N. Aurora considers director post

Last month, longtime North Aurora Building Commissioner DeWayne Williams retired, and Village Administrator Sue McLaughlin would like him to be the last person to hold that title.

However, trustees seemed skeptical of the move at a committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday.

McLaughlin would like to create a community development director position that would still oversee the building department and have an expanded role in planning and zoning development -- areas that are handled by consultant Teska Associates.

The move would allow the new director to focus on redevelopment of the tax increment financing district on Route 31, development of the waterfront area and other long-term projects, she said. It would also give the village a person in-house to decide what planning and zoning fits in what areas.

McLaughlin said Teska does a good job but having that expertise in the office and always available would help the village.

The need for a community development position will increase with the years, McLaughlin said, as the village finishes growing and permits for new construction -- an area that has swamped the building department for years -- start to slow. She added that North Aurora is the only community in Kane County without the position.

Whereas a couple years ago an average of six building permits were filed every week, that number has fallen to about two per month.

"We have to shift gears and look at the older parts of town," McLaughlin said. "It's not going to be new buildings taking time, it's going to be what to do with that empty strip mall."

Trustees took exception to having another position added since McLaughlin's plan would also have a chief in the building department processing permits. Trustee Max Herwig said he would like a breakdown on how much the move would cost, including Teska's price.

Trustees Linda Mitchell Mike Herlihy and Dale Berman were concerned that the move would result in having too many bosses and not enough workers.

"We don't want to have too many chiefs," Mitchell said.

Berman said with the workload decreasing, the village should not be looking to add workers.