Monday, May 2, 2022 | View in browser
Ward Meeting Time Change and More News
Hello friends and neighbors,
Alas! Once again, the city manager search process is conflicting with our regularly scheduled ward meeting—the two finalists for city manger will be presented in a community-wide online town hall starting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. So, we’re going to roll with the changes and turn the ward meeting into a watch party. We’ll convene at 6:30 p.m. and watch the Town Hall together. Same place—Robert Crown Room D upstairs. Please join me and let me know what you think of the finalists in real time.
See below for more on the city manager search process and more community news. We’ll resume our regular ward meeting routine on June 7.
Hope to see you tomorrow!
- Jonathan
Watch Party Ward Meeting
Tuesday, May 3, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Robert Crown Community Center, Room D
May Office Hours
Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. to noon
Reprise Roasters, 710 Main St.
City Manager Search
 We’re in the homestretch in filling this extremely important position. The City Council was unanimous in our selection of two finalists:
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Snapper Poche, Program Director, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
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John Fournier, Assistant City Administrator, City of Ann Arbor
Evanston community members are invited to meet the two finalists during a virtual community town hall held via Zoom on Tuesday, May 3. One candidate at a time, the first at 6:30 p.m. and the second at 7:30 p.m. The town hall will be broadcast on the City of Evanston YouTube channel as well as on cable channel 16. We’ll be watching in real time at the Ward 4 Watch Party Ward Meeting at Robert Crown. If you can’t join us, you can always watch the recording on YouTube.
You’re invited to submit questions for the candidates online in advance by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 2 or by calling or texting 847-448-4311. Following the event, a feedback form will be made available for residents to provide their input. I found the input I received from various residents very helpful in informing my thoughts last time around, so please take a few minutes to do that. You can email me directly, of course, but if you use the online form all the council members will see it.
In addition to the online town hall, the finalists will return to Evanston on May 6 for a final round of interviews by the Council and to meet with three stakeholder panels: a group of community leaders, a group of senior City staff, and a group of lower-level City staff. This is almost the same as what we did last time but not quite—we’re going to do a better job collecting feedback from the town hall this time around, so we’re doing the lower-level employee panel rather than a resident panel.
With feedback from the town hall and stakeholder panels fresh in our minds, the Council plans to consider our selection at the May 9 meeting and I anticipate a robust discussion.
More information on the two finalists and an overview of the process is here.
Climate Emergency, Climate Action!
On April 25, the Evanston City Council unanimously approved a resolution declaring a climate emergency as well as an immediate mobilization effort to ramp up implementation of Evanston’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP).
In adopting the resolution, Evanston joins more than 2,000 jurisdictions representing one billion people worldwide that have formally declared a climate emergency, renewing the City’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience with a focus on community partnerships. The resolution calls for the City Council to make CARP implementation a formal City Council goal and further commits us to regularly reviewing the City’s progress.
Adopted in 2018, the City’s CARP calls for reaching ambitious emissions reduction targets over the next several decades on a path to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. We have already made progress towards this and other CARP goals, including:
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Reducing emissions citywide by 27 percent since 2005
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Achieving 100 percent renewable energy for municipal operations through the purchase of renewable energy credits (RECs)
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Passing a resolution in support of environmental justice
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Improving equitable access to Evanston’s beaches by providing free admission for all residents
Some highlights of the 2022 action plan:
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A program to install solar panels on low-income residences using $500,000 in federal money
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A “one stop shop” program for energy efficiency retrofits for affordable housing
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Solar panels on the Robert Crown Community Center
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Textile recycling
For more information about Evanston’s climate action efforts, visit cityofevanston.org/climate.
Northlight Theatre is Coming!
 Good news for the 4th Ward and good news for Evanston!
With a $2 million commitment from the City approved in April, Northlight is ready to take the next step in their journey back to Evanston. The existing buildings on the property they purchased at 1012-1016 Church St. (formerly home of Rock N Ravioli and Thai Sookdee) will be demolished before the end of May.
I’m excited to see this much-anticipated project make some visible progress! Northlight leadership will join us at the June 7 ward meeting to share their plans for the property prior to construction as well as the current timeframe to build the new theatre center.
 This is the color.
More Good News—Metra Bridges To Be Painted
I know I’m not the only one who’s noticed the sad state of the railroad infrastructure in town. Time to turn those frowns upside down because the Metra bridges on Davis and Dempster are going to get a facelift! The work, which includes lead abatement, cleaning and painting, is scheduled to start around May 23. Davis Street first, which will take approximately four weeks barring bad weather, and then on to Dempster for another two to three weeks. The project will require street and sidewalk closures to complete, a minor hassle I’m happy to put up with to get these eyesores cleaned up.
PS: More good news—we don’t have to pay for it! It’s state money. Good thing, since it’s $700,000.
PPS: I hope you like brown. It’s a nice brown. Hot chocolatey. Mmm.
 Conceptual rendering, not the actual plan.
Speaking of Painting, Yet More Good News—A Custer Street Mural!
With the combined efforts of Main Dempster Mile (thanks Katherine), Evanston Art Encounter (thanks 4th Ward residents Lea and Dustin) and the City of Evanston (thanks Paul), the Custer Street Oasis is going to be even lovelier this summer. We’re in the final planning phases of doing a mural on the south side of Main Street under the tracks and along the wall on Custer Street.
It’s going to be so nice to enjoy a warm summer evening with a glass of wine from the Goddess, a taco from La Principal, or some pasta from Trattoria DOC. No construction this summer!
 Celebrate Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American Culture
The Umbrella Arts Festival is a celebration of the Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American (ASPA) community in Evanston. Come celebrate ASPA Heritage Month through art, music, dance, food, and culture on Sat., May 14, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., in downtown Evanston's Fountain Square!
Why the umbrella? The umbrella symbolizes the ASPA diaspora which includes a diversity of ethnicities from over 40 countries around the world and is inclusive of the many intersections of identities that exist in the community.
At the festival, you can check out local vendors, artists, and community groups offering food, art and activities. Attendees of all ages can make rangoli and lanterns, and see dance performances by Mandala Arts, Flying Fairies and the Nayon Troupe. The event will close with a live concert by renowned world music band Funkadesi! This event is free and open to all.
Register for the event. For more information, visit evanstonaspa.org.
 Margarita Inn Update
A quick update on the Connections for Homeless/Margarita Inn situation: we’re in a bit of a holding pattern while zoning issues play out. Two different parties are appealing the March 17 decision of the zoning administrator. The first appeal will be heard by the Land Use Commission at their May 11 meeting and the second appeal will be heard at the May 25 meeting. Both are schedule for 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
As soon as the zoning pathway is established, Connections will focus on developing the good neighbor agreement that we’ve previously discussed. I’ll also be scheduling additional meetings with neighbors, businesses, and other stakeholders. Stay tuned for those details.
Jonathan Nieuwsma
Councilmember, 4th Ward
jnieuwsma@cityofevanston.org
www.cityofevanston.org
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