North Aurora board keeps local grocery tax, approves water-rate hike and several contracts

The Village of North Aurora Board of Trustees on April 25 approved keeping a 1% local grocery tax that will continue to be collected locally after a state change, adopted a water-rate increase effective Jan. 1, 2025, and approved multiple budgeted purchases and contracts, officials said.

Why it matters: Trustees said the grocery tax and the water-rate increase are key revenue sources for the village’s operating and capital budgets; staff said removing the grocery tax would force cuts to planned projects and services in coming budget years.

Mayor Gafino opened the meeting and the board moved through the budget public hearing with no public comments. Jason, a village staff member who presented several items, told trustees the state will eliminate a 1% state-level sales tax on groceries effective Jan. 1, 2026, and that municipalities may adopt a local replacement. "This is not a new tax," Jason said, adding that the local option would allow the village to retain revenue now collected as grocery sales taxes. Jason told the board staff assembled the proposed 2025–26 budget assuming continuation of the local grocery tax and that losing the revenue would require changes to next year’s budget.

Trustees then turned to a separate ordinance on water rates. Jason said staff proposes accelerating an earlier multi-year rate plan and adopting a $5.95 rate effective Jan. 1, 2025. He said the move represents about a $1.16 (about 24%) rate increase and would raise the average bimonthly bill in a sample 11,000-gallon usage from $54.32 to $63.60, a $9.28 increase every other month. Jason said the village will keep the $16 minimum charge for the first 3,000 gallons.

Jason and other staff described the fiscal rationale: planned capital work (including a water tower and treatment-plant upgrades), rising utility and supply costs, and limited water-fund reserves. Jason said the village has applied federal recovery funds and transfers from the general fund to cover some water capital costs but that, without the rate increase, officials expect the water fund reserve could be depleted within a few years.

Trustees approved the grocery-tax continuation and the water-rate ordinance. The water-rate vote was not unanimous: Trustee Christiansen voted no; other trustees voted yes.

The board also approved several budgeted purchases and contracts the staff presented: a server replacement and related software (hardware purchase of $29,565, total project $47,830, budgeted at $60,000); a settlement and amendment with broadband provider MetroNet that includes about $620 per month in service upgrades to village facilities over five years (roughly $37,000 in value); a new class G liquor license for the BP at 101 South Lincoln Way conditioned on demolition permits and removal of code-violating car-wash structures; a contract award to Republic Services for backwash tank cleaning at the village’s two water treatment plants in the amount of $93,983.50 (the project was budgeted at $100,000); and a waiver of the full bidding process and an award for insertion-valve replacements along the Route 30/31 corridor in the amount of $244,266 to Sapir Excavating (staff said two firms were solicited and that the work must be completed quickly to coordinate with IDOT resurfacing).

In other business, Public Works and police staff recounted recent on-the-scene cooperation during two incidents earlier in the week, including a response near Schneider School and a river rescue in which Officer Mike Quinn retrieved a man and transferred him to emergency services. Police Chief (name not specified in the record) praised cross-department communication during the incidents.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance to continue 1% local grocery tax (to be collected locally after state change effective 01/01/2026): motion approved; roll call unanimous (all trustees present voted yes). - Ordinance increasing water rates effective 01/01/2025 to $5.95 (accelerated from a five-year plan): motion approved; roll call 6 yes, 1 no (Trustee Christiansen voted no). - Server replacement and software (total $47,830; hardware $29,565): motion approved; roll call unanimous yes. - MetroNet settlement and service upgrades (valued at about $620/month for five years, ~ $37,000): motion approved; roll call unanimous yes. - Granting an additional Class G liquor license for BP, 101 S. Lincoln Way (conditional on demolition permit): motion approved; roll call unanimous yes. - Backwash tank cleaning contract (Republic Services), $93,983.50 (budgeted $100,000): motion approved; roll call unanimous yes. - Waiver of bidding and award for insertion-valve installation, $244,266 (Sapir Excavating): motion approved; roll call unanimous yes.

The board concluded its regular meeting and moved to a committee-of-the-whole session. Several trustees and staff thanked outgoing Village Clerk Jesse Watkins for her service and noted Holly O'Brien has been elected to the clerk position.