Aurora police staffers earn annual recognition
Several members of the Aurora Police Department have been recognized with awards for outstanding performance in 2021. The awards were announced by Chief Brian Byard at City Council’s Jan. 10 meeting.
Det. Bill Byers and Det. Andrew Scott and the chief’s administrative assistant Roberta Suydam were named officers/employees of the year, while Officer Dale Riley was honored for exceptional service for saving a female in distress and attorney Amy Papesh was recognized for civilian service.
Officer Micky Chase earned an award for employee service. The meritorious service award went to Officers Andrew Scott, Josh Knebel, Scott Brown, Matt Rramba and Nick Asimakopoulos and dispatchers Breanna Benner and Linda Leanza for preventing harm to innocent people during a gunfire incident.
OTHER BUSINESS
An amendment to the anti-scavenging ordinance was approved. It will allow people who want to claim items that residents set out for trash disposal only before 9 p.m. on the evening preceding the pickup day.
Whoever violates the new ordinance can be charged with a minor misdemeanor on first offense and a third-degree misdemeanor after subsequent offenses.
The final plat for Hawthorn of Aurora Phase 6B on the south side of Aurora Lake Road and west of Route 43 was approved. It includes Reid’s Way and Bluebird Lane and consists of 24 lots.
An ordinance was approved to clarify parameters and address public safety concerns in the hunting and trapping regulations.
It will allow individuals to access the property being hunted through the actual land itself and not through adjacent private property or common areas, and establish where on a property hunters can place tree stands.
In addition, the police chief can deny controlled deer hunting on a property meeting the acreage criteria because of public safety concerns or proximity of denser residential areas.
Nicholas Eagle was hired as a replacement service technician II in the water department, and Michael Mickovic as a part-time firefighter/paramedic (B-drive).
The city’s 2022 appropriations ordinance went to third reading and likely will be approved at the Jan. 24 meeting. The appropriations are estimated to be $17.21 million in the general fund and $40.15 million for all funds.
Law Director Dean DePiero swore in Brian Kroll as a police sergeant and Nathan Boston as a new police officer.
Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin announced masks are required to be worn by employees during the course of their work day and by visitors to city buildings. She also noted service department secretary Karen Stacko has retired after 26 years of service.
She thanked Secretary of State Frank LaRose for conducting the swearing in of recently elected or re-elected members of Council on Dec. 30. “It was an honor to have him here in Aurora,” she said.
The mayor added she also presented a proclamation to an Anna Maria of Aurora resident who turned 100 years old recently.
Contact the newspaper at auroraadvocate@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Aurora police staffers earn annual recognition
