Latest news with #JohnLaesch
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Aurora joins yearlong national sustainability program
The city of Aurora has recently been picked to join a yearlong program that brings together communities from around the country to improve sustainability. As one of only 16 local governments to be chosen as part of the 2025 LEED for Cities Certification Cohort, Aurora will be supported by the U.S. Green Building Council in sustainability, resilience and quality of life efforts, according to a city news release announcing the partnership. 'The City of Aurora is honored to take part in the LEED for Cities cohort,' Mayor John Laesch said in the news release. 'This partnership will allow Aurora to develop a more sustainable planning process, while taking significant steps toward reducing climate change and promoting a more resilient and equitable city.' LEED stands for 'Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design' and is typically used to certify green buildings. However, whole local governments or communities can be LEED certified, which is what Aurora will be working towards under the yearlong cohort program. The city's participation in this program seems to align with Laesch's stated vision for the city, which includes a focus on fostering green-building jobs, but the city applied to be a part of the cohort before he was elected. According to the news release, Aurora is planning to use the program to 'engage the public around data-driven goals and identify opportunities to strengthen local climate and sustainability efforts.' Through the program, the city will be given resources to measure and improve sustainability performance through the LEED for Cities rating system, the news release said. But according to Randal Stephens, the city grant writer who helped secure the city's spot in the cohort, Aurora will also benefit from sharing resources and best practices with others in the program. Throughout the yearlong process, she said, the cohort will meet twice a month and work through nine different areas of focus: integrative process, natural systems and ecology, transportation and land use, water efficiency, energy and greenhouse gas emissions, materials and resources, quality of life, innovation and regional priorities. For example, in the natural systems and ecology category, Aurora will take a comprehensive look at the city's natural systems, identify invasive species, study soil composition and inventory typical pollution sources, according to Stephens. She said that, once the information is gathered, it can be used in future policy improvements or projects. Beyond the environmental side of sustainability, Stephens said, the program will also take a look at things like vulnerable populations through the quality of life category to identify gaps in social infrastructure instead of focusing only on built environments. LEED certification would show that Aurora took a holistic approach to evaluating its policies and practices, fostered collaboration between departments and developed a framework for continued improvement — plus, it would help the city in future grant applications, since it would show the city has the capacity, experience and ability to manage these sorts of complex programs, according to Stephens. In the short-term, being in the cohort will give the city a free yearlong membership to resources through the LEED online portal, which is normally paid, plus will offer discounted training courses and individual certifications, she said. According to the U.S. Green Building Council's own news release announcing the 2025 LEED for Cities Certification Cohort, nearby Cook County is also participating in the cohort program. Other local governments in the 2025 cohort include Ashland, Massachusetts; Brighton, Colorado; Delray Beach, Florida; Farmers Branch, Texas; Harris County, Texas; King County, Washington; Lafayette, Indiana; Lincoln, Nebraska; Mercer Island, Washington; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Riverside, California; Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and West Lafayette, Indiana. 'City governments play a critical role in advancing public and environmental health, resilience and economic prosperity across their communities,' Peter Templeton, U.S. Green Building Council president and CEO, said in the organization's press release. 'We applaud this cohort for prioritizing these outcomes and committing to meaningful actions on sustainability and community well-being.' Stephens said Aurora was invited to apply for the cohort around late last year. The idea was then discussed internally to make sure the city had the capacity to participate in the program since it covers a large range of topics and involves nearly every city department, she said, and an application was turned in around last December. One of the main reasons the city applied was to work toward goals laid out in the 2019 Sustainability Plan, including expanding renewable energy and piloting zero waste initiatives, according to Stephens. She said that, as the city reviews its current policies and procedures through the cohort program, hopefully opportunities for improvement will be identified that contribute to that plan's goals. The U.S. Green Building Council's website about the Local Government Leadership Program, which the LEED for Cities Certification Cohort is a part of, says cities in the cohort are expected to be LEED certified within 12 months of starting the program. A timeline in an info packet linked on the website shows that program graduation is planned for March 31, 2026. First started in 2017, the Local Government Leadership Program has in total provided direct support to around 120 local governments across the country, which represents around 55 million people, according to the U.S. Green Building Council's news release. Beyond the certification cohort, the program also includes regional leadership summits and accelerators. rsmith@
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Aurora joins yearlong national sustainability program
The city of Aurora has recently been picked to join a yearlong program that brings together communities from around the country to improve sustainability. As one of only 16 local governments to be chosen as part of the 2025 LEED for Cities Certification Cohort, Aurora will be supported by the U.S. Green Building Council in sustainability, resilience and quality of life efforts, according to a city news release announcing the partnership. 'The City of Aurora is honored to take part in the LEED for Cities cohort,' Mayor John Laesch said in the news release. 'This partnership will allow Aurora to develop a more sustainable planning process, while taking significant steps toward reducing climate change and promoting a more resilient and equitable city.' LEED stands for 'Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design' and is typically used to certify green buildings. However, whole local governments or communities can be LEED certified, which is what Aurora will be working towards under the yearlong cohort program. The city's participation in this program seems to align with Laesch's stated vision for the city, which includes a focus on fostering green-building jobs, but the city applied to be a part of the cohort before he was elected. According to the news release, Aurora is planning to use the program to 'engage the public around data-driven goals and identify opportunities to strengthen local climate and sustainability efforts.' Through the program, the city will be given resources to measure and improve sustainability performance through the LEED for Cities rating system, the news release said. But according to Randal Stephens, the city grant writer who helped secure the city's spot in the cohort, Aurora will also benefit from sharing resources and best practices with others in the program. Throughout the yearlong process, she said, the cohort will meet twice a month and work through nine different areas of focus: integrative process, natural systems and ecology, transportation and land use, water efficiency, energy and greenhouse gas emissions, materials and resources, quality of life, innovation and regional priorities. For example, in the natural systems and ecology category, Aurora will take a comprehensive look at the city's natural systems, identify invasive species, study soil composition and inventory typical pollution sources, according to Stephens. She said that, once the information is gathered, it can be used in future policy improvements or projects. Beyond the environmental side of sustainability, Stephens said, the program will also take a look at things like vulnerable populations through the quality of life category to identify gaps in social infrastructure instead of focusing only on built environments. LEED certification would show that Aurora took a holistic approach to evaluating its policies and practices, fostered collaboration between departments and developed a framework for continued improvement — plus, it would help the city in future grant applications, since it would show the city has the capacity, experience and ability to manage these sorts of complex programs, according to Stephens. In the short-term, being in the cohort will give the city a free yearlong membership to resources through the LEED online portal, which is normally paid, plus will offer discounted training courses and individual certifications, she said. According to the U.S. Green Building Council's own news release announcing the 2025 LEED for Cities Certification Cohort, nearby Cook County is also participating in the cohort program. Other local governments in the 2025 cohort include Ashland, Massachusetts; Brighton, Colorado; Delray Beach, Florida; Farmers Branch, Texas; Harris County, Texas; King County, Washington; Lafayette, Indiana; Lincoln, Nebraska; Mercer Island, Washington; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Riverside, California; Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and West Lafayette, Indiana. 'City governments play a critical role in advancing public and environmental health, resilience and economic prosperity across their communities,' Peter Templeton, U.S. Green Building Council president and CEO, said in the organization's press release. 'We applaud this cohort for prioritizing these outcomes and committing to meaningful actions on sustainability and community well-being.' Stephens said Aurora was invited to apply for the cohort around late last year. The idea was then discussed internally to make sure the city had the capacity to participate in the program since it covers a large range of topics and involves nearly every city department, she said, and an application was turned in around last December. One of the main reasons the city applied was to work toward goals laid out in the 2019 Sustainability Plan, including expanding renewable energy and piloting zero waste initiatives, according to Stephens. She said that, as the city reviews its current policies and procedures through the cohort program, hopefully opportunities for improvement will be identified that contribute to that plan's goals. The U.S. Green Building Council's website about the Local Government Leadership Program, which the LEED for Cities Certification Cohort is a part of, says cities in the cohort are expected to be LEED certified within 12 months of starting the program. A timeline in an info packet linked on the website shows that program graduation is planned for March 31, 2026. First started in 2017, the Local Government Leadership Program has in total provided direct support to around 120 local governments across the country, which represents around 55 million people, according to the U.S. Green Building Council's news release. Beyond the certification cohort, the program also includes regional leadership summits and accelerators.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Aurora Mayor John Laesch chooses his leadership team at City Hall
New Aurora Mayor John Laesch, who has now been in office for over a week, has chosen the team of people who will help him lead the city. Laesch was sworn in as Aurora's 60th mayor on May 13 after winning over incumbent Mayor Richard Irvin in the April 1 consolidated election. Soon after taking office, Laesch hired three new people from his transition team to work in the Mayor's Office and recently appointed four others, with approval from the Aurora City Council, to other upper city management positions. Shannon Cameron, who led Laesch's transition team, was hired to be his chief of staff — a position that seems to functionally replace the chief management officer position formerly held by Alex Alexandrou. The job of the chief of staff position, Laesch told The Beacon-News, will be to run the city when he is not around, even though he plans to be hands-on with city staff. The goal is to have him and Cameron be 'interchangeable,' he said. Cameron was chosen because she is a 'get-it-done kind of person,' according to Laesch. He said she is able to cut through the red tape, speak her mind and jump into action to do the right thing. Alexandrou also had that type of personality, which the role needs, Laesch said. Plus Cameron's experience both from her time helping to found the Paramount School of the Arts and from her time as executive director of the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry means she brings a strategic planning perspective to the mayor's office, he said, which balances out his own tendency to be goal-oriented. Nicholas Richard-Thompson, who was also on Laesch's transition team, is now serving as the city's deputy chief of staff. The city previously had two of these positions, held by Alex Voigt and Maria Lindsay, and Laesch said he is planning to hire another soon. Richard-Thompson will bring a different perspective to the mayor's office, Laesch said, and is a creative thinker while having similar values to others on the team. Plus, Richard-Thompson knows a lot of people in the community and within city government, Laesch said. When asked by The Beacon-News about his new role, Richard-Thompson said he was happy and honored to be selected, but also surprised. He said he has been a local community organizer for over a decade, and has years of experience working in public administration, including seven years with the city of Aurora working in community engagement, economic development and communications. He hopes to bring all that experience with him to this new role and to 'lead with integrity, execute excellently and build a stronger community,' he said. According to Richard-Thompson, Laesch has built a 'robust' and 'dynamic' team that he is looking forward to working within. Rounding out Laesch's new mayor's office team is Casildo 'Casey' Cuevas, who is now the deputy mayor. Also a member of Laesch's transition team, Cuevas was brought in because of his experience, particularly in working with the constituents of other elected officials, as one of the new administration's goals is to be more responsive to the community, according to Laesch. Cuevas previously worked for state Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, as her community service director. In a Facebook post last week, Villa said Cuevas was a 'fierce advocate for our community, going above and beyond to support our constituents.' In the deputy mayor role, Cuevas will bring that same level of responsiveness to residents, according to Laesch. Plus, he said Cuevas is bilingual and 'knows his way around multiple layers of government, which is important.' The goal, Laesch said, is to have Cuevas working with a restructured communications department that is more focused on active community engagement out in the neighborhoods, particularly in those which have a heavy Latino population. In addition to the nonprofits Cuevas has founded or worked with, he is also the chair of Working Families Aurora, a local political action committee, or PAC, that supported Laesch and many others — including the newly-inaugurated Ald. Keith Larson, at large, and Ald. Javier Banuelos, 7th Ward — in past elections. According to Laesch, Cuevas was the only person he hired that was an active part of his campaign. Still, two of the four people Laesch appointed to upper city management positions outside of the mayor's office — both of which were confirmed by the Aurora City Council Tuesday — have been supported by Working Families Aurora when they previously ran for local public office. Ram Tyagi, who was confirmed as the city's new chief information officer, unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Aurora Public Library Board in the recent April 1 consolidated election. Tyagi was not only supported by Working Families Aurora but was also endorsed by Laesch, as seen in a sample ballot posted to his mayoral campaign Facebook page. Laesch told The Beacon-News that Tyagi is an ethical, transparent and strong leader that has the right personality to take over the city's IT department during a time when changes are coming soon. 'I think he'll be able to make assessments about what needs to change,' Laesch said. 'He's got a very laid-back personality but (is) also very firm in his position.' Tyagi, whose resume shows he most recently worked at Harris Associates, an investment firm, as its vice president and head of investment operations — technology, is taking a pay cut to join the city, according to Laesch. He said public service is a big part of who Tyagi is as a person. Nicole Mullins, who was confirmed Tuesday as the city's new chief community services officer, was also formerly endorsed by the Working Families Aurora PAC when she unsuccessfully ran for the Aurora City Council's 6th Ward seat in 2023. Laesch said that, while there are probably other people equally as qualified to take the position, Mullins has high standards as a team builder and, similar to Tyagi, is not afraid to push for change where it is needed. She has a good vision, and the community services department will be seeing some changes in its focus areas, he said. According to her resume, Mullins most recently managed the Illinois Department on Aging's Community Care Program for Southern Kane and Kendall counties. However, she may be more well known in Aurora as the founder and president of L.I.F.T. Aurora, the organization behind Culture Stock, which ran a bookstore and cultural arts center in downtown from 2012 to 2018. Although Tyagi and the others whose appointments were OK'd by the Aurora City Council on Tuesday saw unanimous approval, Mullins did not. Ald. Juany Garza, 2nd Ward, and Ald. Carl Franco, 5th Ward, voted against her appointment. When asked why he didn't vote for Mullins, Franco said she was part of a group that, a couple of years ago during his re-election campaign, disrupted one of his neighborhood meetings by 'yelling and swearing and screaming' and trying to make him angry so they could videotape it. Plus, during a different meeting that residents had called to discuss issues with the HelloFresh factory, he was shut down by the same group when he tried to speak, he said. 'I find it pretty amazing that a person who's going to be now in charge of the neighborhood groups would act in such a way — a despicable way,' Franco said. 'It was not just her, it was the whole group, but if you're part of that group, then you have some culpability in how people act.' Mullins told The Beacon-News that she attends many community meetings and was not involved in stopping Franco from speaking at the meeting about HelloFresh. She is not responsible for what other people do, she said, and doesn't believe city officials should 'dictate how community members organize to share their concerns.' 'I think those of us in positions of power, elected or otherwise, need to realize that criticism and expectations of accountability comes with the territory,' Mullins said. 'We serve the community. I'm now also not immune to that.' As the city's new chief community services officer, Mullins said she sees many opportunities to fix or improve relationships in the community and wants to focus her energy there, including on her own with elected officials. She wants a good working relationship with all aldermen regardless of how they voted, she said, so they can work together for the benefit of the community. Another upper-level appointment approved by the Aurora City Council Tuesday was Eduardo Questell, who is the city's new director of brand, marketing and digital strategy. Questell most recently worked at Gilmore Marketing Concepts, Inc., of Elgin, as a visual and web designer. Questell, Mullins and Tyagi were all on Laesch's transition team. Also confirmed to an upper city leadership position by the Aurora City Council at the Tuesday meeting was Adrian Perez, a longtime city employee who will now serve as the city's superintendent of streets. Perez has worked in Aurora's Public Works Department for years, originally starting as a seasonal worker in 2005 before being hired on as a maintenance worker in 2012, according to his resume. Since then, he has risen through the ranks and most recently served as the assistant superintendent since 2021. The Aurora City Council also chose at Tuesday's meeting to keep Ald. Mike Saville, 6th Ward, as the mayor pro tem, meaning he will lead City Council and Committee of the Whole meetings when Laesch isn't there. rsmith@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Aurora mayor warns residents that property tax hike likely: 'They know we're in trouble'
The Brief Mayor John Laesch says Aurora faces a fiscal crisis after years of tax giveaways and rising costs. The city must borrow $88 million, and a property tax hike is likely on the table. Laesch promises transparency and says residents are prepared for tough choices. AURORA, Ill. - Aurora's new mayor isn't sugarcoating the financial state of the city—and says a property tax increase may be unavoidable. What we know It isn't often that a mayor enters office telling residents he's going to have to raise their property taxes. But that's the situation John Laesch says he's inherited in Aurora from two-term Republican Richard Irvin. Laesch took over as leader of the state's second-largest city last Thursday after defeating Irvin in the April runoff election. He says the town has to borrow $88 million just to make ends meet — because the previous administration has given tens of millions in tax incentives to development projects — some have panned out, many have not. Big picture view Laesch says residents elected him because they knew that a financial mess would have to get cleaned up. "We didn't get into this mess overnight and we're not going to get out of it overnight," Laesch said over a cup of coffee at downtown café Society 57. "I've got a lot of support from the community. They know we're in trouble. I think they're going to be patient as I work through some solutions as long as I communicate with the community on where we're at, and I plan to be open and transparent moving forward." Laesch says some of the big spending involves infrastructure for the new Hollywood Casino facility on Farnsworth Road, as well as incentives and tax breaks given to developers with connections to former Mayor Irvin. He says that half the projects that the town helped fund are now underwater. He also says the former mayor signed generous public employee labor contracts, saddling the town with escalating costs — thus the potential for a tax hike. "I let the public know that was a likely outcome. I'm going to do my best to cut back, but many of these contracts that were signed are already a done deal," Laesch said. The Source FOX 32's Paris Schutz reported on this story.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Economic development seen as key to legacy of former Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin
For the last eight years, Richard Irvin got the chance to live out his longtime dream: being the mayor of his hometown, Aurora. It was hope that drove Irvin, who grew up in low-income housing, was raised by a single mother and was the first in his family to graduate from both high school and college, to make a name for himself, he recently said in an interview with The Beacon-News. And it was that same hope that he later turned towards the city, Irvin said, to make his hometown into something, too. 'I'll be known for a lot of things, but I think what I did best, and what I was able to convey to our residents, was hope,' he said. Irvin became the 59th mayor of Aurora, and the first African American to ever hold the title, after he was first elected in 2017. Before that, he served on the Aurora City Council for 10 years as an alderman at-large, and he was also the first African American man to be elected to that position. 'This has been an absolutely fun ride,' Irvin told a group of gathered elected officials, city staff and others from the community who packed the lobby of the Copley Theatre in downtown Aurora on May 6 to help say goodbye to him and those from the mayor's office who were also leaving alongside him. His time as mayor ended when the city's new mayor, John Laesch, was inaugurated on Tuesday. Laesch defeated Irvin in the April 1 consolidated election, an ostensibly nonpartisan race that saw significant spending from the state Democratic party and which many considered to be divisive. The win over a sitting mayor was a rarity for Aurora. The last time an incumbent elected mayor conceded defeat in an election was in 1997, but even then David Pierce withdrew ahead of that year's consolidated election after what he saw as a lackluster showing in the primary to opponent David Stover. Irvin's two four-year terms as mayor of Aurora were marked by significant economic development efforts throughout the city but also by tragedies such as the Henry Pratt mass shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic as well as significant pushback and criticism for many of those same economic development projects others view as successes. At one of his last city meetings as mayor, the May 6 meeting of the Aurora City Council's Committee of the Whole, Irvin said his outgoing administration 'made a long-lasting impact and fundamentally changed the face of this city as we know it.' Many locally involved in Aurora's civic sphere have recently told The Beacon-News similar things when asked to think about Irvin's legacy as mayor. Some said Irvin helped to turn around the city's once-negative reputation, while others talked about his ability to build a good team, but all who were asked about his legacy mentioned economic development, particularly in downtown, as something he will be remembered for. Irvin has often said, particularly during his recently unsuccessful reelection campaign, that he has done more economic development than six or more decades of past mayors put together. And according to Curtis Wilson, who last year was honored as Aurora's first-ever Volunteer of the Year for his efforts across every part of the city, Irvin has earned the right to brag about that. A large part of Irvin's legacy, Wilson said, will be related to economic development and prosperity of the city. A large part of Irvin's economic development efforts have been centered around Aurora's downtown. Chuck Nelson, a lifelong Aurora resident who was formerly Irvin's deputy mayor but who also was selected to be part of Laesch's transition team, said what Irvin did to downtown has been 'transformational.' 'There's certainly more interest and activity in the downtown than I've ever seen,' Nelson said. Using financial incentives backed by the Irvin administration and approved by the City Council, a number of downtown historic buildings were or are in the process of being redeveloped to house apartments and commercial space. A notable example of a downtown redevelopment project is the over 130-year-old Hobbs Building, its onion dome a longtime piece of the Aurora skyline, which city officials have said was once near-collapse but now holds three new restaurants — Leilani Asian Fusion, Giardino Trattoria & Pizzeria and Touche French Creole — along with 33 apartments. Aurora's downtown is also seeing new development with the under-construction East Bank Apartments along North Broadway. Like many of the downtown redevelopment projects under Irvin's administration, this project by DAC Developments was given financial incentives from the city, which in this case total around $12.6 million. Alongside many of the redevelopment projects, a large number of restaurants, coffee shops and similar establishments opened up in downtown Aurora during Irvin's time as mayor. In addition to those in the Hobbs Building, other examples include Arthouse, Society 57 and Altiro Latin Fusion, among many others. 'If you walk around downtown, a dead and desolate place before 2017 when I took office, and you see life teeming and excitement spreading with people walking their dogs, jogging and simply taking a stroll in our downtown, that transformation happened under the Irvin administration,' Irvin said during his speech at the May 6 Committee of the Whole meeting. Mike Saville — Aurora's 6th Ward alderman who has been on the City Council for nearly 40 years, perhaps the longest consecutive term ever served, and who was on Laesch's transition team — said the downtown's redevelopment was 'an important milestone for our community.' 'It was the last piece of the puzzle that we needed to put together that we've been planning on and allocated city resources for many, many years,' he said. Along with Irvin's focus on downtown economic development was his support of arts and entertainment, which many have said help to support those economic development efforts. Aurora is now known as a theater district both locally and regionally, meaning people are coming and attending shows here, Saville said, which is good for the community in the long run. Tim Rater, the Paramount Theatre's president and CEO who recently was recognized as the 2024 Chicagoan of the Year in Theater by the Chicago Tribune, said Irvin's administration was fully behind his organization even during the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the theater hard. And, despite the pandemic's setbacks, the Irvin administration supported the Paramount not just in getting back to what it previously did but in being bigger than ever before, Rater said. 'Much of what we've done over these past eight years wouldn't have been possible, especially since COVID, without their support,' he said. 'There would be no BOLD Series, don't know that we would have the (Paramount School of the Arts) reopened and there certainly would be no Stolp Island Theatre.' More broadly, Rater categorized Irvin as 'a builder.' There are certain types of leaders who focus on developing and moving things forward, he said, and Irvin's mind always seemed to be on the next project. And those projects extended far beyond Aurora's downtown. One notable example is the new $360 million Hollywood Casino resort currently being built along Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road, across the street from Chicago Premium Outlets mall and near the Interstate 88 interchange. That new casino is set to replace the existing Hollywood Casino in downtown Aurora. Irvin has previously said he and his administration pushed hard for Hollywood Casino's parent company, Penn Entertainment, to build a new casino in Aurora and even helped to get state laws changed so it could be relocated. The project was also supported with a $50 million up-front financial incentive from the city, which is set to be paid back through taxes generated by the project through a tax increment financing district, also called a TIF, or by Penn Entertainment directly if the taxes produced are not enough. Local officials were worried that Penn Entertainment might pull out of Illinois altogether as its casinos in both downtown Aurora and Joliet brought in less and less money, according to past reporting. The Aurora casino contributed about $15 million a year in gaming taxes to the city at its highest point, but that has fallen to just below $6 million in recent years. Many who spoke to The Beacon-News said the city's new casino, when it opens in 2026, will have a significant impact on the city's finances. The city's gaming tax in part goes to support initiatives by Aurora aldermen to improve quality of life within their wards. Another major project within Aurora under Irvin's time as mayor, which also received significant financial support from the city, was the redevelopment of the old Copley Hospital on Aurora's near East Side. Now called Bloomhaven, the award-winning project now holds on its campus a new VNA Health Primary Care Center, an independent living community for adults with intellectual, cognitive and developmental disabilities called Weston Bridges, a senior living community called Bardwell Residences, Cafe 1888, the East Aurora School District 131 headquarters and a neighborhood park. Aurora's Fox Valley Mall is also currently being redeveloped to include residential buildings, open space and more, an initiative that started under Irvin's administration. Plus, as Irvin mentioned in his speech at the May 6 Committee of the Whole meeting, the city has approved the construction of many neighborhoods and other residential developments during his time as mayor, including a large new Del Webb senior living community on the far southeast side of the city. All that his administration was able to accomplish was done while also dealing with significant challenges, such as a polar vortex, the Henry Pratt mass shooting, the COVID-19 pandemic and more, Irvin said during the speech. Alex Alexandrou, who recently retired after serving under four different mayors and was most recently Irvin's chief management officer, said the COVID-19 pandemic in particular disrupted the administration's plans. The city worked hard to keep what he sees as the city's 'four pillars' — the Paramount, the Hollywood Casino, the Chicago Premium Outlets mall and Fox Valley Mall — from shutting down permanently, according to Alexandrou. Plus, he said the city also worked to help small businesses and organizations like Hesed House homeless shelter during that time. Saville said that another of Irvin's legacies will be the mass vaccination clinics that helped to keep residents safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many, including Irvin, said that none of these things were done alone. According to Nelson, Irvin was able to surround himself with talented and dedicated people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when he pulled together not only city leaders but also regional leaders, state elected officials and health care professionals. Plus, Alexandrou said Irvin's aggressive agenda pushed staff to be creative and think outside the box. 'We worked hard to get rid of that negative perception that plagued Aurora and replaced it with prosperity, with an energy and excitement that is palpable,' Irvin said in his speech at the May 6 Committee of the Whole meeting. 'We brought pride back to Aurora.' Irvin told The Beacon-News that he did nearly all of what he set out to do, and the rest he was planning to do in his next term if he was re-elected. So now, the legacy he is leaving behind is a new Aurora and the hope of a better city that now exists, he said. According to Nelson, people might just look back on Irvin's time as mayor and say that he was on the way to building a financially sustainable community. He mentioned the falling tax rate, meaning that residents are now paying a smaller percentage of their home's assessed value. Plus, Saville said that the new casino will add an economic base to Aurora that it has been striving for. And while economic development may be one of the defining features of Irvin's time in office, it has also been the source of significant pushback from many in the community. That backlash came to a head in the most recent election, where he was beaten by Laesch, who has been one of his fiercest critics. While Laesch acknowledged Irvin's significant investments particularly in downtown during his inauguration speech, he said those investments have left the city in serious debt. Alexandrou, in an interview with The Beacon-News about Irvin's legacy, said debt is a hard topic but that the city took it on for the right reasons and are seeing the results. Many of the economic development-related debts the city has taken on, similar to the one set up for the casino, are set to be paid back to the city through taxes generated by the incentivized developments that were projected to cover the full cost of debt payments. Irvin has also been criticized for economic development incentives directly, not just because of the debt they put the city in, particularly when those incentives went to people or organizations that Irvin had ties to. But he told The Beacon-News that, while he has been categorized by some as someone who sold Aurora out, he really had to convince developers to buy-in to the city. 'The problem is, people forgot what we were in 2017 when I took office,' Irvin said. 'They forgot what we were, and people assumed we were this successful city the whole time.' In the most recent election, Irvin was the subject of an ad campaign primarily in the form of mailers paid for by the state Democratic Party tying him to President Donald Trump, whom a majority of the city's voters rejected in November. And while Irvin did unsuccessfully run for governor as a Republican in 2022, a campaign in which he repeatedly slammed Gov. JB Pritzker, his local track record tells a more complicated story, particularly because of Irvin's support for efforts around diversity and inclusion. When asked if he regrets his decision to run for governor, Irvin said he didn't. Although he wishes he had done lots of things differently in life, he always has taken chances. 'How would I ever know who I was and what I could achieve in life unless I tried?' Irvin said. At that May 6 Committee of the Whole meeting, one of the last he attended as mayor, Irvin received a number of recognitions from local groups such as the Aurora Puerto Rican Cultural Council, which presented Irvin with its inaugural Saizon and Corazon Award, and the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board, which renamed its annual community recognition the Richard C. Irvin Nia Award. Although Irvin's name likely won't be seen around Aurora City Hall anymore, there are still places to find it. Touche French Creole, which recently opened in the Hobbs Building, has renamed its popular Shrimp and Grits dish to 'The Irvin Grit' in tribute to his leadership style. And, the Aurora Housing Authority announced at the May 6 meeting that it will be renaming the community center at the Indian Trail Housing Complex, which is in the same building Irvin grew up in, as the Richard C. Irvin Community Center. rsmith@
