By Bob Seidenberg Acknowledging the City was at a crossroads on the issue, Evanston officials turned to Council members at their Sept. 20 meeting for direction on where the City’s second dog park should be located. The City is down to one dog park, aptly named Pooch Park, on a 2.5 acre tract that runs…
By Bob Seidenberg Citizens would once again be given a role deciding ethics violations brought against public officials, based on a revised staff proposal that was backed by the City Council’s Rules Committee at their Sept. 7 meeting. Staff had previously recommended that the citizens Ethics Board be eliminated, and decision-making placed in the hands…
By Bob Seidenberg rseiden914@gmail.com The City of Evanston’s past handling of charges of sexual harassment and abuse brought by female lifeguards and beach employees in a petition to the City last July represents “a serious institutional failure that we must get to and rectify,” Mayor Daniel Biss said in a statement on July 22, in…
By Bob Seidenberg rseiden914@gmail.com Gina Speckman, executive director of the Chicago North Shore Convention & Visitors Bureau, had led off with a fact-filled presentation at the city’s Economic Development Committee meeting June 23 on why the city should support her group, which works to attract visitors to Evanston. Dan Kelch, local restauranteur and member of…
By Bob Seidenberg rseiden914@gmail.com The $43.1 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds Evanston is receiving to assist its recovery from the impact of COVID-19 may also prove helpful easing the debt funding the City turns to every year to finance major capital improvement projects. City officials discussed the possibility at the July 12…
By Bob Seidenberg A new City snow shoveling ordinance has been placed on hold, with some aldermen raising concerns about how its provisions will be applied. Aldermen held over the proposal at their Feb. 24 City Council meeting, directing staff to come back with changes addressing some of their concerns. City staff is proposing that…