Here’s a recap of our live coverage of the Evanston City Council Administration and Public Works Committee meeting. Among the dozens of items on the agenda is approval of hiring a construction management firm for the planned new Robert Crown Community Center.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.
A packet with information on tonight’s agenda items is available online.
Meeting called to order at 6:15 p.m.
Minutes approved.
Payroll and bills approved.
A 3.1 – Pilot landlord rehabilitation assistance program
(Held pending arrival of additional committee members.)
A 3.2 – Police, Fire and administrative service vehicle purchases form Currie Motors. Approved.
A 3.3 – Emergency lighting and sirens contract renewal. Approved.
A 3.4 – Criminal history applicant eligibility policy. Approved.
A 3.5 – Utility Bill reimbursement policy. Approved.
A 3.6 – Debris hauling contract extension with G & L Contractors. Approved.
A 3.7 – Granular materials purchase from G & L Cntractors. Approved.
A 3.8 – Service center parking deck restoration. Approved.
A 3.9 – Sumit Construction contract for Lovelace Park pond rehabilitation. Approved.
A 3.10 – Lovelace Park tennis court rehabilitation. Approved.
A 3.11 – Designs 4 Dignity interior design services contract for Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. Approved.
A 3.12 – Bulley & Andrews construction management services contract for Crown Center.
Dan Stein from Friends of the Crown Center urges approval of the contract.
Says it’s efficient way to “value engineer” the project to bring construction management firm in at this stage of the project.
Approved.
A 4 – Authorization for borrowing funds from IEPA for clearwell 9 replacement project.
Borrowing authorized up to $25M.
Approved
A 5 – Ordinance to update operational functions in the Finance Division. Approved.
Approved.
A 6 – Decrease liquor license — Kabul House isn’t renewing its license.
Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, says server at restaurant told her the city was “impossible to deal with” in getting a liquor license.
Corporation Counsel Grant Farrar says the city had difficulty collecting liquor tax revenue from the restaurant.
Approved
A 7 – New Class X liquor license … for arts and crafts studios to sell beer and wine on-site. Approed.
A 8 – New Class F-2 liquor license.
Rainey suggests increasing the price of the license to $45K initially and $15K on renewal.
“This is a real opportunity for Binney’s,” Rainey says.
Had been proposed at $40K and $13K.
Rainey moves the increase.
Alderman Melissa Wynne, 3rd Ward, and City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz say Binny’s had asked that this issue be held pending further discussion with the law department.
So the matter is held.
Discussion item: Steps toward homeownership
Sarah Flax of city staff says looking for recommendation regarding 2122 Darrow as a small-site property
Rainey says would like staff to reconsider the project for Central Street that the Zoning Board of Appeals rejected last week
I’d like to see some affordable homes on Central Street, she says.
Everything we’ve done in the past month-and-a-half is to block affordable housing in Evanston, Rainey says.
Alderman Robin Rue Simmons, 5th Ward, says she’d like to see more affordable housing in all wards and would like to move forward on the 2122 Darrow proposal.
—
Since other aldermen haven’t arrived — committee votes to hold action item 3.1.on that,
Meeting adjourend at 6:54 p.m.
Planning and Development Committee meeting to start at 7:15 p.m.