Aurora City Council & COW - 2/24/25

Aurora, Ohio, City Council and Committee of the Whole
​February 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, Brad Duguay, Sarah Grdina Gardner, Dennis Kovach, John Seitz and Scott Wolf. Council members Peter French and George Horvat were absent. There were 7 City Officials and Employees present. There were 2 citizens present.

Minutes from February 10, 2025 were adopted. 

Finance Director’s Report: It is too early in the year to recognize any trends but “The City of Aurora has been recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association with a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for our 2023 annual financial report. This award is a testament to the work done by our department and the city in striving to abide by best practices and to serve as good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

 There was 1 Ordinance and 1 Resolution proposed for action that evening on 1st Reading:

• A Resolution confirming the Mayor’s appointment of Ms. Rachel Burns to Aurora’s Civil Service Commission for the term ending December 31, 2030.  Ms. Burns is from Ward 2 and expressed an interest in getting involved in serving the city.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of bulk road salt from Compass Minerals America, Inc at a price of $71.68 per ton in an amount not to exceed $100,000.00. The City has exhausted its supply from Cargill and it took a diligent search to find anyone to supply the city with salt.
  

There were 14 Ordinances proposed for 1st Reading:

• 13 Ordinances are for Easements along S. Chillicothe Rd for the installation of streetlights. The properties along S. Chillicothe are: 170, 182, 196, 214, 220, 226, 234, 240, 270, 288, 310, 318, and 342 (Our Lady of Perpetual Help). 4 of the other properties are Commercial businesses. None involved any money. In answer to a question posed by R. Barner, there were 2 properties that did not grant easements so they will be by-passed.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal of Johnson’s Landscaping in the amount of $40,600.00 for the purchase and planting of 140 trees for city subdivisions as part of the city’s tree planting program. Some of the money used is from the money paid by Developers into the tree planting fund. This was the best of 3 bids submitted.
  

Meeting adjourned at 6:12 pm

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City Council (CC):  Council Vice President Dennis Kovach called the meeting to order at 6:17 pm with the Pledge to the Flag of the United States of America. All Council members were present and absent as noted in the COW report. There were 7 City Officials and Employees present and 2 people in the gallery.

February 10, 2025 Meeting Minutes were adopted. 

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

Mayor’s Report: The State of the City luncheon is on Wednesday February 26th at the Bertram Inn. The city has used 7,832 tons of salt this winter so she requested the support of the Ordinance to purchase more salt that is on this evening’s agenda. Since the last meeting she attended the PERI luncheon, engaged with residents during a session with consultants for the new park at Geauga Lake, celebrated ribbon cutting for the 56 Tavern at the Aurora Inn, Participated in a JEDD meeting with Law Director Dean DePiero, attended the League of Women Voters Democracy Dialogues at the Kohanski Center, supported and attended the Aurora Schools Foundation fundraiser and attended the Legion dinner at the Aurora Inn.

Law Director’s Report: Mr. DePiero said 1 more member from Aurora has been added to the JEDD. In answer to a question from D. Kovach, Minutes from those meetings will be available to view by the public.

Citizens Comments -  Legislation: None
Council Remarks – Legislation: None

Ordinances on 3rd Reading:

• An Ordinance from City Council approving the text of the changes of Aurora’s City Charter, as approved by the voters at the November 5, 2024 election and as completed by Aurora’s Clerk of Council and its Law Director was adopted. 
  
• 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 of Council, was adopted.
  

Ordinances on 2nd Reading: 

• An Ordinance to enter into contract for the purchase and installation of a salt dome went to 3rd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of a 2025 Grapple Brush Truck went to 3rd Reading.
  

Ordinance and Resolution on 1st Reading: 

• The Resolution confirming Ms. Rachel Burns to Aurora’s Civil Service Commission was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• The Ordinance authorizing the purchase of bulk road salt was adopted with Rules suspended.
  
• The 13 Ordinances pertaining to Easements along S. Chillicothe Rd went to 2nd Reading.
  
• The Ordinance accepting the proposal for the purchase of 140 Trees for city subdivisions went to 2nd Reading.
  

Citizens Comments: None

Council Members Remarks: R. Barner remarked again about the many complaints she has gotten about the Barrington Plaza parking lot. The Mayor replied she has had many conversations with them and they are committed to filling the pot holes and are budgeting to pave the parking lot this summer.
 J. Kudley also remarked about the poor conditions of the parking lot hurting businesses.


 The meeting adjourned at 6:54 pm.

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