With the United States\u2019 250th birthday now less than a month away, Kane County may be faced with a change of plans for part of its celebration.<\/p>\n
Last week, at a Kane County Board committee meeting, board chair Corinne Pierog informed the board that the local Daughters of the American Revolution has rescinded its offer to donate an elm tree to Kane County, which the county was planning to make part of a \u201cDeclaration Square\u201d behind the courthouse site in Geneva in honor of America\u2019s 250th.<\/p>\n
But, while that plan\u2019s future remains up in the air, the county is moving forward with plans for a video of community members reading the Declaration of Independence for a July celebration, according to Pierog.<\/p>\n
The county initially accepted<\/a> a historical marker and \u201cLiberty Tree\u201d from the Elias Kent Kane Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, meant to celebrate the United States\u2019 250th birthday, in November.<\/p>\n Since then, however, the project has generated some concern<\/a> among board members in relation to its planned location and potential cost.<\/p>\n When the donation was first accepted, the proposed location for the historical marker and tree \u2014 an American elm which was grown from seed since last spring \u2014 was<\/a> the Kane County Courthouse at 100 S. Third St. in Geneva.<\/p>\n The area in front of the courthouse building along Third Street had originally been considered<\/a>, but it was decided the abundance of trees there would make for difficult growing conditions for the sapling. From there, the county landed on<\/a> a spot in the middle of the parking lot behind the courthouse and proposed a central square be made around the tree in that location.<\/p>\n But that site \u2014 along with the possible costs \u2014 prompted pushback<\/a> from the board.<\/p>\n In April, following some board discussion, a vote on an official measure recommending a concept plan and budget estimate for the square was tabled<\/a> until May.<\/p>\n Then, in May, a proposal to approve the location and site plan for the project was brought to the full board<\/a> so that the county could begin its fundraising efforts. The proposed budget for the project was estimated at around $500,000 \u2014 with half of that planned to be paid for via fundraising, and half via in-kind contributions from contractors.<\/p>\n The proposal was again for the square to sit in the parking lot median of the courthouse, with architecture and engineering firm Wight & Company set to donate its services and create the concept plan for the site. The county would be responsible for<\/a> working out site preparation and cement work.<\/p>\n But the board was unable to reach consensus<\/a> about the location or plans for the proposed square, and the May discussion ended with the site plan getting voted down.<\/p>\n