Not all favor giving county clerk free rent in downtown Aurora
Plans are developing to bring a new, full-service branch of the Kane County clerk's office to Aurora just down the street from city hall, with aldermen considering giving the clerk's office a free lease in a city-owned storefront.
Under the current schedule, the agreement to lease 5 E. Downer Place, Suite F, to the clerk's office could be in place even before a judge makes a final ruling about how to handle the remaining assets of the now-defunct Aurora Election Commission.
The space, formerly used by the city's legal department, could be a good site for the clerk to offer election services, passports, and birth, marriage and death certificates in downtown Aurora because it has easy access to parking and public transportation, city officials say.
Aldermen are expected to vote on the proposal during a city council meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at city hall, 44 E. Downer Place.
The no-cost agreement raised some questions and drew some opposition.
"Will we give each county free rent?" Ward 10 Alderman Judd Lofchie said. "Let's let them stand on their own."
Lofchie said the city should work to find paying tenants for the storefront spaces it owns but isn't using downtown. Mayor Richard Irvin agreed but said it's a good idea to make an exception for the clerk's office in exchange for the clerk providing convenient services right in Aurora, with no drive to Geneva necessary.
"We're pulling from the same pool of taxpayers," Irvin said. "We're doing it to bring more services to our residents."
Clerk officials are simultaneously trying to line up county board members to approve the lease agreement at a June 12 meeting. Chief Deputy Clerk Bob Sandner told board members Thursday the plan is to get rid of the Aurora Election Commission facility on Galena Boulevard in favor of the more central location in downtown Aurora for the new branch office.
That's assuming a judge turns over all of the commission's existing assets to the county. Aurora officials have also expressed interest in those assets.
"Those details are being worked out and are currently in the lap of the judge," Sandner said. The next appearance with the judge is in mid-June.
Beyond the branch office, Sandner said the clerk's office will work to expand early voting opportunities. Up to now, Aurora has had two early voting sites in the entire city for 67,000 voters. More early voting means shorter lines at polling places on Election Day.
That might be key as Aurora voters will use Kane County equipment to cast ballots for the first time in November. The county has started training about one-third of the Aurora Election Commission judges on how to use that equipment. And there is a voting simulation available at kanecountyelections.org for Aurora voters to practice.