Geneva council approves nonbinding letter supporting Army Corps feasibility study of Fox River dam; public raises concerns

The Geneva City Council voted 10–0 on Nov. 3 to authorize a nonbinding letter of support for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue a feasibility study of the Fox River dam currently owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

City staff told the council the letter is nonbinding, does not obligate Geneva to any course of action and is intended to keep lines of communication open while the Corps completes a reissued study and public presentation. Miss Boynton and City Administrator Voigt said the Corps and IDNR would provide a public presentation of the study results; the PowerPoint provided to council staff indicated a 2026 timetable for follow‑up.

Speakers during the public comment period urged the council to seek additional financial and environmental details before endorsing the process. Patrice Berthault of Geneva Voices said the group wants thorough economic and environmental analyses and said she was concerned that alternatives to dam removal had not been fully pursued. "Hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars have already been poured into preservation efforts, yielding no tangible gains," Berthault said, and asked the council to prioritize long‑term fiscal stewardship and options that preserve the river and development opportunities.

Resident Linda Mazur questioned why the Army Corps’ letter required a formal response by Jan. 31 and asked why the matter had not been routed through an earlier CAL meeting for public discussion. Staff offered to follow up with details and contact residents who left their information.

Councilmembers debated only whether to send the letter; several said the purpose was informational. No further obligations were created by the vote.

Outcome: Resolution 2025‑136 approved (10 affirmative votes; 0 nay).