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,...
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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...
FOIA Requests, NEWS
City of Evanston bypassing FOIA laws, FOIA officer
The City of Evanston has been in recurrent violation of Freedom of Information Act mandates. The noncompliance was disclosed, somewhat ironically, through FOIA itself. In examining almost 1200 online FOIA requests to the City of Evanston, at least half were...
CITY COUNCIL, Robert Crown
Council Meeting Agenda Brief for Monday, Feb. 25
6pm: Administration & Public Works Committee Followed by City Council meeting Cancelled: Planning & Development Committee SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS (SP1) Amend City Code Title 7, “Public Ways” to include police powers to Director of Public Works. For Action (SP2) Amend...