The Aurora City Council will hold a public hearing on the 2026 budget Monday night and discuss the city’s Human Relations Commission, which has been tentatively on a chopping block for several months.

At a council meeting in late August, councilmembers delayed until Monday night a debate on whether or not to keep the commission, which has been under fire by several councilmembers who claim commission members are no longer doing what they are supposed to do. Several councilmembers said the commission has become an “activist commission.”

According to Aurora’s website, the commission’s purpose is to “promote a mutual understanding and respect among people” and “disseminate information and educational materials to eliminate prejudice, promote human relations and investigate complaints of this nature.”

Aurora councilmembers have been going back and forth over the fate of several boards and commissions for months, deciding at an early August meeting to keep the youth and veterans commissions after debating cutting them as well.

Councilmembers also voted at that meeting to nix the Human Relations Commission. But when it came time for a final vote at the next meeting in late August, Mayor Mike Coffman proposed keeping it and changing the rules so that the commission meets less frequently.

After backlash from Councilmembers Francoise Bergan, Danielle Jurinsky and Stephanie Hancock, the council voted to delay a decision on the commission and instead bring forward recommendations for how to restructure it Monday.

The public will also have a chance Monday night to be heard on the 2026 budget for the city, which is seeing a $20 million shortfall, city officials said in a special budget session Tuesday night.

Aurora City Manager Jason Batchelor and Budget Manager Greg Hayes told councilmembers Tuesday that the city will balance its budget with cuts, furloughs and money pulled from the city’s recession reserve fund.

They will not lay off any employees, Hayes and Batchelor said.

Overall, there is a $4.6 million addition to the city’s general fund in 2026, all related to public safety, Batchelor said. This includes two new fire stations, new public safety technology, four police positions and re-adding the Office of Police Accountability.

To balance the $1.3 billion budget, officials are looking at $10.2 million in cuts, $1.8 million in new revenue and $8 million from recession reserves.

In late August’s study session, the council also delayed a vote on an ordinance that would penalize parents of minors who ride dirt bikes on city roads.

There has been an increase in accidents and injuries to minors due to reckless dirt bike riding on city streets in Aurora, according to the draft ordinance, brought forward by Councilmember Francoise Bergan.

If the ordinance passes Monday, it would add a section to the city code penalizing parents and guardians of minors who violate the code with a fine of $250. 

Also in Monday’s meeting, councilmembers will cast final votes on two contested ordinances that would allow unmanned traffic camera vehicles and increase fees for people who need interpreters in court but don’t show up to their court date.

Court interpreters are in high demand, according to council documents, and when defendants fail to appear without notice, costs for interpreter services are put on the city. 

Previously, the fee charged to defendants who need interpreters and fail to appear was $35. The ordinance, if passed in a final vote Monday, raises it to $90.

Monday night’s study session is open to the public via livestream at 5:15 p.m. The public comment listening session, which had technical issues at the last meeting, will start at 6 p.m.

The regular meeting of the council will follow starting at 6:45 p.m.

Meetings are livestreamed at the Paul Tauer Aurora Council Chambers, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, and on AuroraTV.org, YouTube.com/TheAuroraChannel and cable channels 8 and 880.