Wesley United Methodist Church will host and manage a warming center this winter in Aurora, thanks to an agreement with the city approved this week.
Aldermen on Tuesday night unanimously approved the agreement in which the city will pay an amount not to exceed $44,700 to have the church at 14 N. May St. provide the warming center for up to 30 days, with 30 paid volunteers manning it.
“I think it will be a successful collaboration,” said Alex Alexandrou, the city’s chief management officer. “We are very grateful to the church stepping up.”
The church warming center will replace warming centers the city has run on city property for several years. Running that sort of thing on city property has been somewhat problematic for the city, especially since it was usually in the Aurora Transportation Center, which is the depot for Metra commuter trains and Pace buses.
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Last year, a security problem arose when someone came to the shelter with a gun, officials said, and forced closure of the warming center. At that time, members of Wesley United Methodist opened the church as a warming center on an emergency basis.
Martha Paschke, Aurora’s innovation and strategy officer, said this year the city wanted to follow what has been best practices nationwide to have the city collaborate with a not-for-profit that would not be in a public building.
Alexandrou said city staff developed a request for proposals, and Wesley United Methodist responded “in a very significant way.”
The church is not only partnering with the city, but with Hesed House, the city’s homeless shelter; the Association for Individual Development; and other church organizations.
“Significant other community partners and church groups stand behind the city and the church,” Alexandrou said.
The Aurora police and fire departments will provide training necessary to the 30 volunteers who will be paid to work at the center. Alexandrou said if they need backup, the city has employees who can help.
Ald. John Laesch, at large, commended city staff “for bringing the community together to do this.”
Ald. Michael Saville, 6th Ward, who was acting as mayor pro-tem at this week’s City Council meeting, commended everyone involved in the program.
“It’s people like you who make Aurora great,” he said.