Residents of Aurora used a full hour of the reinstated public comment period during Monday night’s meeting, taking advantage of the restored time to talk about a need for police reform and for stronger oversight of tobacco products ending up in the hands of kids.

Residents also talked about hope for decorum restored to the council, zoning issues and other city business. Many expressed relief and gratitude to be able to speak to their councilmembers again after more than a year of stifled public comment.

The Aurora City Council held its first meeting under new rules for public comment Monday night, giving the public one hour at the beginning of the meeting and one hour at the end to speak to councilmembers.

Members of the public used the entire first hour to speak to the council, and two people spoke in the session at the end.

Under the old council, there was a separate public comment session before the meeting in which each speaker was limited to two minutes.

On Monday, public comment was again part of the regular meeting at both the beginning and the end and each speaker got three minutes.

The rule change was the first order of business under Aurora’s new council in the most recent meeting, returning public comment to how it was more than a year ago.

Aurora’s previous council went back and forth with how to deal with activists protesting the shooting of Kilyn Lewis, who was killed by an Aurora police officer last year during an operation to arrest him on a warrant for attempted first-degree murder. Lewis was not armed.

The protesters have attended every council meeting for more than a year, often speaking over time limits and interrupting meetings.

Monday night’s meeting was the first in which the new rules applied, and every speaker followed the rules, sticking to their designated time.

Many of the community members spoke about Lewis and what they said is a need for police reform in the city.

Cassandra Heil with the Denver Aurora Community Action Committee and other members of the committee demanded the resignation of Police Chief Todd Chamberlain.

They also demanded that the city form a public oversight committee.

“Many of you on this new council ran on explicit platforms of police reform and transparency,” Heil said. “Tonight, we demand you begin this work by correcting a grave injustice enacted by your predecessors — the appointment of Police Chief Todd Chamberlain.”

Also Monday night, the council heard updates on the next steps for the Colfax Downtown Development Authority and decided what the makeup of the oversight board will be.

Councilmembers in July unanimously approved taking the creation of a DDA to revitalize the Colfax corridor to voters.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the project through two questions on a special ballot that went out to people who live and work in the designated area. The first question asked voters if they approve of the creation of a DDA for the area, and 133 people, 79%, voted “yes.”

A second question asked voters if they authorize the DDA to use tax increment financing, and 141 voters, 83%, voted “yes.”

With the passage of both ballot measures comes the creation of a DDA, which is a governmental entity separate from the city and defined by state statute. It is led by a board appointed by the mayor and confirmed by a majority of the city council.

Monday night, a Progressive Urban Management Associates leader and city staff member recommended Aurora councilmembers align the board appointment process with that of the city’s boards and commissions.

Staff also recommended the council appoint seven members of the total 11 allowed members to the board to start.

This would leave space for members of the Community Development Corporation to be seated on the board, since the DDA and CDC will work in tandem.

A community development corporation is a nonprofit organization created to support and revitalize an area.

The combination of a downtown development authority and a CDC allows for philanthropic support, while using the DDA as a “primary driver,” PUMA leaders told councilmembers earlier this year.

A board will be appointed in the first quarter of 2026, followed by an organizational meeting to adopt bylaws and procedures, the finalization of a plan of development for council approval and a budget and operating plan by the end of next year.

According to officials, DDA projects are anticipated to start late next year.