Geneva seeks public input on facilities upgrades, home rule
The police station in Geneva floods, the roof leaks and the sewer backs up.
City hall, built in 1912, is not entirely accessible, has inadequate insulation, wastes energy and does not support modern technology needs.
The public works building is a metal barn almost 40 years old. It also leaks, so employees catch water in garbage bags and buckets.
Geneva officials are surveying residents for feedback on up to $97.5 million in capital improvement that include building a new police station and revamping and expanding existing facilities.
“We really want to hear from the community — what they think, what your priorities are,” City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins said Saturday, at the second of four community engagement sessions. “And if you think everything is fine, that’s fine, too.”
The city is also seeking input on a possible home rule referendum.
Communities with populations of 25,000 or more automatically become home rule. With a population of 21,393, according to the 2020 census, Geneva needs public approval via referendum to become home rule, Dawkins said.
“This is a council decision to make — to go to referendum for both the bonding and home rule. … Right now, we’re just trying to put all the options on the table to see what the community sentiment is and then figure out which might be the most beneficial way to go,” Dawkins said.
Home rule communities have more flexibility to create new revenue streams and more authority to make decisions. Without home rule, Geneva has to go to referendum in order to sell bonds to pay for facility upgrades.
The five facility priorities and estimated costs that the city is asking for feedback are:
• A new 45,000-square-foot police station on property the city owns near the public works facility on South Street would cost $45.3 million to $58.9 million.
• City hall and the former library renovation involves partial demolition of the vacant library building next door — which the city owns — to retain only the original section and maintain historic exteriors. The cost estimate is $33.4 million to 37.4 million.
• For Fire Station No. 2, the proposal is to build a new 20,000-square-foot fire station on city-owned property near the existing site at 2530 Fargo Blvd. The cost estimate is $18.8 million to $20.8 million
• For public works, the proposal is for site improvements and renovations to make the facility safer, more functional and more efficient. The cost estimate is $20.6 million to $37 million.
• For Fire Station No. 1, the proposal includes maintenance and upgrades to mechanical systems. The cost estimate is $7.9 million to $14.8 million.
The impact on the property taxes of a house valued at $350,000 would be $125 per year for the lowest funding level of $45.3 million; $215 per year for the medium funding level of $78.8 million; and $97.5 million for the highest funding level.
The next two public engagement sessions are at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at Geneva Public Works, 1800 South St., and a virtual meeting via Zoom at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. Register at us06web.zoom.us to attend. The full presentation is available on the city’s website at www.geneva.il.us.