Burns, Pawlik face off at League forum for Geneva mayor race

Geneva incumbent Mayor Kevin Burns and challenger Karsten Pawlik squared off Sunday in front of a standing-room-crowd forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County at the Geneva Public Library.

Pawlik, who works for a demolition company, is challenging Burns, who is seeking his seventh term in the April 1 consolidated election.

In opening statements, Burns said he supported the city’s 2030 Strategic Plan, as unanimously approved by the City Council on Sept. 30, 2024.

“The core principles of that plan include strong governance, an informed and engaged citizenry, purposeful development and economic vitality, a safe, active and welcoming community, environmental stewardship and quality infrastructure and city services,” Burns said.

“I endorse that plan fully. I look forward to working with the council, the community and the professional staff to articulate, to advance and to achieve those principles,” Burns said.

Pawlik thanked Burns, for 30 years of public service to Geneva – though Burns later corrected him that it was 24 years.

“I may not talk like a politician,” Pawlik said. “My sentences might not come as smooth, but I promise you I’ll be passionate, transparent, truthful, responsive and hardworking to make Geneva a world-class city for its size.”

Pawlik said he is a construction professional with more than 30 years of experience managing large, complex projects. He has a degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in business administration.

Pawlik said he has been a Cub Scout leader and a soccer coach and is currently president of the Illinois Mechanical & Specialty Contractors Association, which lobbies in Springfield for subcontractor rights.

“I have always been involved in government relations and I know how government works,” Pawlik said. “I have (the) qualifications to be a great mayor of Geneva.”

To a question about their vision for economic development in the city, Pawlik said he would address stalled developments.

“I don’t like driving in from the east side of town and seeing a vacant lot, empty storefronts. Geneva is better than that – that’s the first thing people see when they come here," Pawlik said. “Even Duke and Lee’s from the south or from the north. We want to have vibrant gateways to the city.”

Burns said the vision for the city is rooted in its strategic plan – and that he has been working on strategic plans for the city since 1997.

“I have helped advance those plans to success,” Burns said.

As to the issues Pawlik raised, Burns countered that the downtown occupancy rate is 96%; Geneva Commons 92%; South Randall Road 97%; light industrial and industrial, 96%.

“All blend together to provide a vital, vibrant and essential economic base,” Burns said. “Our community asked us many years ago, ‘Please broaden our tax base.’ We’ve done exactly that. When we focus, we succeed. When I lead, we succeed.”

As to how the city be impacted by the potential of reduced federal funds, Burns said it would be significant it faces an “uncertain future with regards to the headwinds ... from Washington.”

“Money and the spigot of money that we have been guaranteed and promised through previous grant approvals is now stuck,” Burns said.

In particular, $11 million for the East State Street corridor project is “stuck,” Burns said.

As for the Geneva Dam – owned by the State of Illinois and under discussion for removal – Burns said he did not think there would be federal funds available, let alone state funds to do that.

Pawlik said the city needs to be fiscally responsible, manage its money – and lobby for more money.

“There’s money out there to get,” Pawlik said. “But you need to know how to get it...You don’t get money from the federal government by making them upset. Right? We want to be friends with the federal government. We want to make sure that we have inroads to our representatives, our senators, to the federal government to get more money for Geneva.”

Regarding the city’s contract with Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Burns said in August, the entire City Council supported ending its existing contract with the Chamber of Commerce.

Officials are planning to meet with the Chamber to establish a grant program that would have fewer restrictions for how it spends money it gets from the city to support its various festivals, Burns said.

“The Chamber of Commerce can use those monies that we grant as they see fit with fewer restrictions,” Burns said. “Imagine making the ask for – hypothetically – $25,000 or $30,000 for each festival. That’s an easy ask.”

Pawlik said he was not convinced that giving money to the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau would help Geneva’s tourism.

“When I’m going down I-88, I see a big sign, a big billboard (that) says, ‘Aurora Tourism - Come Here.’ I don’t see Geneva anywhere in that sign,” Pawlik said. “If we’re paying for something, I don’t see it. ... I would like to keep the money as local as possible.”

Video of the mayoral and alderperson candidates is available on the League of Women Voters Facebook page.