Here’s a recap of our live coverage of this afternoon’s Evanston City Council Administration and Public Works Committee meeting.
The meeting was scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
A packet with information on the agenda items is available online.
Meeting starts at 4:31 p.m.
Meeting chaired by Alderman Tom Suffredin, 6th Ward.
Minutes approved.
Public Comment
Mike Vasilko says the city is spending money it doesn’t have.
Consent agenda
Off consent: A2, A3, A6, A7, A8, A9.
Consent agenda approved. (It’s 4:45 p.m.)
A2 – Amazon credit card activity.
Approved 4-0-1. Suffredin abstains.
A3 – DualTemp Clauger contract for ice refrigeration maintenance services at Crown Center.
Parks Director Lawrence Hemingway says the work is highly specialized and there aren’t Evanston-based firms qualified for the work.
“I think we picked the right people,” Alderman Ann Rainey, 8th Ward, says.
Approved 5-0.
A6 – Citywide parking study change order
Postpones starting date of the study for a year, until this April. Work is expected to take about a year.
Mike Rivera, parking manager, says the study may need to be delayed even further, because of the continuing pandemic.
No payment has been made on the contract yet and won’t be until the work actually starts. Extension is not adding to the city’s cost.
Approved 5-0.
A7 – Contract extension with Smarking to analyze and report parking data
Tracks traffic in garages here and compares to what’s happening in other communities.
Rivera says “it’s quite an asset for us.”
Approved 5-0.
A8 – Troop Contracting agreement for renovations at Levy Center
Most of project cost to be reimbursed by the Levy Senior Center Foundation.
Approved 5-0.
A9 – Memorandum of understanding with the Levy Senior Center Foundation
(regarding project in item A-8)
Approved 5-0.
Items for consideration
C1 – Parking meter update
Study … accepted and placed on file.
Approved 5-0.
Items for discussion
D1 – Persons with disabilities parking placards and parking rates
State, since 2017, has allowed municipalities to charge (for most handicap permit types). City hasn’t charged so far.
Rivera says there are probably no more than 50 such spaces in on-street metered-parking areas.
Rainey says it doesn’t seem worth it to charge for them.
Alderman Cicely Fleming, 9th Ward, says thinks should charge for services that transport handicapped people.
Fleming says she doesn’t want to charge individuals, either.
That appears to be the consensus of the committee.
Meeting adjourned at 5:26 p.m.
Planning and Development Committee meeting to start at 5:30 p.m.