Friday, October 30, 2020 | View in browser
Please join me for an upcoming Joint 2nd, 5th & 6th Ward meeting on Wednesday, November 11, at 7 p.m. via Zoom to discuss the City's 2021 Proposed Budget.
Join via Zoom
Join by phone: 312-626-6799
Meeting ID: 936 0321 1034
Passcode: 699642
Visit cityofevanston.org/budget for information about the City budget.
 Dear neighbors, friends and partners,
Serving as 5th Ward Alderman is one of my greatest privileges and honors and it is the capstone of my life in service to our community. I’m honored to build on the transformative leadership of the 5th Ward leaders before me. They kicked in doors of inequality and laid the groundwork that allows us to continue to advance our ward.
Representing our collective voice has allowed me to lead with my lived experience and I am most proud that the voices of teen parents, the sandwich generation, under-resourced entrepreneurs and families struggling to enjoy affordable home ownership have been represented through my experience and voice. Our commitment to empowerment and inclusion has been lifted up and the trajectory of our city is more in line with our values. I believe that it’s vitally important, in order to continue this progress, that more underrepresented residents emerge as leaders in various elected, appointed and contracted roles throughout our city.
Over the last three years, with your individual contributions and our many partnerships, we’ve made measurable progress while prioritizing crucial opportunities to improve the conditions and livability of our families and businesses. We’ve also improved our natural and built environment.
Evanston, like our nation, is experiencing unprecedented times, and it’s precisely times like these that call for engagement and participation from every resident, business and organization in our city. Each of us, within our own capacity, should serve in our most effective role and to our greatest potential—and so many of us have done so. Together, we have made extraordinary commitments to racial equity and sustainability, including passing the nation’s first funded local reparation policy for Black residents and the passing of our Environmental Justice Resolution. I would not want to be in this time in history in any other American city but Evanston, Illinois. Of course, there is obvious room for improvement, but let’s acknowledge what we are doing right.
In the spirit of “Solutions Only,” too many of you have partnered with me to name, but please know that not one gesture or resource has gone unnoticed and you have made our progress possible.
Early in my term, my family and I determined that four years would be my capacity to serve as 5th Ward Alderman while working a full-time job and managing my business. I mapped out a four year action plan using our priorities and SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to collaborate, learn, innovate and implement steps towards inclusion, wellness and justice. I serve daily, exploring and employing every option I can towards progress, and I am proud of our direction.
It is with a grateful heart that I announce that I will not seek a second term in the upcoming election. I am grateful because you allowed me the privilege to represent us. I have learned so much in this role and I have grown to love our city and many of you even more. I wish you had an inside view into the outstanding staff and the committed elected officials that work every day to meet our needs and expectations.
Over the next several months, I will continue working with you and our staff to reach our goals and respond to ward business. Based on our priorities, I am preparing a ward transition plan to be considered by our next 5th Ward Alderman and I will be available to support the ward if needed. As a Reparation Stakeholder, I look forward to continuing to strengthen and expand our reparations programming and partnerships as well as increasing our reparations funding.
Thank you all, and most importantly, thank you to my family and closest friends for extending such grace and patience as I’ve served.
Onward,
Robin
 Alderman, 5th Ward
Reparations Sub Committee, Chair
Rules Committee, Chair
Housing & Community Development Act Committee, Chair
Administration and Public Works Committee, Chair,
Community Economic Development Committee, NLC
E: rsimmons@cityofevanston.org | W: cityofevanston.org
Follow on Facebook: RobinSimmonsWard5
Newsletter: 5th-ward
Bio: https://linktr.ee/Robin_
Check out a few highlights from 2019
Check out a few highlights from 2018
 Celebrate Halloween safely
Reduce the risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19 this Halloween by celebrating with lower risk activities, such as pumpkin carving, virtual costume parties, holiday decorating, and outdoor movie nights.
What about trick-or-treat? Trick-or-treat hours are Sat., Oct. 31 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. To help your family stay healthy and safe, check out our trick-or-treat guidelines. Participants should wear a face covering over their nose and mouth (costume masks don't count) and stay at least six feet away from those outside of their household.
Guidance for homes: Those accommodating trick-or-treaters are encouraged to place individual goodie bags in a designated location for trick-or-treaters to pick up and go while continuing to social distance. If you don't wish to participate, consider turning off your lights or posting signage.
 Let your voice be heard: Vote!
Early voting will continue through Mon., Nov. 2 at the Morton Civic Center, Room G300. Voters should enter at the ground floor entrance adjacent to the parking lot. Face coverings are required.
Mail-in voting drop box: Drop off your mail-in ballot during early voting hours at the secure "drop box" located inside the building on the ground floor.
Election Day voting: Election Day is Tues., Nov. 3. Find your assigned polling place using the Cook County Clerk's Your Voter Information tool. Residents who are not registered to vote may register and cast a ballot on Election Day. Two qualifying forms of ID must be presented.
 Save your pumpkins from the landfill
Rescue your Halloween pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns from withering on the front porch by dropping them off to be composted at the 5th annual “It's the Great Pumpkin Compost” Collection event on Sat., Nov. 7. Food waste, including plain, clean pumpkins, can also "ride along" in yard waste carts with grass clippings and leaves.
Starlight Movie: "Moana"
Head out to Twiggs Park on Sat., Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. to enjoy a free showing of Moana. This will be the final movie in the City's 2020 Starlight Movies in the Park series.
As a reminder, you can find the latest Evanston-specific COVID-19 updates on the City's website.
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