City of Evanston 2023 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT

a sustainable, inclusive, and ity Manager’s Office, innovative initiatives like participatory budgeting, guaranteed income, and reparations underscored the City's commitment to community-led and progressive governance.

A common thread woven throughout every City department was the strategic focus on addressing staffing needs The Evanston Public Library welcomed a new executive director, positioning the organization for future growth Meanwhile, the Parks & Recreation Department embarked on a successful reorganization to align divisions and enhance collaboration, leading to promotions and new hires This effort allowed for expanded programming and events The Police Department's diverse recruitment effort resulted in the addition of 16 officers, while the Fire Department expanded its personnel to operate a third ambulance and introduced two new Field Chiefs, paving the way for enhanced community safety efforts The City Manager’s Office also expanded its team by adding two new Sustainability & Resiliency Specialists, a part-time Cultural Arts Coordinator, and multiple HR Division staff members

As we reflect on the strides made over the past year, it is clear that Evanston continues to be a thriving community shaped by innovation and inclusivity. This annual report shares our journey, achievements, and challenges throughout 2023

Photo by: Jake Durham

ABOUT EVANSTON

Nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan and bordering the northern edge of Chicago, Evanston is a diverse and dynamic community, blending urban vibrancy with suburban charm to create a truly unique living and working environment Evanston is home to approximately 78,000 residents and renowned institutions such as Northwestern University and the award-winning Evanston Township High School. It is also the location of the corporate headquarters for Rotary International and the UL Research Institute. Known for its beautifully tree-lined neighborhoods, distinctive architecture, historic charm, lakefront beaches, and bustling commercial districts, Evanston’s beauty and character delight visitors and residents of all ages.

The City of Evanston governs a highly progressive community and takes pride in its innovative programs and initiatives, particularly its role as a national leader in discussions on racial equity, social justice, and environmental sustainability In a historic move in June 2019, the City resolved to end structural racism and achieve racial equity, dedicating up to $10 million in cannabis tax revenue to a local Reparations program for the Black community. Additionally, Evanston is committed to addressing climate change, having enacted the City’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan in 2018, which aims for carbon neutrality by 2050 Most recently, the City also piloted Guaranteed Income and Participatory Budgeting programs.

With a vision to create the most livable city in America, Evanston celebrates the diversity of its opportunities and residents.

2023 CITY COUNCIL

Daniel Biss Mayor

Clare Kelly 1st Ward

Krissie Harris 2nd Ward

Melissa A. Wynne 3rd Ward

Jonathan Nieuwsma 4th Ward

Bobby Burns 5th Ward

Thomas M Suffredin 6th Ward

Eleanor Revelle 7th Ward

Devon Reid 8th Ward

Juan Geracaris 9th Ward

Stephanie Mendoza City Clerk

AWARDS

Thanks to the efforts of our Sustainability Division, E earned a spot on the Cities A List by CDP, acknowled City's unwavering dedication to environmental action transparency. Evanston joined the ranks of 119 cities worldwide, out of 939 evaluated, to achieve the A rat

The City’s Public Works Agency received the Outstan Engineering Achievement Award from the American S Civil Engineers for its Central Street Bridge Project. T involved replacing the Central Street Bridge over the Channel.

Ana Elizárraga, Housing & Economic Development Analyst, received the first-ever League of Women in Government's Firestarter Award at this year's ICMA Annual Conference.

Evanston's Water Production Bureau won "Best Tasting Tap Water in Illinois" at the Illinois Section AWWA annual conference in Springfield

Evanston Water Production Bureau Chief Darrell King received the Illinois Section AWWA "Water Professional of the Year" award.

The Finance Division received the GFOA Distinguished Budget Award and Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (Audit) from the Government Finance Officers Association.

The Cities Fleet team was named #89 in the NAFA 2023 100 Best Public Fleets

Innovation and Digital Learning Manager Elacsha Madison was named an American Library Association’s “I Love My Librarian” Award winner, an honor conferred to just ten librarians nationwide for going above and beyond in service.

PUBLIC WORKS

Receiving awards: The City’s engineering team was selected by the American Society of Civil Engineers as a recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award Under $10M for its Central Street Bridge Replacement project. Additionally, the City’s Water Production Bureau won “Best Tasting Tap Water in Illinois” at the Illinois AWWA annual conference, and our Water Production Bureau Chief Darrell King received their "Water Professional of the Year" award!

Improving safety along Ridge Avenue: The City completed the Ridge Avenue Traffic Signal Project, enhancing safety along the Ridge corridor from Oakton Street to Church Street, covering seven intersections. Project features include left turn signals, pedestrian crossing improvements, geometric realignment, left turn lanes, traffic signal phase changes, and Emergency Vehicle Pre-emotion (EVP) updates.

Maintaining infrastructure: 31,361 square yards of street pavement were improved under the street patching program, and 2 54 miles of roads were resurfaced

Collecting more food waste than ever: The City’s Food Scrap Franchise, serviced by the Collective Resource Compost Cooperative, collected over 450 tons of food waste, representing a 25 percent increase from 2022 Collective Resource also received funding from the City’s Sustain Evanston Business Grant program to help purchase electric vehicles for scrap collection to help reduce vehicle emissions.

Ridge Avenue Traffic Signal intersection improvements

y p , ey an open house with program samplers, behind-the-scenes tours, and a historical exhibit

Digitizing historical newspapers: In a partnership with Shorefront Legacy Center, the library’s Lifelong Learning and Literacy department digitized a full, integrated database of Evanston’s historical newspapers from 1872 to the present. Patrons can now browse entire issues and search article text from anywhere

Earning national recognition: Innovation and Digital Learning Manager Elacsha Madison was named an American Library Association’s “I Love My Librarian” Award winner, an honor conferred to just ten librarians nationwide for going above and beyond in her service to the Evanston community.

Supporting new parents: In collaboration with City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza, the library’s Early Learning and Literacy department provided Welcome Baby Kits to new parents, complete with the baby’s first book, an Evanston Public Library bib, and resources for turning babies into bibliophiles from the start.

Hiring a new executive director: The Library Board named Yolande Wilburn the Evanston Public Library’s new executive director in November Wilburn brings over a decade of experience working at all levels in public libraries

PARKS & RECREATION

Reorganizing the department: The Parks & Recreation Department embarked on a successful reorganization to align divisions and enhance collaboration Divisions include Lakefront & Athletics, Inclusion and Accessibility, Community & Arts, Senior Services, Enrichment and Specialty Programs, Youth & Family Services, and Conservation & Outdoors.

Prioritizing equity: The Department made a significant impact by offering $214,987 in fee assistance to 477 people. Collaborating with Kuumba Evanston, the Lakefront and Athletics Division opened the door for 27 children to enjoy free aquatic camp Finally, the Inclusion and Accessibility Division’s services were redesigned with new policies, assessment procedures, and inclusion plans

Expanding programming: Broadening its scope of programming, the department executed over 2,500 community programs. It also hosted successful summer day camps that drew 350 participants. The gymnastics program underwent expansion, incorporating a spring floor and hosting the inaugural winter recital The Special Recreation program also expanded to include more programming tailored for adults with physical disabilities and early childhood participants Finally, the Ecology Center introduced two new program series: Nature Tots and Tunes and Community Campfires.

Hosting community events, old and new: As per tradition, the Parks & Recreation Department hosted its 24th year of the Starlight Concert and Movie Series and its annual Nutcracker on Ice (which sold out) Other annual events, including the Zombie Scramble and Trunk or Treat, successfully took place at new locations in 2023 New events included a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, Light the Night, Harvest Fest, and Flapjacks and Flannel.

Supporting seniors: The Senior Services Division revived the Again Well Conference after a three-year hiatus and expanded the AARP Tax-Aide program. Additionally, the Division provided nearly 400 classes for more than 6,000 seniors

Addressing staffing issues: Utilizing a combination of a lateral hiring program and a new officer hiring program, the department hired 16 officers in 2023. This diverse group of officers reflects the community they serve, bringing unique experiences to their assignments. The recruitment campaign included the creation of a new video

Making community engagement front and center: The department established the Community Engagement Unit, tasked with building relationships through community programs and events, creating social media content, maintaining the department’s transparency hub, and launching a mobile app. Notable community events hosted by EPD include the Holiday Toy Drive, Coffee with a Cop, National Night Out, Emergency Preparedness Fair, EPD Art Contest, First Responders Open House, Community Police Academy, Gun Buyback event, and Catalytic Converter Anti-Theft event

Letting technology lead the way: To advance the department’s intelligence-led policing model, 19 Flock ALPRs were deployed to combat stolen vehicles and suppress violent crime.

Expanding the Community Police Academy: The department rebranded its Citizen Police Academy to “Community Police Academy” for more inclusive language Additionally, the department hosted the first Academia de Policia Comunitaria cohort, catering to Evanston’s Spanish-speaking community members.

Receiving international recognition: The department was featured in a video at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, showcasing its focus on building bridges throughout the community through collaboration and engagement efforts.

Preventing communicable disease: The Communicable Disease Prevention Unit is tasked with limiting and preventing the spread of infectious diseases through surveillance, education, outbreak investigation, response, and more. In 2023, this unit conducted 3,000 disease case investigations

Ensuring proper food safety: Staff conducted over 1,400 health inspections at more than 400 food and beverage establishments.

Providing housing services: Addressing homelessness is a crucial public and humanitarian concern. In 2023, our dedicated staff worked toward stabilizing housing situations for more than 170 community members

Responding to the opioid crisis: According to the CDC, opioid overdose deaths remain a leading case of injury-related deaths in the U.S. Evanston is not considered to be in an epidemic; however, the Health Department helped spearhead an initiative to prevent opioid-related deaths and hospitalization by making Naxolone accessible at community centers

Addressing EPLAN and CARP goals: The department implemented strategies to educate and enforce two new bans set by the City Council, gas/propane-operated leaf-blowers and plastic bags. Both initiatives help to advance the City’s environmental and public health goals.

Photo by: Jeff Hirsh, Evanston Now

Investing in life-saving equipment: Over two years, the department procured Scott X3 Pro Air-Paks, crucial for firefighting operations. The first round of purchases took place in 2023, resulting in the acquisition of a total of 39 Air-Paks and 88 cylinders.

Addressing staffing needs: The department procured additional staff to operate a third ambulance full-time Additionally, in spring 2023, the department introduced two new Field Chief roles, significantly enhancing their respective specialized areas These developments have notably improved overall emergency response capabilities, aligning with the increasing community demands.

Responding to more incidents: In 2023, the Evanston Fire Department answered its highest call volume, responding to 11,638 incidents. Of those, 3,407 were fire incidents, and 8,051 were EMS incidents

Working together for a safer lakefront: To enhance lakefront safety, the Lifeguard program was moved under the umbrella of the Evanston Fire Department in 2023 The Fire Department now oversees the recruitment, training, and scheduling of seasonal lifeguards. Weekly inter-departmental meetings were established with the Parks & Recreation Department to ensure seamless collaboration. Both departments worked together to certify six lifeguard instructors

Receiving a new fire engine donation: In December, the Fire Department unveiled its new Pierce Enforcer Pumper Truck, made possible thanks to an $800,000 donation made by Northwestern University in 2021 As an expression of gratitude, the Fire Department staff incorporated NU’s distinctive purple color and some graphic branding elements into the design concept. This new engine, replacing a 2003 truck, can hold 500 gallons of water and pump 1,500 gallons per minute.

received one of the Sustainability Division s first CARPIE awards for aligning with climate goals.

Adapting spaces: The facilities team remodeled the ground lobby of the Civic Center to modernize the space and make it more welcoming to visitors Additionally, the team successfully partnered with the Secretary of State’s Office to implement a temporary seniors-only DMV on the ground floor of the Civic Center. Finally, the team hosted Fire Apparatus Training at the Fleet Shop for multiple municipalities.

Launching free parking for the holidays: At the direction of the City Council and to support the local economy during the holiday season, the Parking Division collaborated with the Economic Development Division to launch a 'Holiday Parking: Free for 2023' promotion Community members and visitors to Evanston’s business districts enjoyed up to two hours of free parking daily throughout the season

Advancing technology systems: The Parking Division upgraded the parking fleet, including all computers and modems in parking enforcement vehicles. Additionally, the team installed advanced security features and enclosures within all parking garages. The City’s IT Division implemented a Digital Evidence Management System to aid EPD investigators in capturing and analyzing digital artifacts for ongoing investigations and court proceedings Simultaneously, they upgraded computer-aided dispatch (CAD) servers in the 911 Center, enhancing system performance and improving cybersecurity.

Digitizing records: Working with the City Clerk’s Office, the IT Division helped to digitize records in the Community Development Department.

Upgrading systems: The IT Division significantly upgraded conference rooms at the Civic Center, Police Headquarters, and the Water Bureau to better support hybrid meetings. The team also performed the first significant upgrade to the City’s Milestone video management system since 2019, consisting of 500+ cameras and two dozen servers to support security operations.

Photo by: Richard Cahan

LAW DEPARTMENT

Collaborating with departments: Staff crafted over 90 Resolutions and 110 Ordinances in collaboration with various City departments and elected officials The Law Department collaborated with the Evanston Police Department and prosecuted hundreds of traffic and ordinance violations. They also assisted the City in successfully negotiating four-year Collective Bargaining Agreements for all four City unions.

Spurring economic development: The Law Department played a key role in supporting community and economic development, as well as successful commercial and real estate projects This included staffing Land Use Commission meetings, participating in numerous Preservation Commission meetings, and drafting ordinances for special use permits, major variations, and planned developments. Notably, the department contributed to an affordable housing planned development. Additionally, they were involved in drafting several omnibus zoning ordinances aimed at updating the Zoning Code

Focusing on city finances: The Law Department focused on recovering monetary settlements for damage to City property totaling over $83,000.

Enhancing employee safety: The City's Safety Division, a new division under the Law Department, expanded and improved training programs for City employees; implemented employee medical surveillance programs for lead, silica, and hearing conservation; and implemented an entry-level training program for CDL drivers.

2023 Employee Halloween Costume Contest Winners

Growing Evanston’s housing supply: Community Development staff worked with market-rate and affordable housing developers to expand Evanston’s housing stock.

Through the adaptive reuse of landmarked properties, long-vacant buildings, including Sojourners Church, the Varsity Theater Building, and the Masonic Temple, will become multi-family housing with inclusionary affordable units

Construction neared completion on new market-rate projects with inclusionary affordable units, the Tapestry on Main Street, and Evanston Gateway on Chicago Avenue, will add 148 total units, with 17 affordable units.

Plans were approved for two new all-affordable housing projects at 1811-15 Church St. and 50414 South Blvd. that will add 93 units, including 2- and 3-bedroom units for families.

Processing major development projects: With the support of the Department, the Evanston City Council approved the redevelopment of Northwestern University’s Ryan Field. Additionally, in May, the City Council granted final approval for a special use permit and operating agreement with Connection for the Homeless to convert the Margarita Inn into Evanston's first licensed, year-round, non-congregate shelter for homeless individuals and families. Finally, the City Council approved the construction of a new K-8 school in the Fifth Ward.

Supporting capital projects and programs: Lighting enhancements were made to Butler and Twiggs Parks, while sidewalk upgrades and alley paving were successfully carried out with funding from the Community Development Block Grant. The Small/Medium Landlord Assistance program, funded by ARPA, offered financial support to housing providers to mitigate revenue losses incurred throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Additionally, a novel initiative aimed at enhancing accessibility to mental health services was introduced.

Envisioning Evanston in 2045: The City Council approved a contract with HDR to complete a new Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code. The last time the City developed these documents was in 2000 and 1993

CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE

Piloting the Participatory Budgeting (PB) process: In March 2022, the City Council’s Participatory Budgeting Committee allocated $3 million in ARPA funds to the PB process, empowering community members to decide collectively on project priorities and funding. The year-long process culminated in the community voting to fund seven project plans developed by the community. Evanston had a historic level of participation, with 8.5 percent of the population participating in the voting process.

Reaching milestones in reparation disbursements: In March 2023, the City Council voted to expand the restorative housing program and offer cash benefits to reparations recipients By the end of the year, the City dispersed $2.65 million, with another $178,000 earmarked for housing benefits. The City also hired a Reparations Construction Administrator to oversee housing renovations.

Reimagining neighborhood business districts: The City Council approved the Evanston Thrives Retail District Action Plan in April 2023 after a year-long process The goal of the plan is to help the City reimagine neighborhood business districts, focusing on economic recovery in a post-pandemic world using creative placemaking solutions. A total of $3 million in ARPA was dedicated to this.

Revitalizing the Howard Street Corridor: The City and Rogers Park Business Alliance collaborated to revitalize the Howard Street Corridor by creating the One Howard Action Plan. The plan includes strategies for community safety, public services, business attraction and support, and other streetscape improvements To help implement One Howard, the City Council approved the establishment of SSA #10.

Passing the FY2024 budget: At the end of 2023, the City Council passed the 2024 budget that advances City Council goals around housing, climate action and resilience, economic development, finance, public safety, and health

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Addressing staffing needs: In 2023, the City’s Sustainability Division tripled the size of its team by adding two new Sustainability & Resiliency Specialists. Additionally, a part-time Cultural Arts Coordinator was hired to serve as the staff liaison to the Evanston Arts Council and to work on obtaining grants for local arts organizations. Finally, the City’s HR Division received approval to hire a fourth HR Generalist and a Safety Assistant. They also brought on board a Recruitment & Retention Coordinator and successfully filled three out of four HR Generalist positions

Advancing the Climate Action & Resilience Plan (CARP): Through the Sustain Evanston program, $210,000 was awarded to 18 local businesses for investments in energy efficiency, electrification, and composting services. The City also purchased and retired renewable energy certificates (RECs) from Midwest wind farms on behalf of over 25,000 Evanston households.