Geneva residents have supported the City's non-home rule sales tax referendum March 20, according to unofficial vote totals from the Kane County Clerk's Office.

Voters were asked if the non-home rule sales tax rate in Geneva should be 1 percent, an increase of 0.5 percent. Starting July 1, Geneva's overall sales tax rate will change from 7.5 to 8 percent, putting the City in line with its Tri-City neighbors.

The City went to referendum since the cost of providing core services - such as police, fire, and public works - has continued to rise while once dependable revenue streams have either fallen flat or have declined.

Sales tax is the City's largest revenue source with a majority of this money generated by thousands of people who love visiting Geneva. 

 

What does the sales tax increase translate to people's future purchases in Geneva? For every $50 spent an extra $0.25 in non-home rule sales tax will be paid starting in July.

The Places For Eating Tax that the City Council adopted will not go into effect upon passage of this referendum. The Kane County Clerk's Office will be certifying the vote totals in the coming weeks.

Thank you to all the voters who took time to educate themselves on the issues to help continue to keep Geneva as a premier community. 

 

Fourteen residents and community members got to take a walk - albeit virtual - in police officer's shoes as part of the inaugural Geneva Citizen Police Academy.

Participants attended 11 weekly classes to get an overview and insight into the Geneva Police Department along with a behind-the-scenes view of police operations. Students learned about the police hiring process, use of force, crime scene investigations, tech crime, the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, crime prevention, mental health, traffic enforcement, drug education, Kane County SWAT and active shooters among other topics. Pictured above is a class photo along with the group practicing traffic stops.

During the final class, academy members put their knowledge to the test using a video simulator. Armed with training weapons that provided real-time feedback, participants were challenged with making the same critical decisions police officers face on a daily basis. 

"I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to the dedicated residents and business owners who made our inaugural Citizen Police Academy a success," Police Chief Eric Passarelli said. "We believe the academy provided valuable insight into our day-to-day activities and further strengthened the bond between our community and the Police Department."

The next Citizen Police Academy will be held in January 2019. Registration information will be available this fall on the City's website at www.geneva.il.us and at the Geneva Police Department, 20 Police Plaza.

People seeking information about Geneva's two cemeteries can now access a public information map on the City's website.

During the past several years, the City has been compiling data from both Oak Hill and West Side cemeteries regarding burials, lot ownership and plot availability to post online. Map users can search for relatives by last name or zoom in on the map to view particular sections and information about the cemetery.

Oak Hill Cemetery, 799 Bennett St., has more than 4,500 people interred. About 600 lots are available in sections R, W and Z.

West Side Cemetery has reached capacity with more than 1,000 people buried at 301 Stevens St.

Geneva's cemetery information can be found on the City's website or by calling the Geneva Public Works Department at 630-232-1502.

 

The City's budget is actually a combination of 37 individual budgets, all having different purposes and different legal restrictions. The total 2018-19 fiscal year budget is about $103 million of which $18.9 million comprises the General Fund. The General Fund accounts for resources traditionally associated with the City's operations such as Administration, Police, Fire, Community Development, Economic Development and Public Works.

The City will be investing nearly $10.3 million in the next fiscal year for upgrades to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. In addition, as a result of the successful referendum for an additional 0.5 percent non-home rule sales tax, the City will be able to fund nearly $1.7 million in general capital and capital equipment expenditures. The new revenue will help replace aging police cars, fire engines and dump trucks as well as facility repairs.  In addition, a transfer also was made to the capital equipment fund to provide "seed" money for funding future capital equipment.

The property tax rate also decreased this budget year from .708654 to .605410. This means a home that sees no change in valuation will see a decrease in their overall property tax bill paid to the City. For example, a home valued at $350,000 paid $826 in property taxes to the City in 2017. This year, that same home valued at $350,000 will pay $706. The City's portion of an overall Geneva property tax bill is about 7 percent.

Elected officials and staff are committed to a balanced and fiscally sound budget plan that will provide high quality public services while managing the challenges each new year brings to Geneva.

As in the past, City staff will continue to provide monthly financial updates to the City Council and the public at City Council meetings. A copy of the fiscal year 2018-19 budget, which runs from May 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019, is available on the City's website. For questions or comments regarding the City's budget, please contact City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins at 630-232-7494 or via email.

Geneva has been going green 18 years and counting. The Arbor Day Foundation has once again named Geneva a "Tree City USA" community for our commitment to effective urban forest management.

The City's growing tree canopy earned the distinction by meeting four core standards, including maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and an Arbor Day observance.

This month, the City will begin its spring planting program that will include more than 60 new parkway trees throughout Geneva.

Helping contribute to the cause, the City of Geneva's Natural Resources Committee raised more than $10,000 during another successful Wine, Cheese & Trees fundraiser held in February.

The money has been pledged to pay for more parkway trees to be planted in downtown Geneva. Through 2017, the Committee has donated about $32,000 to the City to purchase and plant almost 200 new trees. Thank you to all the Wine, Cheese & Trees participants' generous donations and contributing to make Geneva a greener community.

People interested in a new parkway tree should visit the City's website to learn more about our cost-sharing program.

The Geneva flag was lowered at City Hall April 4 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King made numerous contributions to our country as a civil rights leader advocating for equality for all people. While his life was cut short April 4, 1968, the City recognizes his leadership and mission, which continues today and going forward.

The City flag remained at half-staff until April 5.

Construction Underway

Zone GE011

Subdivisions: Pepper Valley, Geneva Manor, Dover Ridge subdivisions among others in the area

General Boundary Area: Randall Road, Williamsburg Avenue, State Street, the Geneva Golf Club, Western Avenue and the Union Pacific railroad tracks

Status: 85 percent finished with underground construction that should conclude in April.

Zone GE015

Subdivisions: Fisher Farms, Crossing at Geneva, Prairie Ridge Townhomes and Prairieview Estates

General Boundary Area: Peck Road, Bricher Road, Geneva Commons, Williamsburg Avenue (with a small deviation south), Fisher Driver, Border Road and the southern border of PrairieView Estates subdivision

Status: 85 percent finished with underground construction that should be completed in April.

Zone GE016

Subdivisions: Fisher Farms and Westhaven Of Geneva subdivisions

General Boundary Area: Peck Road, Keslinger Road, Fisher Drive, and the combination of Williamsburg Avenue/FAA property and the northern boundary of the Westhaven subdivision

Status: 55 percent finished with underground construction.

Pulling Cable

Zone GE020

Subdivisions: Williamsburg, Blackberry and Stonebridge subdivisions

General Boundary Area: Bricher Road, State Street (Route 38), Williamsburg Avenue, and Randall Road

Status: Construction was completed in February, and crews are pulling cable in the area.

Next Up

Zone GE047

Subdivisions: Geneva East and Geneva Knolls

General Boundary Area: East Side Drive, Division Street, Kirk Road and Geneva Drive

Status: The City allows for only three active construction zones to take place at one time. Permits for new construction will be approved once work is finished in one of the zones listed above.

Zone GE046

Subdivisions: Geneva East and Chesapeake Commons Townhomes

General Boundary Area: East Side Drive, Geneva Drive, Kirk Road and the Illinois Prairie Path

Status: The City allows for only three active construction zones to take place at one time. Permits for new construction will be approved once work is finished in one of the zones listed above.

For more information, including a larger version of the map, visit MetroNet's construction webpage. Residents can ask questions online or call MetroNet at 877-386-3876.

The City also has created a MetroNet construction page with additional background.

Gardening is their thing. It has always been their thing. But now, four longtime Geneva residents will be overseeing their biggest gardens ever - coordinating more than 45 downtown planting beds.

Kathy McNeil (pictured above, from left), Janice Lucchetti, Kristie Dienst and Jena Villarreal are the new co-chairs of the Geneva Beautification Committee following the retirements of Sherri Weitl and Dorothy Flanagan.

"Dorothy and Sherri laid the groundwork for us," McNeil said. "It is our job to continue to keep Geneva looking beautiful, and we can't wait to get in there and get started."

The plantings are carried out by a dedicated group of 150 volunteers comprised of Geneva residents, gardening enthusiasts from neighboring communities, businesses and local organizations.

The Beautification Committee will be planting flowers at 8 a.m. on the following Saturdays:

Residents interested in volunteering to help beautify the City should meet at the corner of Fourth and State streets on the dates listed above. Volunteers should bring gloves and hand trowels.

For more information or to find out how you can help volunteer, visit the Geneva Beautification website.

 

For those who enjoy following the City of Geneva on Facebook, you may have noticed our news missing from your timeline recently.

The City still is posting as normal, but Facebook's most recent algorithm change has de-emphasized content from Pages, such as the City.

To ensure you are receiving timely information, visit us on Facebook and make sure to "like" the City's page. Then click the "following" button where you can choose to either receive notifications when we post or select "See First."

Thanks to the 9,100+ Facebook fans that keep our page going strong.

It seems as if, at least according to the calendar that the worst of the winter weather should be behind us. With the warm weather comes the opportunity for us to be outside on a more regular basis. Whether it be attending kids sporting events, riding bicycles, walking, or running daily errands, the opportunities to enjoy our community are plentiful.

The warmer weather also leads to many more vehicles on the roadways and more opportunities for distracted driving.

Distracted driving is defined by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration as any activity that diverts attention from driving. This can include talking or texting on your phone; eating and drinking; talking to people in your vehicle; fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system - anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.

Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that is the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.

Texting and driving, along with talking on a cell phone while driving without utilizing a hands-free device, is illegal. Our officers observe these types of violations every day. Geneva is a very walkable community. Our downtown is vibrant and is a destination for our residents and visitors. It can be a dangerous mix when so many vehicles and pedestrians are in the same area. The risk to pedestrians and other motorists only increases when distracted driving is added to the equation.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Please join us in making our community safer for all of those who visit, work, or call Geneva home by limiting the distractions you experience while driving. You can find other great tips and information from the Police Department by subscribing to the City's Safety First blog.

Have you checked out the Shop, Dine, Experience blog? This new endeavor highlights great things taking place in our community that may not necessarily be on your radar.

The latest blog posts feature the Fox River Arts Ramble April 21, with plenty of locations in Geneva, as well as our latest New Business Map.

Please join the City in extending a warm welcome to new businesses that have recently opened in Geneva. We are appreciative of the contributions that our businesses make to the quality of life in our community as well as for their continued investment in the City. We encourage you to shop, dine and experience Geneva.

For more information about Geneva's Economic Development Department, visit the City's website. People can also subscribe to the blog for future updates.

Construction on Geneva's new public library is likely to start in late spring at Seventh and Campbell streets after the Geneva City Council unanimously approved the project April 2.

The Geneva Public Library submitted a request for a Special Use and Preliminary/Final Planned Unit Development and zoning ordinance text amendment for its 57,000-square-foot facility. The three-story library will include 76 off-street parking spaces in the R-3 Medium to High Density, Single-Family Residential District. The site will be able to accommodate meeting room space for up to 175 people that can be divided into three community rooms. The public playground currently on the site will be moved to the southeast corner of the property.

The City Council approved the Library's request for zoning relief on building height, street yard setbacks, maximum lot coverage, maximum floor area ratio, a reduction of the number of off-street parking spaces as well as a zoning ordinance text amendment to remove the maximum floor area limitation for planned unit developments. The Library's first floor will be inset slightly into the ground to reduce the overall height of the building, and the third story is stepped back to minimize the appearance of height along the street frontages.

Documents and plans can be found in meeting packets posted on the City's website Agenda Center.

Want to stay in the loop with development in Geneva? Visit the City's Development Project Map for the latest details and subscribe to receive updates.