The 25-year Geneva resident is a Registered Nurse at Delnor Hospital specializing in the patient/bed coordination of case management. Mayor Kevin Burns nominated Seno out of a pool of eight candidates who had applied for the City Council position.

 

"Ms. Seno's professional responsibilities synch nicely to what her role as alderman is all about - serving as liaison between the citizens and business in Geneva and the City Council and professional staff," Mayor Burns said.

 

Alderman Seno, who has worked at Delnor Hospital for more than 28 years, holds a leadership position serving as a liaison between patients, hospital service staff, nurses, doctors and other area hospitals to arrange for all levels of care and bed assignments. After moving to Geneva in 1989 with her husband, who served as paid on-call fireman with the City, the couple raised two sons who are now in college after graduating from Geneva High School in 2007 and 2011.

 

"I want to give back to the community because Geneva has become my family," Alderman Seno said. "I am very grateful to have found a wonderful community in which to work, raise my children and build so many close relationships throughout the years. Geneva has an outstanding reputation, and I hope my experiences can bring additional insight as we move forward."

 

Aldermen Seno's appointment carries through next year, and she will have the option to run in the consolidated election April 7, 2015 for a two-year term that will expire in 2017. She replaced former 3rd Ward Alderman Dawn Vogelsberg, who announced her resignation Jan. 21 after serving 10 years on the City Council.

 

Residents can contact Alderman Seno by calling 630-232-0000, Ext. 4005 or via email.  

  

 

Geneva High School students got a behind-the-scenes experience on the operations of local government as part of the City's Student Government Day program March 11.

 

More than 20 students were paired with City staff members at City Hall as well as the Fire and Public Works departments as part of a job shadowing experience. The teens toured City facilities, observed operations and attended staff meetings. In the afternoon, students conducted a mock City Council meeting (Pictured above: "Mayor" Vinnie Auriemmo and "City Clerk" Ellie Evans.)

 

The City's Strategic Plan Advisory Committee (SPAC) and Geneva High School have partnered for more than 10 years to create a unique program that promotes civic pride, creates learning opportunities for Geneva teenagers and provides a forum for City officials to interact with students.   

 

Visit the City's website to view a Student Government Day photo gallery.

 

The Geneva City Council approved the 2014-15 fiscal year budget at its April 7 meeting. 

 

The City's budget is actually a combination of 33 budgets, all having different purposes and different legal restrictions. Although the City has historically been conservative in its expenditures, reductions have been made in every department during the past several years to offset normal and abnormal increases in operating expenses including insurance, fuel and other commodities, as well as unfunded state mandates.

 

This coming year, the City plans to invest, for the first time in six years, in more capital projects and replace some of its vehicles and equipment that were scheduled to be replaced several years ago (such as a fire engine, a snow plow and two police vehicles). In addition to the investment in capital equipment, the City looks forward to working on several projects that are being funded by grants and donations, including the addition of the third level of Third Street parking deck, an outdoor events pavilion, streetscape for East State Street, and a pedestrian mall between Third Street and the new Campbell Street parking lot. 

 

As the City begins the new fiscal year on May 1, the City continues to take a conservative approach to the operating budgets. We are committed to a balanced and fiscally sound budget that will provide high quality public services, while managing the challenges that each new year brings to Geneva.

 

City staff will provide monthly financial updates to the City Council and the public at City Council meetings. An official copy of the 2014-15 budget will be available at City Hall, the Geneva Public Library, and online at the City's website later this month. Residents can find other budget information at that same link. Please contact City Administrator Mary McKittrick with questions.   

 

The City of Geneva has enhanced programming on Geneva Broadcast Network with two new monthly shows that debuted in March.

 

 

 

 

Downtown Zoning Update Process Underway

  

 

The City's zoning regulations are an important downtown plan implementation tool. Zoning regulations that accommodate the type of development shown in the plan helps the plan's vision to be realized. 

 

The Community Development Department is working on a Geneva Downtown Zoning Update, with assistance from a planning consulting firm. The update will include an analysis of current City plans, zoning regulations, and zoning map as they pertain to downtown. Areas to be examined include development review processes, allowable uses, bulk design standards, zoning non-conformity, and regulatory simplification.

 

Draft zoning ordinance amendments will be prepared and then reviewed by the Downtown Zoning Working Group, an 11-member committee comprised of aldermen and downtown property owners, business owners, developers and advisory commission members.

  

Several public meetings on the zoning update will be held, and project updates will be posted on the City's website. A final draft version of zoning ordinance amendments will be reviewed by the Geneva Plan Commission during a public hearing. Once the review is complete, the Plan Commission will forward its recommendation to the City Council for final action.

 

For more information on the Geneva Downtown Zoning Update, email Dick Untch, Director of Community Development.  

 

Stay Off Your Cell Phone While Driving 

The Geneva Police Department would like to take this opportunity to address the issue of distracted driving and remind residents that it is now against the law to be holding a cell phone while driving.
 
This year, Illinois became the 12th state to ban the use of hand-held devices while driving. The new law prohibits hand-held cell phone use except in an emergency and allows only for speakerphones and headsets that feature voice-activated or one-digit dialing.  
 

• Turn it off: Shut off your cell phone before you get in your car, then stow it out of sight and out of reach.
• Stop first: If you have to make a call, pull over to a safe area, such as a rest stop or oasis, to make your call.
• Ask a passenger: Have a passenger make a call or respond to a text for you.
• Take control: Set climate controls and adjust seat and steering wheel before driving.
• Spread the word: Record a message on your phone that warns callers you're driving and will get back to them later - or sign up for a service that offers this feature.
• Be prepared: Program navigational devices or review written directions before you start to drive.
• Finish first: Complete your personal grooming, dressing and eating before hitting the road.
• Buckle up: Secure children and pets before beginning to drive. If they need attention, pull over before tending to them.

 
The Geneva Police Department greatly appreciates your partnership in doing all that we can to make the roadways as safe as is possible. For more information, visit the City's website.