Regular City Council Meeting
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS LORRAINE H. MORTON CIVIC CENTER JAMES C. LYTLE COUNCIL CHAMBERS Monday, March 22th, 2021 Present: Alderman Fiske Alderman Revelle Alderman Braithwaite Alderman Rainey Alderman Wynne Alderman Fleming Alderman Wilson Alderman Suffredin Alderman Rue Simmons (9) Absent: Presiding: Mayor Stephen Hagerty Devon Reid City Clerk Motion to suspend the rules and allow the meeting to be held virtually Motion: Ald. Passed 9-0 Wilson Second: Ald. Wynne TEFRA Hearing: Public Comment Carlis Sutton Opposed any bond hearing that would fund a private school. Watch Kathleen Scheidt Voiced her support for the bond issuance for Roycemore school. Watch Mike Vasilko Opposed the bond hearing for Roycemore school. Said the City Watch doesn’t hold a bond hearing for any other school, especially in less fortunate schools. Stated there was not enough notice of the hearing given to residents. Anthony Chambers Voiced her support for the bond issuance for Roycemore school. He Watch opted to enlist his children at Roycemore because of their strong diversity. Carolyn Murray Inquired if Family Focus would be eligible to receive bond issuance. Watch TEFRA Hearing: P1. Public Hearing: TEFRA Hearing for Educational Facility Revenue Watch Bonds (Roycemore School) City Council will conduct a public hearing to receive public comments regarding the proposed issuance by the City of revenue bonds for the benefit of Roycemore School, an Illinois not for profit corporation. For Discussion Mayor Hagerty adjourned the public hearing at 6:04 p.m. Mayor’s Public Announcements Mayor Hagerty Announcements: Watch ● Passing of DeMarcus Cokley and Jose Francisco Sanchez-Guerrero ● Evanston Township High School’s Mock Trial team took first place in the virtual 2021 Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) High School Mock Trial Invitational. ● COVID-19 Vaccination ● Over 37,000 Evanston residents have been vaccinated ● State Reopening Plan City Manager’s Public Announcements City Manager Erika Storlie: Watch ● Presentation of Evanston Police Department Accreditation from ILEAP ● Earth Month ● American Rescue Plan Act City Clerk’s Communications City Clerk Reid provided information about the April 6, 2021 Consolidated Election. Watch Motion to suspend the rules and allow for speakers to have one Motion: Ald. minute for public comment Fleming Passed 9-0 Second: Ald. Suffredin Public Comment Dr. Sandy Dairty Stated that there needs to be four components towards reparations Watch designated for African-Americans. These components include: reparations for descendants of slaves in the United States, addressing the atrocities that followed the end of slavery, designed to elimiate racial wealth differences and direct payment to eligible recipients. Kristen Mullen Stated that the reparation funds are constrained to homeownership. Watch Said the plan does very little to address the equity gap in housing produced by segregation and redlining. Ahmadou Dramé Stated that the proposed reparations program is admirable but Watch doesn’t rise to what many believe is true reparations. The program is exclusive and underfunded. Andrew Spatz Hopes the amendment in the City Code Title 6 will allow Evanston to Watch focus on accelerating the permit time during COVID-19. Said this amendment will help reduce the uncertainty by many retail store owners. Annie Coakley Voiced her support for the amendment in the City Code Title 6 and Watch American Rescue Plan Act. Ben Kadish Inquired why a special use permit is required to open an insurance Watch office. Bonnie Wilson Asked City Council to support Ordinance 13-O-21, A Zoning Text Watch Amendment to permit the establishment and regulation of Efficiency Homes Carolyn Murray Suggested that residents should be given special accommodation to Watch voice their concerns during public comment, especially if it relates to important issues. Casey Varela Voiced her support for Resolution 37-R-21. This resolution will help Watch preserve and increase blak-homeownership and address wealth disparities in Evanston. Cherie Adams Voiced her support for the reparations funds and encouraged those Watch opposed to the proposal to keep an open mind. Delores Holmes Asked the City Council to adopt Resolution 37-R-21 as the first step Watch towards reparations. Dr. Iva Johnson Voiced her support for Resolution 37-R-21, which will allocate funds Watch Carruthers towards the reparations program. Elizabeth Lazar Voiced her support for Resolution 37-R-21, which will allocate funds Watch towards the reparations program. Harry Major Voiced his support to the City Code Title 6 Regarding Special Uses Watch Jenny Arrington Voiced her support for the reparations program. Shared her concerns Watch over the possibility of this program failing. Jerry Herst Asked the City Council to support the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Watch Jill Zordan Voiced her support to the City Code Title 6 regarding Special Uses. Watch Josh Gilbert Voiced his support to the reparations program and urged City Council Watch to pass Resolution 37-R-21 Kamm Howard Stated that tonight’s decision will have a local, national and global Watch impact. This vote is also about addressing the 600 years to atrocities committed. He drew comparisons between Evanston’s reparation program and the “Little Rock Nine” as being the first steps in benefiting the public as a whole. Katherine Gotsick Voiced her support to amend the City Code Title 6 regarding Special Watch Uses. This will give Evanston the ability to fill empty storefronts. Katie Trippi Directed her remarks at Ald. Suffredin and said his vote against the Watch reparations program will cost him his re-election. Mark Alston Said the reparations program will help bridge the gap between black Watch and white homeownership. Max Puchtel Voiced his support to amend the City Code Title 6 regarding Special Watch Uses. Said this proposal will increase equity in the Eanston business community. It will also increase fairness and consistency in the permit process. Meleika Gardner Believes the reparations program is actually a housing program and Watch asked City Council to take their time on creating the program. Nkechi Taifa Voiced her support for the housing reparations program. Said the Watch passage of the program is the first steps in addressing the past housing discrimination practices. It will also start a healing process to address the many effects of slavery that still linger today. Patrick Hughes, Jr. Thanked the Aldermen who were involved in the reparations program Watch and he is excited to move forward with the initiative. Percy Berger Sr Is in support of reparations but not in support of the program as it's Watch being presented. He said the current proposal is a housing equity program. There are parties that were not named in the program that played a role in redlining and housing discrimination practices. Renee Paden Claimed the reparations program is discriminatory and doesn’t take Watch into account the members of the community it’s designed to serve. Robinson Markus Encouraged City Council to pass the efficiency home ordinance to Watch allow first time homeowners the ability to purchase a home in Evanston and allow senior residents to age in place. Rose Cannon Opposed the reparations program that is being considered. Asked to Watch have the new incoming City Council the ability to review the program and make the determination. Sebastian Nalls Asked the vote for reparations be postponed until an investigation is Watch concluded into his claims he made about members of the Reparations SubCommittee meeting with a member of the public to discuss reparations. Doesn’t support the current reparations program as presented but he is looking forward to the continued work that needs to be done. steven greenberger Shared his perspective on reparations and offered City Council Watch advise on how to ensure there are no legal challenges brought against the reparations program. Tiauna Webb Voiced her support for the reparations program. Watch Tina Paden Requester a more transparent process and disclosure about the Watch location of the funds. Doesn’t believe the banks should be the entities responsible for keeping the money. Would like to see direct cash payments given to recipients rather than a housing program. Vanessa Voiced her support for the reparations program. Watch Johnson-McCoy Violetta Cullen Voiced her support to amend the City Code Title 6 regarding Special Watch Uses. Kevin Brown Voiced his concerns about the proposed reparations program. He Watch supports the housing program but doesn’t support calling it reparations. Sara Diggs Requested the support of the City Council to pass reparations. Watch Continued to say that homeownership increases the value of homes across the city, decreases crime and strengthens communities. Earlette Wright Believes the current reparations initiative is a simple housing Watch program. Wants more transparency in the process. Pricilla Giles Believes the plan that is being presented isn’t reparations. Watch Janet Alexander Strongly supports the housing reparations program. Watch Davis Jeff Masters Voiced his support for the housing reparations program. Said this is a Watch first step in the right direction. Carlis B. Sutton Wants an independent committee to reconsider the distribution of the Watch housing reparation funds. Matt Rodgers Said the amendment the City Code Title 6 regarding Special Uses will Watch allow certain businesses to move quicker through the process and aid the economic recovery of Evanston. Asked the City Council to not delay the vote on efficiency homes. Alvin Humes Said the reparations housing program will allow people to create Watch legacies in the community for their children. Asked the City Council to vote in support of reparations. Mary Rosinski Voiced her support for reparations. Watch Mike Vasilko Inquired if funds from the Good Neighbor Funds will be allocated to Watch the reparations housing program. Brenda Grier Voiced her support for reparations. Watch Ray Friedman Voiced his support for reparations but doesn’t believe the current Watch program encompassed reparations.