Geneva alderpersons, acting as the Committee of the Whole, on Monday, Dec. 1, are expected to reach a consensus on ballot initiatives for a new police station and home rule, according to the agenda.

If approved, the new police station question would be on the March 17, 2026, primary ballot.

The committee will also consider a resolution supporting comprehensive home rule education in preparation for having the question on the April 6, 2027, ballot for the consolidated election.

Home rule status is achieved automatically when the population exceeds 25,000 or when voters approve it, according to the 1970 Illinois constitution. Geneva’s population is 21,393, according to the 2020 census.

Home rule status gives municipalities greater flexibility over local finances, more authority over building, zoning, sanitation and other issues.

If the city could levy additional sales taxes on dining and shopping in Geneva, those visiting the city would be contributing to that revenue stream, documents show.

“Generally, the types of things you want to highlight when it comes to a home rule referendum are the sustainability of the solution,” Collin Corbett, with EOSullivan Consulting said at the Nov. 17 Committee of the Whole meeting.

“A bond path – if you were to move with that path – is obviously a one-time, solve-a-single-problem sort of approach,” Corbett said. “Whereas, a home rule referendum gives you a long-term sustainable approach to solve not just that one infrastructure challenge, but more safety, pubic safety issues that arise.”

Referring to the Facilities Master Plan – which details the needs of the city’s aging buildings – Corbett said City Hall, built in 1912, also has safety and accessibility challenges.

“The first thing we would highlight is the sustainability of that solution,” Corbett said of home rule. “The second thing you want to make sure you cover is the fiscal responsibility of the current administration and the board.”

Public support for home rule authorization requires a high level of trust, Corbett said.

“Making sure we emphasize how you have respected that trust to date, how you’ve respected their tax dollars to date, will help increase that trust and the likelihood of that they’re willing to take that step,” Corbett said.

Corbett said survey results showed trust among the public for the city of Geneva “was overwhelmingly high.”

“There’s support, there’s favorability, there’s trust in local government and local control here in the city,” Corbett said.

New police station options

FGM Architects Vice President David Yandel said the area under consideration for a new 45,000-square-foot to 67,000-square-foot police department would be city-owned land on South Street by the existing Public Works building.

“This would allow us to address some of the public works concerns, predominantly with access and security to a lot of the equipment and materials that are stored outside, currently,” Yandel said.

A new facility would include indoor parking for police vehicles, Yandel said.

“They (police cars) are fundamentally rolling computers,” Yandel said. “Keeping them safe, extending the life of those assets that you invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in.”

The architects offered nine options for a new police station. They range from $46.1 million for a basic 45,00-square-foot facility with a garage for four to five vehicles, to $60.7 million for a 67,400-square-foot facility that includes a garage for 22 to 24 vehicles and a firing range, records show.

If voters approve, the architects could have documents and bidding by the end of 2026, break ground by spring of 2027 and 12 to 15 months to complete by the second quarter of 2028, Yandel said.

Yes and no to home rule

First Ward Alderperson Anaïs Bowring said she supports a home rule referendum.

“I think that the right way to go is to put home rule on the ballot,” Bowring said. “As Collin pointed out, this is also backed up by the research I’ve done, this is really the way for us to get to a sustainable level of investment in our infrastructure and our facilities.”

Second Ward Alderperson Richard Marks took the opposite view.

Referring to the facilities report, Marks said he didn’t think an increased sales tax via home rule would cover it all.

“I don’t think we’re prepared to go to home rule,” Marks said. “Home rule is really a level of unlimited taxation. ... We can raise the sales tax without limits. ... I would be totally, absolutely against home rule at this time.”