22-07-2025
Aurora launches five public transition committees to gather community input
Aurora has launched five new transition committees designed to gather community-based feedback to shape the city's priorities in the early days of Mayor John Laesch's administration.
The Public Transition Committees span topics such as finances, sustainability, housing, public safety and education, according to a recent city news release announcing the new committees and their members. Over the next few months, the committees will create formal recommendations to the Mayor's Office that will together form a 'master transition document' planned to be released in late fall, the news release said.
The newly-announced committees are a continuation of Laesch's transition team, which began its work after he was elected in April but before he was inaugurated in May. Unlike that team, with its members picked by Laesch, city officials said in the news release that the Public Transition Committees' members were selected after an 'in-depth application and vetting process.'
All of the new committees will have their first meetings on Friday at 6 p.m., according to the city news release.
Once up and running, the new Finance and Responsibility Committee is set to create both a 100-day goal and a four-year budget and finance plan. City officials said that the plan should look towards new funding sources to ease the tax burden on Aurora residents.
Serving on the new Finance and Responsibility Committee will be Hector Ochoa, Donna Jolly, Melissa Flores, Felipe Rocha, Shannon Buckley and Allen Barajas, the release said.
The new Sustainability and Development Committee will look to develop a 'bold climate plan' that empowers residents to 'embrace energy-efficient homes and renewable energy through accessible incentives,' city officials said in the news release. The committee is also expected to work on a plan to preserve the city's natural green spaces and to lay the foundation for a 'green-collar economy,' according to the release.
Serving on the Sustainability and Development Committee will be Heather Shipman, Kat Gerdts, Alex Minnella, Kristina Murphy, Raymond Wronkiewicz, Bryon Cunningham and Marissa Martinez.
The Housing Committee is tasked with building a comprehensive plan to address accessibility and affordability for all Aurora residents that also focuses on green building initiatives, the city news release said. Plus, the committee also will make recommendations on how best to support those in the city without housing, with recommendations in particular highlighting the importance of home ownership.
Serving on the Housing Committee will be Thew Elliot, Joseph Jackson, Heather Binder, Hugo Saltijeral and Luca Koranda.
The Public Safety Committee is set to develop a plan to enhance community well-being through an all-encompassing approach to public safety that takes into account innovative methods of crime prevention and that strengthens community involvement in public safety, according to the news release.
Serving on the Public Safety Committee will be Avalon Betts-Gatson, Daniel Corral, Harriet Lewis, Cynthia A. Serna, Dr. Sanday Gonzalez Rivas, Sherry Spears and Adam Pauley.
Lastly, the Supporting Youth and Education Committee is tasked with developing after-school programs and education initiatives that empower young people and offer educational opportunities for all students, the news release said.
Serving on the Supporting Youth and Education Committee will be Helen Ratzlow, Saul Olivas, Neil Sekhri, Wendy Mendoza and Albert Rios.
To be chosen to serve on a Public Transition Committee, applicants had to live in one of the four counties Aurora is in — Kane, DuPage, Will and Kendall — or have connections to the community in a meaningful way, had to demonstrate a strong commitment to serving the Aurora community, had to be willing to actively participate in meetings and make meaningful contributions to the committees' work, had to be able to work collaboratively and respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives and had to have at least two to four hours free each month for committee meetings, according to the city news release.
More community members are expected to join each committee ahead of their first meetings, officials said in the release.
The new committees highlight many of the priorities Laesch has talked about for his administration both during and after the election. For example, during his inauguration speech, he said the city is in a difficult place financially but highlighted his commitment to sustainability, particularly around building a local economy based on high-paying green and tech jobs, and to building more single-family homes rather than apartment buildings and other rentals that he argued are driving up housing prices.
