Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Aurora finance panel approves multiple contracts, grants and purchases including Verizon credit, Microsoft true-up and new 9-1-1 consoles
Loading...
Summary
The committee approved several routine but budget-significant items: Verizon cellular award with a $392,000 retention credit, a $303,804 Microsoft true-up, $457,821 for L3 Harris 9-1-1 consoles, road and engineering agreements, insurance renewals totaling about $3.04 million, and multiple grant acceptances.
The Aurora Finance Committee voted unanimously on a package of procurement and grant items on Dec. 11 that included technology purchases, roadway agreements and insurance renewals.
Key approvals included:
- A cellular service award to Cellco Partnership (DBA Verizon Wireless) under the state contract that includes a one-time retention credit of $392,000 intended to offset much of Aurora’s 2026 cellular billing; staff said the credit effectively minimizes the 2026 expense during the credit period and expects bills to resume in late 2026.
- A year-2 true-up under the city’s three-year Microsoft enterprise agreement with Dell Marketing LP for $303,804.24 after negotiation; Deputy CIO Jeff Anderson said this followed a negotiation that reduced an initial higher figure.
- Purchase of new radio/computer consoles from L3 Harris for $457,821.48 to upgrade dispatch hardware and move consoles to a Windows 11–compatible configuration at primary and backup 9-1-1 centers.
- A $60,000 change order with Builders Paving LLC for the 2025 citywide resurfacing (East) project; engineering said higher-than-expected concrete work after winter raised costs but aggregation with another resurfacing bid keeps overall program costs manageable.
- Multiple road project agreements and IGAs related to the Edgeline Drive / BNSF bike path crossing and Indian Trail signal modernization (including HR Green engineering agreements and a small $11,000 permanent easement purchase from BNSF). Engineering staff provided project descriptions and confirmed right-of-way timing will drive construction schedules.
- Insurance renewals for property, general liability and workers’ compensation with a combined premium listed in staff materials of $3,039,022, described as 3.78% lower than the prior year. Insurance brokers from Hub International discussed the city’s self-insured retention ($2,000,000) and recommended further sensitivity analysis before changing retention levels.
- Acceptance of a $22,000 grant from the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (funded by ComEd) to support low-income energy-efficiency outreach targeting households at or below 80% AMI; staff said the grant aims to engage at least 1,000 income-eligible residents and will cover outreach and Green Fest costs.
- Acceptance of a $75,540.81 grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation STEP program for traffic enforcement overtime and a required lidar purchase order to be placed by Dec. 31.
Most of these items passed by unanimous voice vote or standard motion (recorded motions were typically approved 5-0). Staff said a few items were moved to later meetings and two grant items were held until mid-January.
