Battling strong winds and declining temperatures, the Geneva Public Works Department Electric Division worked hard to restore power to a section of the downtown following an electric transformer fire Feb. 24.

The first two comments were tweeted to the City Feb. 25. The final comment was a letter sent to the City's Superintendent of Electric Services Hal Wright on Feb. 28.

Thank you to the City of Geneva Crews for working all night in the cold and wind to restore our power. We appreciate it and are glad to be open for business today!

Old Towne Pub & Eatery

The City of Geneva crews have had a tough winter, but they've kept at it - we appreciate all they've done!

Dear Hal,

I want to acknowledge and thank both you and your team for the exemplary work done to restore power to Ashland Center following the transformer fire last Sunday evening.

It was a significant event and affected a large number of properties in the downtown district.  And our property at 25 N. Third St. is as about as close to that offending transformer's location as you can get.

When we arrived on site to assess our situation, we saw the full complement of your team already working to replace the unit and restore power.

The level of teamwork and hard work you led in the bitter cold through that night is not lost on us.

Not only was power restored at Ashland Center before 6 a.m. the next day -- itself a testament to everyone involved in that complex task -- the work was performed so carefully and professionally that no one would ever know that there had been an issue at the site.

Please accept our sincere appreciation and respect for all that was done.  Your leadership and the collaboration of your team deserve recognition for truly impressive work.

Please pass along our sentiments and thanks to everyone who helped make the transformer replacement, electrical service repairs, and customer power restoration possible in such short order.

Our best personal regards,

Paul E. Kawalek, Chairman, Ashland Ventures LLC