BOREALIS Airport growth takes off he Aurora Municipal Airport has had the has been heading downward for the past few years. highest percentage of growth in traffic But the Aurora Airport is bucking that trend. volumes of all Illinois airports so far Fixed base operator (FBO) J.A. Air Center, which this year. T relocated to the Aurora Airport in late 2008, INSIDE Aurora’s airport experienced a 28 percent increase provides charter flights, flight instruction, aircraft repair, aircraft radio repair, storage and rental Eola Road Interchange in growth in 2009 when compared to the same to open this year time period in 2008. services. Aurora Public Page 2 Of the 13 airports Works Director Ken in Illinois that have Schroth said an FBO is Hal Carlson is new control towers, only akin to an anchor tenant fire chief Page 3 two others – in Decatur of a shopping mall, much and Cahokia – reported like a Macy’s or a Sears. Fall Calendar positive growth. The other FBO on site Pages 4 and 5 Decatur Airport’s is Lumanair Aviation Services, which has Below: Sisters Jessica (Garth) and growth was 3 percent Rachel (Wayne) Sosnoski of Aurora while Cahokia’s saw provided flight training, were the winners of the Wayne’s fueling services, hangar World Wayne and Garth look-alike a 7 percent increase. contest that was part of the O’Hare, Midway, and office space rental, Downtown Alive Rock on the Fox DuPage and Palwaukee airports all saw a decrease aircraft brokerage and sales and aircraft parts and Festival July 31 and Aug. 1. in traffic counts in the first six months of the year. maintenance services for more than 45 years. “The city has been focusing on a program for many Other businesses that specialize in services like years to develop the infrastructure of the airport,” aerobatic and exotic aircraft, flight simulation, Mayor Tom Weisner said. “That work is paying off ambulance flights and specialized airplane because it has created an attractive environment repair are known as the “boutiques” of for both corporate and recreational users.” the operation. The City of Aurora owns and operates the airport, The FAA is forecasting that nationwide, which has a Sugar Grove mailing address. the drop in air traffic this year will be 8 to 20 percent across the board. “That HondaJet Midwest, a sales and service makes our 28 percent increase even more representative for Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., impressive,” Schroth said. announced last year that the Aurora airport will be home to HondaJet’s Midwest Sales and Service The Aurora Municipal Airport is a general facility. Construction is set to begin next year. aviation reliever airport. Its task is to take small corporate and recreational aircraft According to monthly Federal Aviation away from larger airports like O’Hare Administration (FAA) traffic counts of airports with and Midway. control towers, the airport traffic trend nationwide City of Aurora Autumn 2009 www.aurora-il.org Eola Interchange on he Illinois Tollway system’s new Eola Road Interchange on From the Mayor’s Desk Aurora’s far northeast side will City responds to economic crisis include four ramps providing Taccess for Eola Road traffic to and from I-88 via Bilter Road on the north side of the ith September already many as 37 employees and our personnel Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) and Diehl upon us, summer seems to cost by nearly $3.5 million. Road on the south side. Construction began have disappeared almost in mid-April and is scheduled for completion Additionally, we have frozen pay levels as quickly as it began. by the end of this year. and instituted 15 unpaid furlough Despite both weather and an W days through December of 2010 for The $50 million project is a collaboration economy that have been gloomier than among the Tollway, DuPage County and the management employees. We are usual, Aurora has had a good summer in City of Aurora. negotiating with unionized employees many ways. for comparable concessions, and we are Local road construction includes pavement Crime continued to fall below last year’s restructuring our organization to eliminate resurfacing and widening on Diehl Road record low levels and our Memorial Day positions (and possibly departments) that and on Bilter Road to accommodate Parade and Fourth of July Fireworks saw may not be absolutely essential during construction of the new ramps. The the largest crowds, ever. Our Downtown these difficult times. intersection of Diehl Road and Eola Road Alive summer music series featuring also will be widened as part of the project. I know many of you have been forced world-class bands – from Los Lobos, New traffic signals will be installed on Diehl to tighten your belts and I want you to to American English, to Billy Squire – Road and on Bilter Road for traffic entering know that I am committed to doing what drew tens of thousands from Aurora and and exiting the Tollway. is necessary to provide our City Council a beyond. The new Eola Road Interchange will provide balanced budget for 2010 without raising all-electronic toll collection, the first on As autumn beckons, we celebrate the property taxes. the Illinois Tollway system, and will include opening of Metea Valley High School Sincerely, tolled ramps to and from the east. I-PASS on Eola Road, Aurora’s ninth high toll rates will be set at 30 cents for passenger school. Speaking of Eola Road, the vehicles, and truck rates will range from Eola Road Tollway Interchange is $1.15 to $3 during daytime hours, with well into construction (and no doubt overnight discounts offered. Cash-paying inconveniencing folks, temporarily). It customers will have access to existing should be completed this year. Waubonsee Tom Weisner interchanges at Farnsworth Avenue two Community College’s Downtown Aurora Mayor, City of Aurora miles to the west or IL Route 59 two miles campus is rapidly taking shape and to the east. our new, state-of-the-art Aurora Police Facility will open before Christmas. Unfortunately all this good news is tempered by our nation’s economic Mayor Weisner appointed to posts downturn, which is negatively impacting Gov. Pat Quinn appointed Mayor Tom state’s pension system. The task force is to city revenues. Although we implemented Weisner to the Illinois Tollway Board of report its findings by Nov. 1. a hiring freeze last year and reduced both Directors in August. Quinn said it was his Weisner accepts no compensation for 2009 revenue estimates and budgeted privilege to appoint Weisner to the post serving in either state capacity. expenditures accordingly, actual revenue along with Bill Morris, former mayor of shortfalls have exceeded estimates. Waukegan, and public policy and regional planning expert Paula Wolff, who will serve BBRIGHTRIGHT IIDEASDEAS This has created the need for multiple as chairman. from ComEd cost containment measures over tthehe next 24 months, starting now. Earlier in the summer, Quinn appointed Through Smart Ideas for Already, we have offered Weisner to the Pension System Your Home, you can a Voluntary Reduction in Modernization Task Force. The 19-member purchase select CFLs at Force incentive that will group has been charged with researching a discount. rreduceedu our work force by as and discussing the reconstruction of the Learn more at www.ComEd.com or by calling 888-806-2273 2 City of Aurora Autumn 2009 www.aurora-il.org target Carlson is new fire chief Tenth Ward Alderman Lynda Elmore believes the ayor Tom Weisner has selected project will offer incentive Deputy Chief Hal Carlson to be the for new businesses and city’s new fire chief. Carlson has developments to locate served as interim chief since former in Aurora. Ninth Ward M Chief Tim Oelker retired in April. Alderman Leroy Keith Oelker served the citizens of Aurora for 30 years. agrees, and adds that “Hal has served the city well,” Weisner said. “He the exchange will lessen leads by example, and his example over the years congestion at the Route 59 has been exemplary. He lives the core values all access point. firefighters should possess: teamwork and the Photo courtesy of Scott Sanders, The Daily Herald Illinois Prairie Path drive to help others.” Detour in Place captain on Feb. 16, 1999; to battalion chief on July The section of the Illinois Former Chief Oelker endorsed the mayor’s choice, 10, 2000; to assistant chief on April 19, 2003; and Prairie Path that runs parallel saying, “I’m really happy for Hal. I always thought to deputy chief on Nov. 12, 2005. He was named to the Tollway between Ferry that he was one of the best qualified out there. He interim chief on April 4. Road and Bilter Road is closed has confidence in and respect for the rank and file Carlson said he considers firefighting “a fantastic for construction of the Eola and he’s always had the department foremost in job.” Road Interchange Project. all he does. I don’t know of anyone else who would A detour route is in place to do better. He’s meticulous and reflective and he’ll “I think the longer you are with it, the more you get allow full access to the Illinois do a real good job. Hal would have succeeded in to see the benefit to being a firefighter,” he said. Prairie Path throughout anything he did. “What has happened since 9-11 might have glorified construction. As fire chief, Carlson, 57, will oversee a department us a little too much, but people really appreciate the job we do. The opportunities that we are presented Upon completion of the that employs close to 215 employees including with help us make a difference in people’s lives.” interchange project, the firefighters and support staff.