Here’s a recap of our live coverage of Monday evening’s meeting of the Evanston City Council Administration and Public Works Committee.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
A packet with information on the agenda items is available online.
@ 5:05 p.m. the committee chair, Ald. Krissie Harris (2nd), announces the start of the meeting is being delayed by the lack of a quorum.
Meeting called to order at 5:10 p.m.
Ald. Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th) and Bobby Burns (5th) are present along with Harris. Ald. Clare Kelly (1st) and Devon Reid (8th) are absent as the meeting gets underway.
Minutes approved.
Deputy City Manager Dave Stoneback introduces Mary Dankwa, who’s about to be promoted to interim human resourced division manager. Her appointment as the city’s representative to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund is on tonight’s agenda.
Consent agenda
Off consent: A6, A7, A9, A15, A17.
Approved 4-0. Kelly had arrived by this point.
A6 – Environmental investigation contract for 729 Howard St.
Environmental Consulting Group sole source contract for $28,111. Same firm had done preliminary investigation.
Expected to take six months to get approval letter from IEPA. Paul Zalmezak, economic development manager, says won’t proceed with the contract unless property owner agrees to extend sales agreement with the city to cover the extra time.
This is a laundromat and adjacent parking lot the city hopes to redevelop as part of the site for an affordable housing project.
A7- Worxbee virtual executive assistant service for council members.
Tabled until March 27 meeting.
A9 – Hacienda Landscaping contract for Twiggs Park Skate Park
Approved 4-0.
A15 – Sale of two lots to ETHS for Geometry in Construction class
The properties are vacant lots at 1739 Brown Ave. and 1319 McDaniel Ave.
Sarah Flax, interim community development director, says the properties are vacant and abandoned and a blighting influence on the community. Some residents have complained that the properties are concentrated in the 5th Ward — but that’s where most of the abandoned properties are.
After the new homes are placed on the sites they are sold to private buyers at an affordable price and are placed in a Community Partners for Affordable Housing land trust so that they remain affordable to persons with incomes no greater than 120% of area median income in perpetuity.
Harris says 1319 McDaniel is in her ward and has been the site of repeated fly dumping, that neighbors are eager to have a new home there.
Kelly says she wants public review of the development plans. Nieuwsma says it’s a public body right here.
Sale approved on a 4-0 vote.
A17 – Soul & Smoke liquor license
Kelly, picking up on a public comment, asks whether city has a restriction on how close liquor establishments can be to a church.
Deputy city attorney says she doesn’t believe there is any such restriction.
Nieuwsma notes that there are schools directly adjacent to restaurants selling liquor downtown.
Approved 4-0.
Meeting adjourned at 5:52 p.m.
The Planning and Development Committee meeting is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.