[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6186796,"mediaKeyId","5074239-43a7785fd85c3041924db7cf2a8a2c71","parentId",5074239,"title","Geneva committee hears facilities master plan; architects recommend new South Street police station, council favors hybrid city hall option","audioSeconds",1715,"startMs",1326000,"endMs",3041000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074239-43a7785fd85c3041924db7cf2a8a2c71&start=1326&end=3041","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074239-43a7785fd85c3041924db7cf2a8a2c71/thumbnail_1326000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6186796/Geneva-City/Kane-County/Illinois/Geneva-committee-hears-facilities-master-plan-architects-recommend-new-South-Street-police-station-council-favors-hybrid-city-hall-option","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186796-47555dca3cd2d37f68009e9c60548656/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213750&Signature=XREpXxZzyHv6~GWCnCCwxAhqXoaCVJmkIpvULHx7YelPtsA8-HMr2s0Wc95-9DBWd8kj4eaqolf7i90FZ23fOhtSu46RmhKLmn2PCEJ7glKPJFCpDe6msPDHrAhQa635BFv~PNrpYjebGP618ZByAemWfGBN~kaivkS9rqjFpjNuL3M-NOUB9Qb0WZuxqSaH65NOKTbCRWP7EP9G4Tl2bdDKdLBAgXnjrKVRNchZIHP074uEIq2ia6QFDRyhP0LuRGQSKbAHQjyg~smRKLklNfbQT7v9yBZM2A8etSHBHcm0NkuHU-s2zBOZZcoPA0mF~k2o0-Wjs7ww9xbJjl3lAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Geneva, IL","date","2025-06-26T04:07:51.197Z","article","FGM Architects and cost consultant Leopardo Construction presented a facilities master plan to the Geneva Committee of the Whole and recommended building a new police station on a city‑owned South Street site and a phased approach to modernizing other city facilities.

Dave Yandell, principal with FGM Architects, told the committee the existing downtown police building is “undersized significantly” and not feasible to meet program needs in its current location; the team’s recommended option is a roughly 45,000‑square‑foot station on city‑owned land east of the public works property on South Street. Yandell said the proposed police station would include records, patrol, evidence storage, training spaces and a smaller detention area; indoor parking and an indoor firing range were discussed as alternates.

Lee McMillan of Leopardo Construction described the cost methodology and owner costs to accompany hard construction expenses. The presentation listed preliminary must‑do project totals (in 2025 dollars) of about $48 million for the new police station; city hall options ranging roughly $34–$42 million; a capital program for Fire Station 1 of about $8 million; a new Fire Station 2 at roughly $20 million; and public works improvements of about $21 million. Yandell summarized that the overall must‑do package totaled about $132–$139 million.

Council members broadly agreed the police station is the immediate priority. Multiple alderpersons said they prefer an option that preserves the historic portion of the city’s Carnegie library and ties a new, accessible city hall space into that structure. Alderson Marks said the historic library “is a great selling point” and indicated a preference for the hybrid option that keeps the 1908 portion of the library and adds a connector building. Alderson Bowering and Alderson Paschke also expressed support for preserving the historic portion while modernizing service spaces.

Yandell and staff emphasized the plan’s intent to maintain operations during phased construction, to address mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades across sites and to build consensus for a recommended strategy; the report draws on a 2021 facility‑condition assessment and a 2024 draft master plan and will be refined for adoption. The team asked the committee to confirm three points before formal adoption: that a new police station is an immediate need; whether city hall should remain downtown; and the preferred direction for city hall and the library.

No formal adoption occurred at the meeting. The city administrator said the plan would be returned for committee consideration in early July (the July 7 meeting was discussed; staff later noted the adoption might come at the second July meeting to allow time for refinements and packet distribution). Committee members asked for additional cost breakdowns (hard vs. soft costs) and implementation scenarios, and requested the full report and spreadsheets underlying the recommendations before making a final decision. The committee closed the discussion with direction to the consultants to refine the draft and return with materials for adoption.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Special Committee of the Whole Meeting, June 23, 2025 - City of Geneva, IL.","oneSentenceSummary","FGM Architects and cost consultants presented a facilities master plan recommending a new 45,000‑square‑foot police station on a city‑owned South Street parcel and several options for city hall and the downtown library.","taxTitle","Geneva City, Kane County, Illinois","taxId",56193,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6186801,"Geneva police welcome ‘Tommy,’ comfort dog sworn in to support officers and community",1237,49000,1286000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5074239-43a7785fd85c3041924db7cf2a8a2c71&start=49&end=1286","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5074239-43a7785fd85c3041924db7cf2a8a2c71/thumbnail_49000.jpg","/articles/6186801/Geneva-City/Kane-County/Illinois/Geneva-police-welcome-Tommy-comfort-dog-sworn-in-to-support-officers-and-community","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6186801-ad9773cba8fe8f70940570365d77c05b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213750&Signature=nkD4lazNw8hcBMABgJrUrT0QIqonAnq3dRwUquIy3l7-2M8vff2nXJYD8se30sps2oYF3pQQaVRIWdJtmQfpANotkkBUyqHKDBgvY8gJVP95PHvy0Uz2RYTjhrgQRONGDuX5iIHdMt4F1kArBwA18c90aDYvPI1UcZIYcb~esdmpT1zerd9kG7RMPYrGva9F8K3gwDMhmNBpVBz166RJRZsmZ9eAt2EFY4bA86Xi5HHXBJ7QxrO4c06CLhAxeTy7WPSjaNh1ZuYJ0nseWc2a0U-ia8qPDK-5XmHjbpgsTpuLz4U65IIxNplIj-Tz2erzdOH5OKYT2HSosZEE29Wb~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Geneva Committee of the Whole ceremonially introduced and swore in Tommy, a comfort dog assigned to the Geneva Police Department, during a special meeting. Community volunteers who raised and trained Tommy and representatives of Healing Hearts Comfort Dogs described the animal’s training and early deployments and handed the dog to department staff for ongoing use.

The swearing-in came during the meeting’s first agenda item. Dave Yandell, the mayor and multiple family members and volunteers spoke about Tommy’s training, fundraising and early service. Eric Fields, a member of the family that raised Tommy, said, “We prayed for him so many, so many nights that he would find his purpose and his purpose would be to bless others.” Brad Kuntz, Geneva’s community service officer who will work with Tommy, said, “Tommy knows when he is truly called into service,” and described an incident in which the dog calmed a 5-year-old girl at a car crash.

Healing Hearts Comfort Dogs, based in Tinley Park, Illinois, raised Tommy in volunteer puppy-raiser homes beginning at eight weeks of age and trained him through roughly a year and a half of staged experiences, the organization’s volunteers told the committee. Volunteers said the group places facility dogs in schools, first‑responder agencies and other community settings; they described ongoing fundraising and donor-supported naming of dogs.

Police officials and organizers said Tommy will be used both with officers and in public-facing situations to offer “comfort and companionship,” as recited in the ceremonial oath. Committee members, volunteers and police staff noted planned visits with fire crews and school events and described Tommy as a resource both for residents and for department personnel.

No formal council action was taken during the swearing-in beyond the ceremonial oath and public remarks. The committee proceeded to the meeting’s next agenda item after the introduction and oath.

Tommy remained at the meeting and will be present for some future community engagements and internal department uses, according to staff remarks.","The Geneva Committee of the Whole introduced and ceremonially swore in Tommy, a comfort dog placed with the Geneva Police Department by Healing Hearts Comfort Dogs. Volunteers who raised and trained Tommy described his background and early deployments; police said Tommy has already been used to calm a shaken child at a vehicle accident.","actionData","errors"]

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Geneva committee hears facilities master plan; architects recommend new South Street police station, council favors hybrid city hall option

Geneva police welcome ‘Tommy,’ comfort dog sworn in to support officers and community