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County invests more in Settler's Hill cross country track

It's going to take another $180,000, and another year, before Kane County officials decide if they want to build a cross country track course on Settler's Hill landfill in Geneva.

The county board's executive committee gave preliminary approval Wednesday to additional engineering work. That work includes ensuring the course meets national competition standards and a review by the Illinois EPA. Those are key aspects to the fate of the project, said county board member Kurt Kojzarek, who leads the committee overseeing the plans.

"This is pretty much the last step before we say, 'Yes, it's definitely a go,'" Kojzarek said. "This will help us answer any lingering questions."

One of those lingering questions is who will operate the facility. Volunteers associated with USA Track & Field are working out a deal with the Kane County Forest Preserve District to manage the events the facility hopes to attract. The not-for-profit group could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but Kojzarek said he views them as a "viable source to work with" for attracting sponsors and running the facility.

The costs to get it up and running are another moving target. About $380,000 has been spent so far on a project that hasn't been approved by the full board. That cash comes from funds generated by the landfill when it was in operation. The money can't be used for anything other than the landfill site.

County officials still plan to reduce the $3.9 million estimated cost by using excess soil from area construction projects to build the course. The landfill has settled about 10 feet since it closed, meaning less dirt should be needed to craft a relatively flat cross country track.

That's helpful because Waste Management spiked the county's plan to use clean construction materials and demolition debris for the track. Waste Management partners with the county in overseeing the landfill. The company feared contaminants from those materials would bleed into the landfill.

The engineering work and Illinois EPA review will take at least a year. In the interim, county officials are expected to ink the deal with the not-for-profit group. The group's projections indicate a modest profit by the fourth or fifth year of operation. That's good enough for county board member John Martin, who represents the district where the landfill sits.

"I'm confident this is not going to be a money-draining proposition," Martin said.

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