Aurora to revisit specialty butcher vote

A specialty butcher shop that wants to slaughter and sell poultry may get to open in Aurora, after all.

The Aurora City Council rejected the proposal from Fermin's Poultry on April 27 in a vote that caused confusion. Aldermen originally thought they had approved the plan in a 6-5 vote but later realized they needed seven votes to bring the business to town.

The council will vote again Tuesday, May 10, to decide whether to give the shop a conditional use permit to open at 629 S. River St.

Two aldermen, Rick Lawrence and Juany Garza, requested the matter be brought up again. Lawrence and Garza were among those who supported the shop in the earlier vote.

They said Fermin Benitez — who is not asking for grant money or tax breaks from the city — deserves a chance to invest and see what happens.

“I'm not pushing for the butcher shop, but I support an entrepreneur willing to invest his own capital,” Lawrence said.

Garza said many of her constituents support the shop, which plans to slaughter and sell chicken, turkey, pheasant, duck, quail and rabbit on-site. She said many of her constituents value ultra-fresh meat.

“In my culture, the Latino community culture, or especially Mexicans, we're used to having fresh meat,” Garza said. “Right now when people want good food for parties like Mother's Day, they're going all the way to Chicago to buy fresh chickens.”

So, Garza's question: why can't Aurora offer that service to its residents within its own borders?

So far, the “no” votes of five aldermen and the absences of two others stood in the way. Lynda Elmore, Richard Irvin, Stephanie Kifowit, John “Whitey” Peters and Bob O'Connor voted against the conditional use permit; Scheketa Hart-Burns and Abby Schuler were absent.

The conditional use permit will require seven votes to pass, the same number required of any ordinance under Aurora city code.