North Aurora board approves Veterans Memorial design and engineering contracts, fleet software and liquor-license adjustments

The North Aurora Village Board on Feb. 3 approved contracts to advance a Veterans Memorial, authorized an annual subscription to fleet-management software, adjusted local liquor licenses and gave the village administrator authority to sign an electricity services contract for a water well and treatment plant.

Board action centered on project contracts and operational purchases that will affect village budgeting and facilities. The largest single item approved was a professional engineering proposal for the Veterans Memorial site; the board also acted on liquor-license housekeeping, a restaurant liquor-license request and energy-purchasing authority for utility facilities.

Bridal, a village staff member presenting the Veterans Memorial agenda items, said the board had directed staff at the Oct. 21, 2024 Committee of the Whole meeting to advance the memorial from concept to construction documents. The board approved a $35,680 proposal to finalize the design concept and a separate $533,900 proposal for engineering and construction documents from WBK Engineering. "This phase will refine the proposed concept design, materials, layout, and features for the memorial," Bridal said. Both contract approvals passed by roll call.

Staff presented a software purchase to centralize fleet maintenance and parts inventory across public works and police functions. Dave said staff evaluated several vendors and recommended fleet.io. He told trustees the premium subscription costs $15,840 annually and estimated an eight-week implementation timeline. He said funds are available in contingency and existing software and hardware accounts; the board approved the purchase by roll call.

On liquor licenses, staff member Steve described an ordinance to decrease the number of local liquor licenses by removing allocations associated with several businesses no longer operating or not renewing. Steve listed the affected businesses as Los Grosso's; Taco Madre (which staff said is not renewing its local license and lacks a state license); Real Menace; Crave; and Orchard Wine and Liquor. The board approved the ordinance to remove those licenses. Separately, the board voted to increase the number of Class B (full-liquor, small-restaurant) licenses to permit El Cornell to operate at the location previously occupied by Rio Menace; that motion also passed by roll call.

Jason, a village staff member, presented a resolution authorizing the village administrator to sign electricity-service contracts obtained through the NYMEC annual group bid for a water well and treatment plant scheduled for March 4. Jason said the bid will present one-, two- and three-year prices and both traditional and "green" electricity offers; he said the board needs to indicate whether the village should pursue the green option so the administrator can sign on the bid day. Staff noted the board has chosen one-year contracts in recent cycles and that green electricity has cost roughly an additional $15,000 to $20,000 per year in recent bids. Trustees indicated they wanted staff to continue pursuing green supply if the administrator can lock acceptable prices on the bid day; the board approved the resolution by roll call.

Procedural business included approval of the consent agenda and the meeting adjourned after trustee comments and brief administrative remarks.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda: approved (roll call recorded). - Ordinance to decrease liquor licenses (remove licenses tied to Los Grosso's; Taco Madre; Real Menace; Crave; Orchard Wine and Liquor): approved by roll call. - Ordinance to increase Class B liquor licenses for El Cornell: approved by roll call. - Purchase of fleet.io premium subscription, $15,840 annually, implementation ~8 weeks; funding from contingency/software/hardware: approved by roll call. - Contract award for Veterans Memorial design (Teska), $35,680: approved by roll call. - Contract award for Veterans Memorial engineering (WBK Engineering), $533,900: approved by roll call. - Resolution authorizing village administrator to sign electricity contract for water well and treatment plant (NYMEC bid; staff to choose traditional or green supply per board direction): approved by roll call.

The board did not specify ordinance or resolution numbers during the meeting; where presenters gave dollar figures or timelines those figures are reported as stated by staff.