Geneva is tracking public interest in its $59.4 million referendum for a new police facility on the March 17 ballot.

Officials have hosted 142 people who toured the current facility at 20 Police Plaza, but they’ve also hosted virtual tours and tracked participants for those: 707 on YouTube, 10,500 on Instagram, 9,200 on Facebook, City Administrator Alex Voigt said at a recent Committee of the Whole meeting.

Also tallied for watching the referendum commercial are 71 on YouTube, 1,154 on Instagram, 4,700 on Facebook and 582 on X, formerly known as Twitter, she said.

About 85 people attended the Strategic Plan Advisory Council’s three open houses.

“A lot of good conversations were had,” Voigt said.

SPAC is also hosting a new podcast, Let’s Talk Geneva, Voigt said.

“I would definitely encourage your residents to check that out if they’re looking for a bit of a deeper dive on some of the topics,” Voigt said. “We are still posting referendum review blogs twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, again trying to hit on various topics that we hear feedback from the community on.”

The city’s Referendum Information page links to the city’s social media, the commercial and podcasts.

Officials determined the city needed a new police facility as the current one was not designed for police. They’ve also said the space is inadequate for modern policing needs.

Fourth Ward Alderperson Amy Mayer said she would encourage Geneva voters to listen to the Let’s Talk Geneva podcast.

“I think that the insights that come from having that very in-depth conversation with our police officers and the chief – it really forms the reason why what they do is so valuable to our community and that the facility is in need of updating, for sure,” Mayer said.

Fifth Ward Alderperson Jeff Palmquist recommended listening to the third podcast, as it features the architect and the construction manager.

“If you haven’t heard that one, definitely listen or have your constituents listen,” Palmquist said. “It addresses a lot of the questions I’ve had – just about why is it sized the way it was, why is it located (on South Street) – all that information is all articulated on one of the tabs on referendum info. ... To hear them speak and the interview was very skilled to give that information in very conversational form.”

More public info sessions before primary

There’s still more chances for residents to hear from city officials on the referendum before the March 17 primary election.

Fifth Ward alderpersons Mark Reinecke and Palmquist are hosting an information session at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at the Geneva History Museum, 113 S. Third St.

First Ward Alderpersons Anaïs Bowring and William Malecki are hosting an information session from 9 t 11 a.m. Sunday, March 15, at Five & Hoek Coffee, 416 W. State St.

The city also ran messages on its utility bills in February and Reinecke wrote an OpEd in the Kane County Chronicle on Thursday, Feb. 26. The letter is also available to read online.

The referendum page also includes a tax calculator. If a home has a market value of $550,000, the property tax impact of the referendum would be $459.

Officials said once a new facility is built, the city would sell the current location for redevelopment and use the proceeds to lower the cost of the bonds.