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Council directs appointees to encourage staff to work in office three days a week
Summary
Aurora City Council adopted Resolution 2025-17 directing council appointees to encourage full‑time staff to work in the office at least three days per week. The nonbinding measure passed after debate 6-4; supporters said it will boost in-person collaboration and surrounding businesses, while opponents called it an operational overreach.
The Aurora City Council voted on Feb. 10 to adopt Resolution 2025-17, directing council appointees to “encourage” full‑time city staff to work in the office at least three days per week. The resolution language uses the term “encourage” (not mandate). The motion passed by recorded tally (6 yes, 4 no).
Supporters said the encouragement will restore in‑person collaboration that benefits service delivery and nearby businesses; opponents said scheduling is an operational matter for the city manager and department heads, and that a single arbitrary day-count could create problems for employees and managers.
Council Member Murillo opposed the measure on the record, saying the resolution “feels like a bit of an overreach” and that departments and managers are better placed to determine appropriate hybrid arrangements. Council Member Gardner likewise urged caution, describing the proposal as a “sledgehammer approach rather than a scalpel approach” and arguing the council’s role is policy, not operations.
City management told the council the city has reassigned space following the water department move and expects an eventual consolidation that will assign the AMC (Aurora Municipal Center) as the workplace for several hundred employees. The city manager stated, “When we’re done with that move, we will have 750 employees that have the AMC essentially assigned as their workplace,” and that about 625 workspaces will be available.
The resolution passed 6-4; Council Members Coombs, Thompson and others voted against it (the transcript records four no votes but some names were garbled; the council recorded the final tally as 6 yes and 4 no). The adopted resolution is nonbinding and uses “encourage” language rather than imposing a mandate.
Staff and council members said the city will continue to balance hybrid work flexibility with the operational needs of departments and the desire to have staff available to meet with the public and one another.
Ending: The resolution directs council appointees to advocate for increased in‑office presence where appropriate and asks the city manager to continue coordinating space and staffing plans; staff said they will review assignments and report back as moves and facility changes proceed.
