Geneva group offers reward for information on flower box vandalism

The Geneva beautification committee is offering a $500 reward for information and proof of who vandalized flower boxes on the State Street bridge May 29.

The reward was announced by Alderman Dorothy Flanagan, a member of the committee, at Monday's night's city council committee of the whole.

People gave money specifically for the reward, she said; it does not come out of money raised by the committee or the city budget. The committee arranges for filling 50-plus beds, planters and other containers throughout the downtown with flowers and other plants each year. It won a state award for its work last year.

Someone removed 12 box liners, containing 180 plants, between midnight and 8 a.m. Flowers were spotted floating in the Fox River, leading the police to believe the person threw the boxes over the bridge.

'Whoever they are overdid themselves," said Alderman Paul DesCoteaux, who is also involved with town beautification efforts. He said he hopes that if someone is caught, they can be sentenced to doing community service with the committee taking care of the flower beds, to learn to appreciate them.

The bridge flowers, and the labor to plant them, had been donated by Scentimental Gardens.

One bit of good news, Flanagan said, is that "out of the goodness of their hearts" Scentimental Gardens has offered to replace the plants, at no cost to the committee. The destroyed flowers and boxes cost about $630, and the labor $120, according to a police report.

Information about the vandals may be sent to Flanagan at aldflanagan@geneva.il.us or (630) 208-0279, or given to Geneva police at (630) 232-4736.