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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin, Mayor
FROM: Martin S. Lyons, Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer
Stacey L. Peterson, Director of Financial Operations
DATE: June 21, 2021
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance Amending the Annual Budget for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2021 and Ending December 31, 2021 (Amendment #1 for the 2021 Fiscal Year)
PURPOSE:
To obtain the City Council’s approval of a proposed amendment to the 2021 City Budget.
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to 65 ILCS 5/8-2-9.1 through 9.10, the City of Aurora operates under the budget system of government finance. The City Council adopted the 2021 budget on December 8, 2020 through the passage of Ordinance No. O20-106.
While the city attempts to anticipate all potential expenditures for a fiscal year when that year’s budget is developed, circumstances occasionally arise that require expenditures that were not contemplated in the original financial plan. During the 2021 budget adoption process in the midst of the COVID 19 Pandemic, we discussed the clear hope that we would be able to amend the budget in reflection of coming out of the pandemic, better revenues and a return to normal City operations. 65 ILCS 5/8-2-9.6 permits a municipality operating under the budget system to amend its annual budget by a two third’s vote of its governing body.
DISCUSSION:
The attached, proposed ordinance, including Exhibit A, would provide for certain changes in the 2021 City Budget. This will not be the only budget amendment for 2021, with this amendment focusing on personnel changes, new programs, receipt of federal funds, and previously approved expense items that require a budget amendment. We anticipate a second amendment later this summer to account for capital projects, economic development, and other budget amendments once all data is available. Below is an explanation for each change. The item numbers discussed below correspond to the item numbers assigned to each change detailed in Exhibit A.
Items 1 and 143: Grants/Other, General Fund (Offsetting Revenue and Expenditure Increase of $5,000). These items adjust the budget to account for Public Arts receiving a grant from the Burlington Northern Foundation for a mural on the New York St. viaduct.
Items 2 and 137: Community Services, General Fund (Offsetting Revenue and Expenditure Increase of $341,000). These items adjust the budget to account for a grant from the DCEO for the Northern Lights and Aurora Housing Authority Youth and Community Center. The grant will assist with the renovation of the facility.
Items 3 and 254: Phillips Park Zoo, General Fund (Offsetting Revenue and Expenditure Increase of $50,000). These items adjust the budget to account for a grant received from the DeMoon family for the construction of an education area to be installed on the grounds of the Phillips Park Zoo.
Items 4: ARPA Fund (Revenue Increase Totaling $17,610,100). This item adjusts the budget for the first installment of ARPA funding the city received.
Items 5 through 12: Mayor’s Office, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $85,084). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Add back the Deputy Mayor that was part of the decrement and add a Confidential Secretary.
Items 13 through 15: City Clerk, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $19,200). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Change the Part-Time Confidential Secretary to a Full-Time Administrative Aide.
Items 16 through 68: Human Resources, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $164,352). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: The current Human Resources Director to the newly created Chief Human Resource Officer position. Upgrade an Assistant Director of Human Resources to the Director of Human Resources. Upgrade the other Assistant Director of Human Resources to a newly created Director of Training & Development position. Create a Training Coordinator. Upgrade an HR Generalist to a newly created Recruitment and Retention Coordinator position. Upgrade an HR Generalist to a newly created HR Benefit Coordinator position. Convert the previously approved contractual HR Analyst position to a full-time employee. Create two HR Generalist position one for Sworn and one for non- sworn. Add an Executive Secretary. Add new Administrative Aide for Civil Service and Workers Comp.
Items 69 through 99: Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $190,224). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Upgrade the Director of Communications information to the newly created Chief Communications and Equity Officer position. Create a new Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion position, Add an Administrative Aide position, Create a new Freelance Writer position. Upgrade the Confidential Secretary to a Translation Specialist position. Create a Communication Specialist which will be split between Community Affairs and Innovation and Core Services. Create a new Communications Specialist to support Aldermen’s Office.
Items 100 through 109: Special Events, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $41,467). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Upgrade the Part-Time Special Events Coordinator to a Full-Time and add a Full-Time Special Events Assistant.
Items 110: Special Events, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $10,000). This item is to adjust the budget for the mass vaccination events and Pop-up sites.
Items 111 through 114: Law, General Fund (Expenditure Increase Totaling $27,603). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Change the Part-Time Corporate Counsel to a Full-Time position.
Items 115 through 118: Innovation & Core Services Admin, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $64,016). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Add back the Director of Innovation & Strategy which was previously decremented.
Items 119 through 136: Community Services, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $160,353). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Create a new Community Engagement Manager position. Create a Communication Specialist which will be split with the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs. The Senior & Disabilities Services Coordinator was decremented for 2021, add the position back and make it a full-time employee. Convert the two contractual Outreach Specialist to Full-Time employees.
Items 138 through 142: Thrive/FEC, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $26,233). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Create an Administrative Aide position to assist with the Thrive/FEC center.
Items 144 through 147: Information Technologies, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $3,302). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Upgrade the Director of Cyber Technology.
Item 148 through 160: Development Services Admin., General Fund (Expenditure Increase Totaling $55,735). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Create a Director of Development Services. Add one additional Management Assistant and one Confidential Secretary.
Item 161 through 164: Building and Permits, General Fund (Expenditure Increase Totaling $30,857). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Create a General Inspector.
Items 165 through 203: Economic Development, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $153,479 for Economic development). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Create an Assistant Director of Economic Development and an Economic Development Specialist. Add one Part-Time Economic Development Specialist. Create a Project Manager position for economic development. Create a new Environmental Manager position which will be split with the Engineering division. Add a Confidential Secretary. Upgrade the Planner to a Senior Planner. Add additional Planner. Add new Economic Development Coordinator.
Item 204: Economic Development, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $1,200,000). This item provides for the CERF Business Grants.
Item 205 through 213: Finance, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $138,542). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Change the part-time CFO to a full-time CFO. Change the part-time Administrative Aide to a full-time Administrative Aide. Create a new contractual position for a Grant Administrator.
Items 214 through 217: Fire, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $26,032). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Create a Confidential Secretary position.
Items 218 through 231: Police. General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $162,734). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Change the Part-Time Executive Secretary to a Full-Time Executive Secretary. Add three Records Clerks positions. Create a Digital Evidence Manager positions. Create three Digital Evidence Custodians positions.
Item 232: Police, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $157,560). This item is to provide for basic training of new police officers that is no longer provided for by the State of Illinois.
Items 233 through 236: Central Services, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $39,443). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Create a new Central Services Supervisor position.
Items 237 through 241: Engineering, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $28,645). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Create a new Environmental Manager position which will be split with the Economic Development division.
Items 242 through 249: Downtown Services, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $55,707). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Add a Horticulturist I and add a Maintenance Worker I.
Items 250 through 253: Parks and Recreation, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $40,295). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Add a Labor Supervisor.
Items 255 through 262: Streets, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $185,384). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021: Add 2 Maintenance Worker I positions, which were previously decremented for the 2021 budget, and create an Assistant Superintendent of Streets.
Items 263 through 266: Equipment Services, Equipment Services Fund (Expenditure Increase of $29,430). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Add one Equipment Services Worker.
Item 267: Equipment Services, Equipment Services Fund (Expenditure Increase of $33,200). This item is to account for the purchase of rugged laptops that are used to perform diagnostic services on city vehicles.
Item 268: Police, State Asset Forfeiture Fund (Expenditure Increase of $22,000). This item is to account for the purchase software for investigative purposes.
Item 269: Police, State Equitable Sharing Justice Fund (Expenditure Increase of $20,000). This item is to account for the replenishment of SOG investigations.
Item 270: Police, State Equitable Sharing Justice Fund (Expenditure Increase of $69,000). This item is to account for the purchase of an Apex Officer training simulator which was previously authorized by Legistar item 21-0216.
Item 271: Police, State Equitable Sharing Justice Fund (Expenditure Increase of $33,600). This item is to account for the purchase of storage shelving and installation services to complete a storage expansion project for the long-term evidence storage facility which was previously authorized by Legistar item 20-0828.
Item 272 and 274: Police, State Equitable Sharing Treasury Fund (Expenditure Increase of $122,400). This item is to account for the purchase of the 3D laser Scanner Kit with accessories previously authorized by Legistar item 20-0827.
Item 273; 275 through 276: Police, State Equitable Sharing Treasury Fund (Expenditure Increase of $699,000). This item is to modernize existing office space to a new Real-Time Crime Center (Critical Intelligence Incident Center) authorized by Legistar item 21-0081.
Item 277: Economic Development, ARPA Fund (Expenditure Increase of $1,500,000). This item is for the ARPA funding grant the city is giving to ACCA paramount.
Items 278: Central Services, Capital Fund (Expenditure Increase of $89,000). This item is to modernize existing office space to a new Real-Time Crime Center (Critical Intelligence Incident Center) authorized by Legistar item 21-0081.
Item 279 through 286: Water and Sewer Maintenance, Water and Sewer Fund (Expenditure Increase of $59,439). These items are to adjust the budget for salary changes being made in 2021. Add 2 Maintenance Worker is and convert 2 Water Meter Repairer to Maintenance Worker III’s
The proposed General Fund budget will result in the General Fund going from $193,770,617 to $197,304,655, which is a percentage increase of 1.82%.
If the proposed budget amendment is approved, budgeted expenditures in the 2021 budget will increase from $444,587,612 to $450,798,719, which is a percentage increase of 1.4%.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
N/A
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council adopt the attached, proposed ordinance that would effect Amendment #1 to the 2021 City Budget.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
ORDINANCE NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
An Ordinance Amending The Annual Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2021 and Ending December 31, 2021 (Amendment #1 For The 2021 Fiscal Year).
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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 Council approved Ordinance No. O99-96 on November 9, 1999 adopting the budget system of finance for the City in lieu of the appropriation system in accordance with 65 ILCS 5/8-2-9.1 et. seq. and Code Section 2-312(a); and
WHEREAS, the City Council approved Ordinance No. O20-106 on December 8, 2020 adopting an annual budget for the City of Aurora for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2021 and ending December 31, 2021; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora deems that it is necessary to incur certain expenditures during its 2021 fiscal year that were unanticipated at the time the annual budget for 2021 was adopted but are necessary so as to ensure the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora, in an exercise of its home rule powers, desires to amend its annual budget for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2021 and ending December 31, 2021 so as to provide for the incurrence of said expenditures that were unanticipated at the time the annual budget was adopted; and
WHEREAS, adequate monies are available in the City treasury to pay said unanticipated expenditures.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows:
SECTION 1: That the annual budget of the City of Aurora for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2021 and ending December 31, 2021 is amended as shown in the attached Exhibit A.
SECTION 2: That this ordinance shall be in full force and effect, and shall be controlling upon its passage and approval.
SECTION 3: That all ordinances or parts of ordinances thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of any such conflict.
SECTION 4: That any Section or provision of this ordinance that is construed to be invalid or void shall not affect the remaining Sections or provisions, which shall remain in full force and effect thereafter.