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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin, Mayor
FROM: Christopher A. Minick, Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer
DATE: February 26, 2024
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance Amending the Annual Budget for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2024 and Ending December 31, 2024 (Amendment #1 for the 2024 Fiscal Year)
PURPOSE:
To obtain the City Council’s approval of a proposed amendment to the 2024 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 2024 budget on December 5, 2023 through the passage of Ordinance No. O23-088.
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. 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 its Exhibit A, would provide for certain changes in the 2024 City Budget. 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.
Item 1 and 52: Grants/Federal-Equipment, Fire Department, General Fund (Offsetting Revenue and Expenditure Increase of $287,600). These items adjust the budget to account for the grant received through FEMA to purchase new fire hose. The resolution accepting the grant was R23-329.
Item 2 and 25: Grant Local Government, Senior Services and Disabilities, General Fund (Offsetting Revenue and Expenditure Increase of $20,000). Grant was extended into Fiscal Year 2024.
Item 3 through 6: Salaries and Benefits, Human Resources, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $63,600). Create a Workers Compensation/Leave Specialist position to handle these specific issues in the Human Resources Department.
Items 7 through 9: Salaries and Benefits, Human Resources, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $7,900). This position will assist with coverage for the City Hall Greeters.
Items 10 through 13: Salaries and Benefits, City Clerk, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $15,800). The FOIA Specialist is being converted to an Attorney.
Item 14: Supplies-Computers, Information Technologies, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $6,000). This item is for additional computer needs for newly created positions.
Items 15 through 19: Salaries and Benefits, IT-Security, General Fund (Expenditure Increase of $ 35,100). The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) position is being upgraded from E17 to E18. This is comparable with the current market for a CISO position.
Items 20 through 23: Contractual Services, Community Services Admin, General Fund (Zero impact). These items are reclassifying census workers from contractual services to employees. The city will hire two GIS Interns and 10-15 Seasonal workers to assist with the special census.
Item 24: Other programs, Public Arts, General Fund, (Expenditure increase of $188,000). This item is for the light festival security, marketing, drone display, and the light pool contract.
tems 26 through 29: Salaries and Benefits, Community Affairs, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $12,400). These items convert a Neighborhood Outreach Specialist to a Community Engagement Coordinator.
Items 30 through 33: Salaries and Benefits, Communications and Marketing Administration, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $71,300). These items authorize a full-time Executive Secretary for the Communications and Marketing Administration division.
Items 34 through 37: Salaries and Benefits, Branding and Marketing, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $103,900). These items authorize a full-time Branding Manager.
Item 38: Newsletter Production, Branding and Marketing, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $24,400). This item is to cover the cost of the snow postcards.
Items 39 through 42: Salaries and Benefits, Video Productions, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $103,900). These items authorize a full-time Video Productions manager.
Item 43: Furniture/Fixtures, Building and Permits, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $16,500). This is for a 2023 decision package that was not carried over into 2024 for flat storage in building and permits.
Items 44 through 47: Salaries and Benefits, Property Standards, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $8,000). These items are for converting the Zoning Inspector and Quality of Life Inspectors to PMCOs.
Items 48 through 51: Salaries and Benefits, Finance, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $56,700). These items authorize a full-time Administrative Aide to assist Finance and the Police Department with UKG time and attendance.
Items 53 through 56: Salaries and Benefits, Fire Prevention Bureau, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $6,200). These items upgrade the Admin Secretary to an Admin Secretary II.
Items 57 through 60: Salaries and Benefits, EMA, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $15,200). These items upgrade the EMA Specialist per the Hay Study.
Item 61: Expendable tools, Police, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $27,000). This item is to replace treadmills in the police department.
Item 62: Mowing/Lawn-Weed, Parks and Recreation, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $51,800). Correction for the decision package for mowing.
Item 63: Equipment, Parks and Recreation, General Fund (Expenditure increase of $16,000). This item is to correct the base budget of the account for equipment.
Items 64 through 67: Salaries and Benefits, Equipment Services, Equipment Services Fund (Expenditure increase of $132,500). These items authorize a Full-time Superintendent of Fleet Maintenance.
Item 68: Equipment Radios, Information Technology, ETSB Fund (Expenditure increase of $13,700). This item is to replace down BDA equipment at the police department.
Items 69 and 70: Rental Cars, Van, Police (Zero budget impact). These items reclassify the police department car rentals from the State Asset Forfeiture Fund to the Equitable Sharing Justice Fund.
Item 71: Repairs & Maintenance Services, Central Services, Capital Improvement Fund (Expenditure increase of $100,000). This item is for screens in the City Council Chambers which includes hardware, installation and programming.
If the proposed budget amendment is approved, budgeted expenditures in the 2024 budget will increase from $621.7 to $623.1.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
N/A
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council adopt the attached, proposed ordinance that would effect Amendment #1 to the 2024 City Budget.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
ORDINANCE NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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An Ordinance Amending The Annual Budget For The Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2024 and Ending December 31, 2024 (Amendment #1 For The 2024 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. O23-088 on December 5, 2023 adopting an annual budget for the City of Aurora for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2024 and ending December 31, 2024; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora deems that it is necessary to incur certain expenditures during its 2023 fiscal year that were unanticipated at the time the annual budget for 2024 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, 2024 and ending December 31, 2024 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, 2024 and ending December 31, 2024 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.