Community-activist doctor garners Geneva service award
Caring doctor. Devoted father. Author. Tireless public servant. And outspoken critic when he feels something is amiss.
Those qualities made Dr. Rodney B. Nelson III the 24th winner of the Wood Community Service award Tuesday night. The award was presented by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce at its annual recognition dinner.
"It is to our benefit that every once in a while amongst us comes someone who will stand up and tell the truth whether popular or not. A person who will lead rather than follow and will guide us with knowledge helping as we forge a path into the unknown," said Scott Lebin, chairman of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.
Nelson, 61, is medical director of the oncology program at Delnor-Community Hospital in Geneva. He has served on the boards of trustees for the hospital, for the Garfield Farm Museum in LaFox, and Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice. He was on the Geneva school board from 1987 to 1995.
He has medical offices in Geneva and Maple Park.
Nelson joined his father's practice in Geneva in 1976. Lebin reminded the audience Tuesday that Nelson had grown up watching his father work, accompanying him on house calls.
"I also am sure that there would be no greater joy for his father than knowing that his son was being honored tonight for his contributions to not only his patients but to the community and society," Lebin said in introducing Nelson.
"I do not deserve it. But it's greatly appreciated to hear those kind words," said Nelson, who attended the dinner with his wife, Jackie. His 17-year-old son, Rodney, was also there, walking in after the surprise was announced. Nelson also has a daughter, Nora, 20, who is away at college.
One of the most noteworthy contributions came in the mid-1990s, when Nelson took on Kane County and Waste Management in a battle over Settler's Hill landfill in Geneva. Feeling it was unfair that the county had removed the landfill from the property tax rolls, and that a no-bid contract was given to run the landfill, he raised a stink.
The Geneva park and school boards sued the county and the landfill in 1993 over the property tax issue, and Nelson sued privately in 1996 over the contract issue. As part of a settlement of the suits, Waste Management agreed to pay $5.5 million in property taxes to the school and park districts, and to close the landfill a year earlier than scheduled and several years earlier than it wanted. For his actions on its behalf, the Geneva school district named the Harrison Street Elementary School gymnasium after Nelson in 2001.
Presently, Nelson is protesting the noise and smoke from fireworks displays that are put on after some Kane County Cougars baseball games at Elfstrom Stadium. He contends that the smoke contains pollutants that affect people living in neighborhoods near the stadium at Kirk Road and Cherry Lane in eastern Geneva. The stadium is just to the east of the now-shuttered landfill.
The Wood Service Award is named for Bill and Elise Wood and Burton and Nell Wood. It is given to someone who has made a significant contribution to Geneva business, education, youth involvement, civic organizations, arts, recreations, charity or government.
A committee of previous award winners and chamber of commerce members picks the honoree.