Aurora City Council & COW - 9/11/23

Aurora, Ohio, City Council and Committee of the Whole
​September 11, 2023

Committee of the Whole (COW): The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm by Chairman  John Kudley with the following council members present: Reva Barner, Brad Duguay, Peter French, Harold Hatridge, George Horvat, Dennis Kovach and Scott Wolf. Sara Grdina Gilmore was absent. There were 10 City Officials/Employees and 7 citizens present.

August 14, 2023 minutes were adopted.

             There were 4 Ordinances proposed for Action that evening on 1st Reading:

• An Ordinance to hire a Service Department Tech. 
• An Ordinance awarding a contract to Agri-Sludge in the amount of $114,400.00 to remove approximately 200,000 gallons of sludge from the existing sludge digestion tank at the Central WastewaterTreatment Plant (CWTP).
• An Ordinance to enter into a contract with R2O Consulting LLC in the amount of $150,143.00 for design services for future improvements to the CWTP.
• An Ordinance to enter into contract with CT Consultants in the amount of $150,000.00 for various pump station improvement designs for updates at the Westerly Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).

There were 2 Ordinances proposed for first reading that will go to second reading.

• An Ordinance granting a 15 year 50%  CRA tax abatement of real property taxes to Elm Aurora LTD for their investment of up to $10,000,000 in new construction in the Greens of Aurora mixed use development.
• An Ordinance granting a tax abatement to Salon Patrick for a 50%, 15 year abatement of real property taxes for their investment of up to $2,600,000 in new construction at the intersection of Sycamore Drive and N. Aurora Rd.

 The Meeting adjourned at 6:50 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 were present and absent as noted in COW Report. There were 11 people in the gallery.

Minutes from the August 14, 2023 meeting were adopted with R. Barner abstaining

 Mayor’s Report: Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin thanked all city employees and safety forces for the extra hours and many efforts during and after the storm. The Service Department scheduled an extra brush pickup. A meeting is planned with First Energy representatives in the coming weeks to evaluate the storm and discuss electric reliability in Aurora. She joined the Tribute to the victims and families of the September 11 attacks at Sunny Lake Park. The Street dedication of Manny Berenholtz Way will be on September 30 
at 10 am. The Splash Pad will be open through Sunday September 17 weather permitting;  The 20th Annual Classic Car Show will be September 17 at Sunny Lake Park; the Annual Fall Festival and Business Showcase is October 1; Shred Day is October 14. Since the last Council Meeting she attended various meetings and events.

Law Director’s Report: The Ordinance to acquire Geauga Lake and 40 acres of Land remains postponed while details continue to be addressed.
 
Citizens Comments: Economic Development Director Holly Harris Bane introduced the owners of Greens of Aurora- Elm Aurora LLC who explained their plans to have Goddard School and Aurora Dental move into newly constructed buildings. She also introduced Shannon London, 3rd Generation owner of Salon Patrick, who shared her plans for a new building to expand their Salon business.

Council Remarks: None

Ordinances on 3rd  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 remains postponed.
  

Ordinances on 2nd reading:

• An Ordinance granting a 100%, 15 year tax abatement to J and M Holdings was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance granting an income tax rebate incentive to AIM was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• An Ordinance accepting the proposal to enter into a contract with Wertz Geotechnical Engineering Inc went to 3rd Reading.
  

2 Ordinances from Planning Commission- 1 granting exceptions for Aurora Codified Ordinances and 1 approving the Revised Development Plan for Walden Co Ltd went to 3rd     Reading.



The 4 Ordinances proposed at the COW for action that evening were adopted with rules suspended. See Committee of the Whole report for details.

An Ordinance accepting for dedication the watermain and sanitary sewer on East Pioneer Trail went to 2nd Reading.

The 2 Ordinances granting a tax abatement went to 2nd Reading

Miscellaneous:  None

Citizens Comments: One citizen would like the City Ordinance requiring that dogs and cats be leashed be amended to no longer require cats to be leashed. Another citizen asked for guidance on how to proceed with phasing out single use plastic bags, how to draft a resolution.

Council Members and Committee Remarks: None

 The meeting adjourned at 7:35 pm.

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