cover
TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Steve Andras, P.E., Airport Manager
DATE: November 21, 2025
SUBJECT:
This request is to amend Chapter 5 (Airports and Aircraft) Article IV (Fuel Flowage Charge) of the City Code of Ordinances to increase the current fuel flowage rate of $0.05 per gallon to $0.06 per gallon of aviation fuel sold at the Aurora Municipal Airport.
PURPOSE:
The proposed amendment seeks to increase revenue generated at the airport by increasing the per-gallon flowage fee charged to any aircraft fueling company known as a fixed-based operator (FBO).
BACKGROUND:
The current fuel flowage fee, as stated above is $0.05 per gallon. This fee has not changed since January of 1990. I suspect the reason for this is that the allowable change, as stated in our FBOs' leases limits the rate change to the cumulative total increase of the consumer price index (CPI) over the prior five-year period and cannot change any more frequently than every five years.
The basis for this particular increase has been calculated using the past CPI figures (%) published for the Chicago area from October 2021 through October 2025 and are 5.309, 7.654, 2.441, 3.516 and 3.10 respectively. This equates to a total CPI of 22.2% or $0.01 increase yielding a total flowage fee of $0.06 per gallon.
The attached fuel flowage state-wide comparison shows our fee with respect to other airports in Illinois.
DISCUSSION:
Increasing the current flowage fee to $0.06 per gallon is a small step toward maximizing revenue generated at the airport. For perspective, total airport fuel sales have recently averaged approximately 1million gallons per year, translating to $50,000 of revenue.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
There should be no negative impact to the City of Aurora.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
We recommend that the committee approve this amendment to Section 5-56 of the City Code of Ordinances.
cc: Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
ORDINANCE NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
An Ordinance amending Section 5-56 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Aurora to increase the fuel flowage fee from $0.05 to $0.06 per gallon of fuel sold at the Aurora Municipal Airport.
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora owns, operates and maintains the Aurora Municipal Airport; and
WHEREAS, effective January 1, 1990, each operator authorized to sell aviation fuel at the Aurora Municipal Airport was to pay a charge of five cents ($0.05) to the City for each gallon of fuel sold; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora desires to increase the fuel flowage fee to six cents ($0.06) per gallon in accordance with the provisions of the fixed-based operators' lease.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: that Section 5-56 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Aurora shall be and hereby is amended to increase the fuel flowage fee to six cents ($0.06) per gallon.
BE IT ORDAINED, that said amendment shall be immediately effective.