Editorial -- Misty Witenberg At Monday’s meeting, Mayor Hagerty issued a unilateral determination that Clerk Devon Reid violated City workplace rules and state law. Reid was not afforded a hearing nor an impartial tribunal. The Mayor then took the unprecedented...
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CITY OF EVANSTON
Clerk’s Harassment Charges Centered on his Demands for FOIA Compliance
The City’s allegations of harassment are primarily based on Clerk Reid’s actions to counter the Evanston Law Department’s repeated FOIA violations. Complaints All three complainants filed in April 2019. At last night’s Council meeting, Complainant Michelle Masoncup advised both Reid...
Robert Crown
Winners & Losers of the City’s Crown Project Financing
Distribution of Crown's burdens and benefits are strikingly disproportionate across economic lines. The City's debt financing brings the project's $53-55 million capital cost to $70-$90 million total cost. The funding plan places the highest cost burden on Evanston's lowest-income families,...
BUDGET & SPENDING
Evanston Reaches Record G.O. Debt Level, Admits Filing Failures
After two debt limit increases, the City’s general obligation debt broke the $200 million mark earlier this month in selling another $14.5 million bonds to finance the Robert Crown Ice and Library Center, and $12 million for other capital projects....
CITY COUNCIL
Council Lacked Vote to Change City FOIA Law
A resolution to amend the City's FOIA process will require a second vote before it can be lawfully enacted. Mayor Hagerty brought the proposal before the Council improperly as a Special Item of Business. Under City Council Rules, a matter...
FOIA Requests
Mayor’s New FOIA Amendment Compromises City’s Transparency & Compliance
A resolution pending for tonight's Council meeting injects new challenges to the City’s ability to release public records under the Freedom of Information Act. The amendment, proposed in a memo by Mayor Steve Hagerty, largely shifts FOIA authority from the...
BUDGET & SPENDING, Robert Crown
Alderman Misled Public on City’s Crown Meetings
The previous version of this story incorrectly dated The Daily Northwestern interview as 2018. We regret the error. The Daily Northwestern's February 2019 interview with Ald. Don Wilson reported that "since January 2016, the City has held 31 public meetings,...
BUDGET & SPENDING, Robert Crown
Evanston Failed Minimum Required Notice for $85M Bond Sale
Evanston fell substantially short of its required public notice for its June 25 hearing to sell up to $85 million of its general obligation bonds. To date, the City has issued $52.5 million of those bonds, pledging to repay the...
PLANNING & ZONING
Decision Awaits on Controversial Sale of Library Parking Lot
Evanston City Council voted to table the decision regarding a major office building development until March 18, or the next meeting in which full Council is present. The site, at 1714-1720 Chicago Ave., between Church and Clark Streets, currently functions...
BUDGET & SPENDING, Robert Crown
First LOI released: Robert Crown as “Home of Beacon Academy Wolves”
The City has made its first public release of a private funding term sheet for the new Robert Crown Center. The agreement, between local private school Beacon Academy and Friends of Crown, offers the first glimpse funding contingencies built into...