Aurora City Council/COW - 2/23/23

Aurora Ohio City Council & Committee of the Whole
​Feb 23, 2023

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

Finance Director Timothy Clymer gave his report explaining that the percentages are skewed due to the early months of the year, there has not been enough time to recognize trends. 1st Quarter utility billing collections will be in next month’s report.

There was 1 Ordinance and 1 Resolution proposed for action that evening and 2 Ordinances proposed for the March 13 agenda:

• A contract with Doosan for the purchase of a Pneumatic Tire Forklift
• A Resolution for Membership with the Equalis Group, a cooperative purchasing organization. There is no fee to join.
• The Ordinance for the purchase of Itron ERT Transmitters and Parts from United Systems and Software at a cost less that $8,000/year will go on the March 13 Agenda
• An Ordinance for the Purchase of water meters and parts from Everett J. Prescott, Inc at a cost of less than $150,000. The price has been going up each year and old vendors keep going out of business. This will go on the March 13 Agenda

Meeting adjourned at 6:52 pm.

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City Council (CC): Council President George Horvat called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm with Council members present as noted in COW Report.

Minutes from the February 13 meeting were adopted with S. Grdina Gilmore abstaining.

 Mayor’s Report: Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin announced that the Aurora Advocate will cease print publications with the last edition being March 26. Other options to provide local news are being explored. She will give a Senior State of the City Address to the Seniors at a luncheon at the Walker Building on March 1. Since the last meeting she gave the State of the City Address at the Bertram Inn, attended a retirement party for Dave Barnes, visited McMaster-Carr with Holly Harris Bane and Brad Ehrhart, met with a group of A.P. Government students at Aurora High School and participated in an Archives and Records Commission meeting that the Clerk of Council is getting organized.

 1 Citizen asked if Ordinance 2023-004 “Prohibited Standing or Parking Places” was being voted on that evening. This Ordinance remains postponed.
House District 77 representative Gail Pavliga spoke. She was re-elected in November and talked about the committees she is on. She is very interested in supporting the Economic development of the area; spoke about the All Ohio Future Fund; the next generation 911 to especially address mental health, substance abuse and sustain recovery; 1 billion dollar fund for rural roads; HB3 to address affordable housing which is not government housing but necessary to draw workers to the area. She is planning on hosting town halls throughout the District.

Ordinances on 3rd Reading:

• Ordinance amending “Prohibited Standing or Parking Places” is postponed
  
• Ordinance accepting for dedication the roadway and water and sanitary sewer lines at Beljon Farms subdivision was adopted
  
• An Ordinance approving five-year depository agreements with 8 banks was adopted.
  

Ordinances on 2nd Reading:

• An Ordinance approving a Conditional Zoning Certificate (CZC) for property located in the Greens of Aurora on N. Chillicothe Rd. went to 3rd Reading.
  
• A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to submit an application for a Clean Ohio Trail Fund grant with the State of Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the construction of a section of Aurora trail along the First Energy Right of Way between Chamberlain Rd. in Mantua and SR 82 in Aurora went to 3rd Reading.
  
• An Ordinance authorizing the purchase of a 2023 ambulance from Horton Emergency Vehicles was adopted with rules suspended.
  

Ordinances on 1st Reading:

• A contract with Doosan for the purchase of a Pneumatic Tire Forklift was adopted with rules suspended.
  
• A Resolution for Membership with Equalis Group was adopted with rules suspended.
  

               
Citizens Comments: None
Councilman Duguay expressed appreciation for the Service Department’s flyer that listed their dates and services provided.

 The meeting adjourned at 7:25 pm.

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