constructing a sidewalk on North Aurora Road and Bissell Road.
  
•  An Ordinance approving a three year maintenance contract in an amount not to exceed $40,000.00 annually in 2026. 2027, and 2028 with Software Solutions for annual software support and maintenance for the Finance and Utility Billing departments.
  
• A Resolution submitting to the electors of the city the question of the renewal of an existing 0.9-mil tax levy for general construction, reconstruction, resurfacing and repair of streets, roads and bridges in the City of Aurora, Ohio. This is the 2nd piece of legislation needed to put this renewal on the November 2026 ballot. This is for 5 years and is needed to help pay for the approximately 2 million dollars budgeted for roads, etc. each year.
  
• An Ordinance amending Chapter 106 “Contracts & Performance Bonds” of Aurora’s Codified Ordinances by enacting a new section 106.04 “Blanket Certificates and Super Blanket Certificates” to formally comply with Ohio Revised Code 5705.41(d)(3). This is a type of purchase order done throughout the state that the city wants to codify prior to the conclusion of the city’s 2025 financial audit.
  
• An Ordinance amending Chapter 135 “Department of Finance” of Aurora’s Codified Ordinances by enacting a new section 135.02 “Currency Rounding” to formally establish a rounding policy to align with currency in circulation. Since the penny is no longer being minted and there may be future coins no longer minted, this policy will be codified for those possibilities.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of “Kompan, Inc. in the amount of $3,460,230.00 for design and construction of a custom themed accessible adventure play area including poured-in-place rubber surfacing to be installed at Aurora Park at Geauga Lake Phase 1B…”  The theme will be nature and wildlife and will accommodate all ages and abilities. They would like the play area to be completed by summer 2027. There is a 10 year warranty.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Rent.Fun, LLC in the amount of $55,000.00 to provide and service a 16-unit self-serve rental kiosk for Aurora Park at Geauga Lake that will include kiosk, rental software, 6 single kayaks, 6 stand up paddle boards, 4 tandem kayaks, paddles and life jackets. Answers to several Council members questions and comments included: Berea has this system and makes between $3,000 and $5,000 a year; The company provides maintenance and will respond promptly if there any problems; the Mayor said there will be no outside boats allowed for this year or maybe the next; this is a one time cost and the city will get back 35% if the contract is approved before June.
  

Meeting adjourned at 6:43 pm

​

City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:45 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. Council members, City Officials and Employees and people in the gallery were present as noted in the COW report.  

May 11, 2026 Meeting Minutes were adopted with S. Grdina Gilmore and S. Wolf abstaining.


 Executive Session: There was a 10 minute Executive Session to discuss the Acquisition of Real Property.

Mayor’s Report:   “City News:
            2025/2026 school year concludes May 28 
            Food Truck Wednesdays, second and fourth Wednesdays, begins on June 10 from 11:00 a.m.-2 p.m. at Kiwanis-Moore Park. Details on participating trucks can be found on the Parks and Rec Facebook page the week prior to each event.
            Summer Concert Series, second and fourth Thursdays, begins on June 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park with Nick Costa & Company (vintage Vegas hits).
            July 4th Fun Run registration is going on now.

Aurora Park:  Utility work continues but the discovery of a very large foundation was discovered and had to be removed. Foundation work continues on the pavilion to build restrooms and an office. The concrete base structure for the future dock has been started.
Memorial Day: “Thank you to the American Legion and the VFW for their meaningful Memorial Day programs that took place yesterday.” State Representative Steve Demetriou spoke at the ceremony also. “Most importantly, thank you to all of our veterans who have given so much to this country.”
Party in the Park 250: The second event in America’s birthday celebration is Ohio Goes to the Movies on June 6 at Veterans Memorial Park, with a pre-movie party at 1:30 p.m. followed by a free showing of “Superman” at 3:00 p.m. at Atlas Cinemas.
Splash Pad and Snack Shack: Splash Pad hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the Snack Shack hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., subject to change due to weather conditions.
Boathouse: There is a new boat/kayak launch which will provide a stable surface for individuals entering and exiting the water. Hours are weekdays, noon to 8 p.m. subect to change due to weather conditions.
Grand Marshal: Nominations are due by May 31 for this year’s July 4th parade. Applications are available online or by contacting the Parks and Recreation Department.
Sidewalk Repair Program: The popular Sidewalk Repair Program is resuming, in which the city will share the cost with the homeowner of qualifying sidewalk repairs. Interested residents must file an application to participate by August 5. Program details are on the Service Department page on the city’s website, or you can call 330-995-9116.
Paving: Old Mill and Deepwoods have been paved. Pavement preservation has also been completed on Lloyd, Bryce, Briarcliff, Walden, E. Pioneer, River Glen, Duneden and Greentree. The start date of ODOT’s paving on 82 is still uncertain.
              
  Mayor’s Office: Since the last Council meeting the Mayor “spoke at an event celebrating Avantor’s 4,000 days of no injuries, wrote articles for Aurora Neighbors and Walden Life, attended the Aurora Chamber event “Women of Wisdom”, met with officials and toured McMaster-Carr, and spoke at our Memorial Day Ceremony.” She congratulated the Class of 2026 and the Destination Imagination team for placing 6th globally.

 
     
Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero’s report was included with the packet and it included continue working on the city’s update to the sign code and reviewing rules and regulation procedures for fishing and boating on Geauga Lake. 

Citizens Comments on the Mayor’s Report/Legislation– None

 Council Remarks on legislation –  None

Legislation:
Consent Calendar: The 2 Ordinances and 1 Resolution on the Consent Calendar were on 3rd Reading and were adopted “in gross” without reading them aloud. They included: accepting an easement from Meijer Stores for the purpose of accessing water appurtenances that contain the meters required for utility billing by the city of Aurora; adopting the tax budget of the City of Aurora for the calendar year 2027; the Resolution confirming the reappointment of Mr. Victor Baerman as a member of the “PARTA” Board of Trustees for the term ending June 30, 2029.

Ordinances and Resolution on 1st Reading:

• The 3 Ordinances proposed at COW for action that evening were adopted with Rules Suspended. See COW for details.
  
• An Ordinance declaring surplus and unnecessary certain property be advertised for sale via online auction went to 2nd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Midwest Public Safety for the purchase of GETAC cloud storage for body cameras and dash cameras was added to the Consent Calendar.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the easement from Hawthorne of Aurora Limited Partnership for the purpose of constructing a sidewalk on North Aurora Road and Bissell Road was added to the Consent Calendar.
  
• An Ordinance approving a three year maintenance contract for software support and maintenance for the Finance and Utility Billing departments was added to the Consent Calendar.
  
• A Resolution submitting to the electors of the city the question of the renewal of an existing 0.9 mill tax levy for streets, roads and bridges was added to the Consent Calendar with a no vote from Mr. Kudley.
  
• An Ordinance to enact a new section “Blanket Certificates and Super Blanket Certificates to formally comply with the Ohio Revised Code was added to the Consent Calendar.
  
• An Ordinance to enact a new section  ”Currency Rounding” to formally establish a rounding policy to align with currency in circulation was added to the Consent Calendar.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Kompan, Inc. for the design and construction of a custom themed accessible play area at Aurora Park and Geauga Lake went to 2nd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Rent.Fun, LLC to provide and service a 16-unit self-serve rental kiosk for Aurora Park and Geauga Lake that will include kayaks, paddleboards and life jackets went to 2nd Reading.
  

Miscellaneous: Liquor Notice: VFW Post 2629 requested that their current license be expanded. There were no objections by the Police Department.

Citizens Comments: None

Council Members Remarks: 
   Ms. Barner said she liked how all of the concerts are listed.
   Mr. Wolf congratulated the Class of 2026. The School did a great job, exceeded all expectations.
   Mr. Seitz extended compliments to the Police Officers in their handling of a recent incident.
   Mr. Kudley explained why he voted no in putting the tax levy ordinance on the Consent Calendar, stating he thinks tax issues should have 3 readings. He also said that there have been some problems with equipment at Liz Strahan Park and asked that the Mayor and Ms. Holman look into it.

Meeting adjourned at 7:23 p.m. 


​

City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:31 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America led by the Boy Scouts. Council members, City Officials and Employees and people in the gallery were present as noted in the COW report.  

April 27, 2026 Meeting Minutes were adopted.

Public Hearing: 2026-084 Tax Budget fo the calendar year 2027. There was no one present to speak about this.

Mayor’s Report:  Karen Pope read the report. “City News:  Brush collection will take place the week of May 18.
            Memorial Day (May 25) remembrances will begin at 10:15 at Veterans Memorial                                 Park followed by a procession to Aurora Cemetery. City offices will be closed.
            2025/2026 school year concludes May 28 with senior graduation taking place on May 21. Fireworks are expected.
            Splash Pad and Sunny Lake Park Boathouse reopen on May 23 (weather permitting).
            Food Truck Wednesdays, second and fourth Wednesdays, begins on June 10 from 11:00 a.m.-2 p.m. at Kiwanis-Moore Park.
            Summer Concert Series, second and fourth Thursdays, begins on June 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park with Nick Costa & Company (vintage Vegas hits).
            July 4th Fun Run registration is going on now.

National Day of Prayer: Thank you to the Aurora Pastors’ Fellowship for planning and participating in the Aurora observance last Thursday, It is a meaningful event for our community.
Party in the Park: our second event n America’s birthday celebration is Ohio Goes to the Movies on June 6 at Veterans Memorial Park, with a pre-movie party at 1:30 p.m. followed by a free showing of “Superman” at 3:00 p.m. at Atlas Cinemas.
Grand Marshal: Nominations are due by May 31 for individuals to be considered for the Grand Marshal for this year’s July 4th parade. Applications are available online or by contacting the Parks and Recreation Department.
Sidewalk Repair Program: Remember that the popular Sidewalk Repair Program is resuming, in which the city will share the cost with the homeowner of qualifying sidewalk repairs. Interested residents must file an application to participate by August 5. Program details are on the Service Department page on the city’s website, or you can call 330-995-9116.
Mulch and Humus: Residents can pick up free mulch and humus at 896 E. Pioneer Trail but must provide their own labor. Materials are available and replenished as needed.
E-newsletter update: Since launching our first email newsletter on May 1, we reached 1,002 contacts,, with a 62% open rate. Interested residents can subscribe to the newsletter by visiting our website.
              
  Mayor’s Office: Since the last Council meeting the Mayor attended the Tree Planting Fest on May 2, spoke at an event at the Church in Aurora, dropped off treats for our firefighters for International Firefighters Day , had a lunch meeting with US Marshal Pete Elliott, spoke about being Mayor to 235 3rd graders at Leighton Elementary School, and provided a proclamation to the Leighton  5th graders for Arbor Day.”

 Mr. Kudley added that the Aurora Historical Society is hosting a program May 21 on Aurora History for the celebration of the Country’s 250th Birthday.
     
Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero’s report was included with the packet and it included working on the city’s update to the sign code which should be finalized later this year and  reviewing rules and regulation procedures for fishing and boating on Geauga Lake. 

Citizens Comments on the Mayor’s Report/Legislation– None

 Council Remarks on legislation –  None

Legislation:

Ordinances on 2nd Reading:

• A Resolution to renew an existing 0.9-mill tax levy for the roads and bridges was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance accepting an easement from Meijer Stores Limited Partnership for the purpose of accessing water appurtenances remained on the Consent Calendar. 
  
• An Ordinance approving and adopting the tax budget of the City of Aurora for the calendar year 2027 and authorizing its submission to the Portage County auditor remained on the Consent Calendar.
  
• A Resolution confirmed the Mayor’s reappointment of Mr. Victor Baerman as a member of the PARTA Board of Trustees for the term ending June 30, 2029 remained on the Consent Calendar.
  

Ordinances on 1st Reading:

• The 7 Ordinances and 1 Resolution proposed at COW for action that evening were adopted with Rules Suspended. See COW for details.
  

Citizens Comments: None

Council Members Remarks: Mr. Ware called attention to the Ruck in Remembrance “to honor our fallen heroes” by walking a lap around Sunny Lake Park on Saturday May 23rd  from 8 am-9am.
   Ms. Barner said she will try to attend the Ruck in Remembrance and commented that there are a lot of upcoming events and asking if residents will be reminded of them. Parks and Rec director Laura Holman replied affirmatively.

Meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m. 

​

City Council (CC):   Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 6:14 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. Council members, City Officials and Employees and people in the gallery were present as noted in the COW report.  

April 13, 2026 Meeting Minutes were adopted.

Proclamation by Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin to the Destination Imagination team. The YAASS team of 5 Students from Leighton Elementary School have won local and regional honors for their 2026 Improvisational Casting Shadows performances of problem solving. They will be going to the 2026 Global Finals May 21-24 in Kansas where they will be competing with teams from all over the world.

Mayor’s Report: City News:  Brush collection will take place the week of April 20.
           Tree Planting Fest, part of the Party at the Park series for the celebration of America’s 250th Birthday will be take place on May 2 from 2:00-4:00 pm at the Aurora Tree Museum.
            Hydrant flushing will begin May 4 and continue through June 5.
            Brush Collection will take place the week of May 18
            Memorial Day (May 25) remembrances will begin at 10:15 at Veterans Memorial                                 Park followed by a procession to Aurora Cemetery.
   Aurora Park Update: “Work has begun on the renovation of the SeaWorld gatehouse pavilions and utilities. In addition, we are working on plans for Phase 1B, because if we hope to open that phase next year we may need to start some of the development this year. You may remember the main feature of that phase is an “Adventure Play” area for children of all ages.”
  Waterline 82/43: The watermain at the intersection of Rt 43 and Rt 82 is completed.
  Paving Program: The 2026 paving program has started. There are fewer roads being paved due to the commitment of helping to pave 82 and 306.
  Aurora Assistance Program: Aurora sponsors several assistance programs including utility accommodations based on the resident’s income level. Check the city’s website for details.
 The Mayor gave a detailed report on actions taken by Planning, Zoning and Building through April 15. The Staff continues to work on the Zoning update and the sign chapter will be the first section introduced. The numbers of projects and permits processed for Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Violations, Building permits, Architectural Review Board and Landmark Commission were listed for each. Construction value as of March 31, 2026 were Commercial & Industrial - $15,606,200 and Residential - $4,534,050.
  Mayor’s Office: Since the last Council meeting the Mayor recorded her Community Focus report, completed an article for Aurora Neighbors and met with the new CEO of LayerZero. She also met with residents regarding Tru Community and had an interview with Ideastream’s environmental reporter about Aurora Park. She spoke with Cub Scout Pack 3269 and Webelo Pack 3265 about government, attended the Portage Park Foundation’s Environmental Awards Dinner to accept the Green Development Award and attended the Rotary’s Taste of the Western Reserve. Mr. Kudley added that on April 16 the Aurora Boys and Girls broke records at the Invitational Track meet.
 
    
Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero’s report was included with the packet and he added that Planning and Zoning department has hired a consultant to update codes. The US has declared all sign codes are unconstitutional so an update is necessary. That code will be the first to be addressed.

Citizens Comments on the Mayor’s Report/Legislation– None

 Council Remarks on legislation –  None

Legislation:

Ordinances on 3rd Reading:

• An Ordinance from the March 9 COW authorizing the Mayor and Finance Director to compensate the Aurora Board of Education (BOE) $297,334.00 less the cost of $60,704.00 due to the city for providing School Resource Officers to the BOE for a net amount of $236,630.00 for its portion of the income tax received from property tax abatements granted on commercial and industrial properties for 2025 was adopted with Mr. Kudley abstaining.
  
• An Ordinance from Planning Commission approving the revised development plan for Aurora Development RS, LLC. located on the northeast corner of SR43 and Treat Rd in an M-1 Mixed-Use District was adopted.
  
• An Ordinance from Planning Commission amending Chapter 1109 “Design Standards for Subdivisions and Improvements” concerning Pavement, Curbs, and Gutters of Aurora’s Codified Ordinances to prevent the use of concrete for new residential streets was adopted.
  

Ordinances on 2nd Reading:

• An Ordinance approving the renewal application for the placement of farmland in an agricultural district filed by Brian and Michelle Doskocil for property located at 925 Centerville Trail was adopted with rules suspended. 
  
• An Ordinance authorizing payment in an amount not to exceed $40,000.00 to the Ohio Auditor of State for audit fees associated with the city’s 2025 financial audit 
  

was adopted with rules suspended.

Ordinances and Resolutions on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance accepting the proposal to enter into a contract with Bearing Distributors, Inc, to purchase several bearings the the Westerly WWTP was adopted with rules suspended. Mr. Ware voted no to suspend rules but voted yes for the Ordinance.
  
• A Resolution to renew an existing 0.9-mill tax levy for the roads and bridges went to 2nd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance accepting an easement from Meijer Stores Limited Partnership for the purpose of accessing water appurtenances was added to the Consent Calendar with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance approving and adopting the tax budget of the City of Aurora for the calendar year 2027 and authorizing its submission to the Portage County auditor was added to the Consent Calendar with rules suspended. A Public Hearing was set for May 11, 2026.
  
• A Resolution confirmed the Mayor’s reappointment of Mr. Victor Baerman as a member of the PARTA Board of Trustees for the term ending June 30, 2029 was added to the Consent Calendar with rules suspended.
  

Citizens Comments: April Secura, President of the League of Women Voters of Northern Portage County spoke about the upcoming free public screening of the PBS Great Performances premiere of “Suffs” at 7 pm on May 8 at Hiram College’s Hayden Auditorium at 11715 Garfield Rd. Information and free tickets are available at the LWVNPC website. 

Council Members Remarks: B. Duguay requested any feedback from the metal roof proposal be sent to him. J. Kudley said that the Aurora Historical Society will highlight major events in Aurora on May 21 as part of the 250th Birthday of the USA events. He also explained why he abstained on the Ordinance approving payment to the schools as he is a part time employee and his daughter Molly Kudley Schneider is a member of the Aurora School Board.

Meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m. 

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Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Chairman John Kudley with all Council members present: Reva Barner, Brad Duguay, Sarah Grdina Gilmore, George Horvat, Dennis Kovach, John Seitz, Ralph Ware and Scott Wolf.  There were 9 City Officials and Employees present. There were 10 citizens present.

Minutes from March 30, 2026 were adopted with D. Kovach abstaining.

New Business:
 There was 1 Ordinance proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance amending “Employees Generally” to reflect changes in compensation for 2 current employees, 1 new seasonal hire in Parks and new hire of a part time inspector.

There was 1 Ordinance proposed for 1st Reading.

• An Ordinance authorizing payment in an amount not to exceed $40,000.00 to the Ohio Auditor of State for audit fees associated with the city’s 2025 financial audit. Mr. Clymer said this was straight forward for the audit currently underway. There is no discretion in this matter. There was a question as to how much longer this will take and the answer was it should be done by May 31. Another question asked was if there was any risks associated with this audit. Mr. Clymer said there are no problems and none are anticipated as there is great attention to financial matters throughout the city departments. This State audit is a little stricter and more thorough which is why it is taking longer.

Meeting adjourned at 6:05 pm