GENEVA — On Saturday, City Council will host the first of two sessions on its draft 2026 Strategic Plan, an idea originally backed by Mayor Jim Cecere and formed with Council member input.

A town hall-style hearing is set for March 28, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Geneva Family YMCA, 399 W. William St. A public hearing on the 2026-27 draft plan is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 1 at City Hall, 47 Castle St., part of City Council’s regular meeting.

Adoption of the plan appears likely.

“The proposed Strategic Plan is about bringing focus, discipline, and accountability to how City Council governs,” Cecere said. “It prioritizes the issues we consistently hear from residents, including housing, infrastructure, fiscal responsibility, and economic development. It organizes them into a clear, sequenced plan for 2026 and beyond.”

Cecere added that it is “also rooted in current initiatives to ensure continuity, as well as the Comprehensive Plan. This plan is designed to guide decisions, budgets, and measurable outcomes, and we will be adding a metrics section as a part of this process.”

Geneva’s mayor said both sessions are formal public hearings and that the town hall is the first phase of the adoption process.

“We structured it this way intentionally,” he said. “The combination of town hall, which allows for a more open, conversational setting, along with the formal hearing at our City Council meeting, ensures a meaningful approach to gather information, make potential enhancements, and record all feedback into official record prior to adoption. I strongly encourage people to attend and participate in these sessions.”

According to the city, the Strategic Plan provides a structured way to guide City Council legislative priorities for the next two years.

Ward 1 Councilor Chris Lavin has been complaining for years that City Council has not give City Manager Amie Hendrix and staff clear direction on priorities. Council has broken the priorities into tiers, with Tier 1 the highest.

Among the Tier 1 priorities:

Stabilizing and growing Geneva’s housing base. Specifically, creating homeownership incentives and pathways, zoning clarity and predictability, rental property accountability and licensing, and vacant and blighted property enforcement.Budget and finance. Full understanding of the city’s cash position and debt obligations; a clearer annual budget-development process; creation or enhancement of a capital improvement plan; waste reduction and prioritization discipline; and a review of current healthcare and benefit costs. Goals include the creation of a debt strategy and a tax-reduction plan.Revitalizing downtown and supporting economic development.Among the goals are reviewing economic development entities (BID, LDC, IDA, city staff) and developing downtown vacancy and activation strategies. Goals include stronger coordination with HWS and nonprofits and maximizing the impact of the visitor economy.Investing in infrastructure and quality-of-life assets. Adoption of a long-term strategy for water, sewer, and stormwater systems; clearly sequenced and financially realistic infrastructure priorities; coordinated pursuit of state and federal infrastructure grants; prioritized sidewalk, street, and drainage improvements; and infrastructure investments aligned with housing and economic development goals.

Tier 2 priorities include recreational initiatives, including a clear decision or a long-term plan for the future of the ice rink; expanded or better-coordinated youth programming; increased utilization of city parks and recreational facilities; partnerships that leverage city assets without increasing long-term costs; and recreation investments aligned with community needs and fiscal capacity.

“Not all initiatives are expected to be fully implemented within a single fiscal year; however, Tier 1 priorities will receive primary focus and structured advancement during 2026,” the draft said.