Business Officials Lobby County for Recreation Complex at Settler's Hill

The Geneva Chamber of Commerce recently sent an e-mail asking its members to lobby the Kane County Forest Preserve District to support plans for a .

Kane County Board member Mike Donahue presented the plans to the Geneva City Council in April. After some protest from residents, the county said it would not pursue a Ravinia-style music venue that was planned in the Fabyan Forest Preserve property at the northeast corner of Route 25 and Fabyan Parkway.

Donahue said later that is still in play, but not on the existing forest preserve area on that corner.

The chamber's May 31 e-blast headline is "From Trash to Treasure—Let's Make It Happen!"

The message says:

"Thirty-five years ago, the county promised to develop the site into a recreational amenity in exchange for Geneva supporting the dump all those years. The landfill has been closed for over six years now, and it's time to make good on this promise."

"Local visitors could and would use all the amenities being proposed; a conservatory, cross-country course, mountain biking course and future plans for a hotel and conference center. All would bring visitors to Geneva and dollars to your shops."

The message includes a link to the Kane County website and an easy "how to" contact members of the Forest Preserve to voice support of the plan. A version of that is as follows:

1. CUT AND PASTE THE BELOW EMAIL ADDRESSES INTO THE “TO” or “BCC” LINE

dallan@kanecoboard.org; MAuger@kanecoboard.org; CCastro@kanecoboard.org; dcollins@kanecoboard.org; mdavoust@kanecoboard.org; MDonahue@kanecoboard.org; RFord@kanecoboard.org; DFrasz@kanecoboard.org; THaley@kanecoboard.org; jhoscheit@co.kane.il.us; churlbut@kanecoboard.org; mkenyon@kanecoboard.org; bkunkel@kanecoboard.org; PLewis@kanecoboard.org; hlindgren@kanecoboard.org; kmcconnaughay@kanecoboard.org; JMihalec@kanecoboard.org; jmitchell@kanecoboard.org; MMolina@kanecoboard.org; JReyna@kanecoboard.org; MSilva@kanecoboard.org; TSmith@kanecoboard.org; MTaylor@kanecoboard.org; jtredup@kanecoboard.org; tvancleave@kanecoboard.org; JVazquez@kanecoboard.org; bwojnicki@kanecoboard.org

2. ENTER “KEEP THE PROMISE” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

3. CUT AND PASTE THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IN THE EMAIL

Dear Kane County Board Member/Forest Preserve Commissioner:

I support the Fabyan/Settler’s Hill Master Plan and I urge you to KEEP THE PROMISE Kane County made when it asked us to support a regional solid waste landfill 35 years ago in exchange for getting a recreation complex in return when it closed. We the people have endured the noise, dust, odor and garbage truck traffic for more than three decades, and I ask you to act now to approve this plan and open the site for public enjoyment as promised.

The people who are opposing this plan are unaware, or choose to forget, the covenant entered into between Waste Management and Kane County that required Waste Management to set aside funds for the purpose of redeveloping the site for public recreational use. Your predecessors entered into this agreement on our behalf and now you are obligated to uphold it.

Please KEEP THE PROMISE and approve the Fabyan/Settler’s Hill Master Plan. Regards,

NAME ADDRESS PHONE NUMBER