Geneva downtown facelift closer to fruition
On Monday afternoon, a public hearing took place to review the details of the streetscape portion of the program, City Manager Joseph Varckette and Geneva City Council President John Barbo said.
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Chicago Tribune
05-08-2025
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Geneva mayor taps former Aurora deputy chief of staff Alex Voigt for city administrator job
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Chicago Tribune
10-07-2025
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Geneva and St. Charles city councils approve 1% grocery taxes, with statewide tax set to expire
Geneva and St. Charles recently joined the numerous other municipalities in the state that are adopting 1% grocery taxes, following approval at their respective City Council meetings Monday evening. Last year, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill to repeal the state's 1% grocery tax, saying it had an outsized impact on poor families, according to past reporting. But the bill allowed local municipalities to implement a tax of their own. Pritzker's office has said the state tax has generated an estimated $400 million annually statewide, which has then passed on to local municipalities to spend on basic services in their communities. With the state tax set to expire in January, local municipalities have been moving forward with their own versions of the tax to fill impending gaps in their budgets. Municipalities must approve a local grocery tax by Oct. 1 for the tax to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, when the state tax ends. In May, nearby Batavia approved a grocery tax of its own. Batavia City Administrator Laura Newman previously said the tax amounts to about $1.2 million in annual revenue for the city. In Geneva, that number is roughly $700,000, money that supports the city's general fund, according to Geneva City Administrator Stephanie Dawkins. She also noted that around 60% of local grocery store visits are from customers outside the 60134 ZIP code, which includes Geneva. The tax proposal passed the Geneva City Council unanimously on Monday. In St. Charles, the potential revenue loss is roughly $2 million, according to a memo from the city's finance director Bill Hannah about the end of the state grocery tax. The memo from St. Charles also noted that a majority of foot traffic at the city's retailers selling grocery items comes from non-St. Charles ZIP codes, meaning a portion of the sales tax revenue that supports city services is coming from those living outside the city. The tax was approved by the St. Charles City Council Monday as well, with one vote opposing it. St. Charles has said that it has used grocery tax money to help bring retail establishments into the city, per the memo. For example, it pledged a rebate of a portion of the sales tax revenue generated by the new Whole Foods to help bring the store to the downtown area.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Geneva seeks grant for comprehensive plan
GENEVA — City leaders are hoping to get a grant that would pay for 90% of the $74,000 cost of redoing the city's comprehensive plan, which has not been updated since 2008, Geneva City Manager Joseph Varckette said. The grant request has been submitted to the Ohio Department of Development. The proposed project is expected to take about 11 months, and would include four phases: assessing needs, prioritizing vision, implementation and finalizing, Varckette said. 'Overall, the grant will support the creation of a detailed, comprehensive plan that aligns with the city's social and economic growth aspirations,' he said. 'Additionally, the plan will focus on modernizing housing, improving existing homes and fostering population growth.' Varckette said the project will be used to weave in existing projects including a zoning code update, streetscaping, a stormwater master plan and several others. City leaders are reviewing the best way to proceed on a balloon payment due in July on a city aerial fire truck. 'We are currently determining our best options for refinancing the outstanding balance [$669,860.42 on April 17].' Council approved the purchase of a combination sewer jet/vac truck that will greatly assist in the cleaning of the stormwater system, helping three departments. Varckette gave an update on the West Main infrastructure project, urging people to have patience as work ramps up for the spring and summer. 'We are just over one year into this major infrastructure project and there's another five months to go,' he said. 'This upcoming five-month stretch is going to be extremely busy with additional inconveniences along the way.' The goal is still to have the project completed by September, he said. He said the stormwater master plan is moving along, and the next phase will include alternatives to deal with storm water challenges, with cost estimates. Saturday is expected to be busy for Geneva residents, with a tree planting ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. at Little Peoples Park on Eagle Street and Community Days from noon-2 p.m. at Memorial Field.
