Construction on a third tier to the Third Street commuter parking deck is set to begin this summer after the project was approved by Metra, Regional Transit Authority, Illinois Department of Transportation and the Geneva City Council.

The $4.5 million project, which will provide an additional 180 parking spaces to the existing structure, is being funded entirely by grants through Metra. Construction is anticipated to take six months to complete with additional restoration work being finished next spring. A start date will be announced in the coming weeks.

During construction the parking deck will be closed. The City is working with Pace Bus to provide shuttle service to temporary commuter lots. Stay tuned to the City's website to find out more details later this month.

  
The deck is being expanded in order to accommodate more parking that will be lost as part of Union Pacific's future plans to add a third rail line, which will remove some existing surface parking lots. 
 
Once completed, the expanded deck will provide parking for about 540 vehicles.  

 

Schiber joined the organization last year as a City Engineer/Assistant Director of Public Works. He replaces Dan Dinges, who resigned June 19 to accept the director position with the Village of Bartlett.

 

Schiber has managed the Engineering/GIS Division, which is responsible for planning and implementing the City's annual $2.5 million roadway and sidewalk improvement program budget. The division also performs plan reviews, coordinates capital projects with City staff, monitors road construction and oversees permitting for all improvements within the City's right-of-ways.

 

Read more on Schiber's background. 

  

Wright

A 27-year veteran of the City, Wright takes over the Electric Division leadership post. He was originally hired as an Assistant to the Superintendent of Electric. For the last 20 years, he has served as Geneva's Manager of Electric Operations.

 

His responsibilities have included overseeing the day-to-day operations of the electric distribution system, supervision of field crews, project design, and management for electric infrastructure maintenance and construction. Wright has direct oversight for the City's electric substations, Geneva's Generation Facility, supervisory control systems, outside fiber optic plant, metering and tree trimming operations.

 

Read more about Wright's background.

 

 

 

City Remembers Contributions Of Electric Superintendent Mike Buffington

 

Geneva mourned the loss of former Electric Division Superintendent Mike Buffington, who died in a car accident June 12.

Buffington

 

Hired by Geneva in 2004, Mike served as project manager of the Geneva Generation Facility, which came online in 2006. The high-efficiency, natural gas generation plant saved the City money on transmission costs. Mike followed the market and bid hourly on our electric purchase to insure the lowest available prices were obtained. The Generation Facility is one component of Geneva's diverse power portfolio, which Mike helped establish during his tenure here.

 

Mike also served as the president of the Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency (NIMPA). He was described by those in our Public Works Department as being friendly, and always willing to teach people about electricity.

 

Mike was very conscientious about Geneva's energy sources and power purchase agreements so his managers could maintain the City's power infrastructure.    

You can find Mike Buffington's obituary on our website.

Swedish Ambassador Björn Lyrvall visited Geneva May 23 as part of a Midwest delegation tour. He had the chance to meet with community leaders to learn about Geneva's deep Swedish ties as well as discuss international issues.

The Ambassador visited with Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren and other local leaders at a breakfast reception held at Riverside Receptions in downtown Geneva. He was presented with a Chicago Blackhawks jersey since three Swedish players are on the team.

Check out our online photo gallery of the Ambassador's visit, including a huge Swedish-theme bus parked outside City Hall.

If you are a commuter, you should check out the City's Bike To Metra brochure.

The brochure has a map detailing the various bike routes throughout Geneva along with other important safety tips.

We hope you consider a two-wheel approach to your daily commute this summer. 

Geneva Honors Residents For Preserving City's Historic Buildings

  
The City recognized 11 property owners for their role in preserving Geneva's historic charm during an award presentation in May.

Coinciding with National Preservation Month, Geneva handed out its biennial Historic Preservation Awards to honor both small and large projects that exemplify a dedication to our community's highly-treasured historic character.

Excellence in Exterior Renovation Award
* Carol Boose and Joe Stanton - 1924 Fargo Theatre Building, 315 W. State St.

Excellence in Exterior Renovation & Addition
* Jason and Johanna Patterson - Circa 1910 Bungalow, 522 James St.

Excellence in Exterior Preservation
* Dr. John Cook of Geneva Dental and Joseph McMahon of McMahon Builders - 1852 William Conant House, 127 Hamilton St.
* Eugene and Sally Ruark - 1867 Henry Bennett House, 230 East State St.
* Bonnie Byrne - 1870 Hull-Howell Building, 101 S. Third St.

Excellence in Window Preservation
* Kevin and Lisa Doherty - 1858 Walter-Conant House property, 311 S. First St.
* Owner Patricia Maclachlan and restoration by Jack O'Connell, Paul Davis Restoration - 1906 P.D. Hoyt House, 318 S. Fifth St.

Excellence in Adaptive Use
* Joe Stanton - 515 Hamilton St.

Excellence in Exterior Preservation and Adaptive Use
* Geneva Bank & Trust - 1937 Pure Oil Gasoline Station, 502 W. State St.
* Michael Simon, owner; Dan Marshall, Marshall Architects; Bob Rasmussen, JRD Development - 1918/1926 Tri-City Garage, 11-21 S. Third St.
* Nancy Luyten, owner; Jay Berry, JB Enterprise; and Scott McNee - 1848/1857 George & Eliza Patten House, 124 Second St.

Photos of each property along with detailed descriptions of the completed preservation work can be found on the City's website. 

City's Financial Reporting Earns National Award 

The City of Geneva's 2012-13 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) received the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting.

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded Geneva with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The award "represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management," according to the association. The City's report was released last fall and was reviewed by the association this year.

"This is a great accomplishment for the City of Geneva, the Finance Division in particular, because it is the first time we have received the award," Finance Division Manager Tom Dahl said. "This award would not have been earned without a commitment to excellence by our administration and City staff."

The CAFR represents a broader report from the past annual financial documents that used to be prepared. The report contains the City's financial statements and records from the past decade, property tax and debt data, and general statistical information about Geneva.

The report can be found on the City's website.

Geneva's comprehensive financial report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the association's program, including demonstrating a constructive spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users to read the report.

The Government Finance Officers Association is a non-profit organization serving about 17,500 government finance professionals.

The CAFR recognition adds to Geneva's growing list of financial accomplishments. The association also has honored the City with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award the past four fiscal years.