If there’s one thing almost the entire Evanston City Council can agree on, it’s Larry Suffredin.

Suffredin, who will assume the office of Cook County commissioner for the 13th District on Dec. 2, was endorsed by all but one alderman and Mayor Lorraine Morton in a letter to the Evanston Review before the Democratic primary in March. Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th), who initiated the letter, said Suffredin finally can bring Cook County resources to Evanston.

“Larry is the most competent person I’ve ever met,” Bernstein said.

Bernstein, who called Suffredin a “white knight” and a reformer, said former Commissioner Calvin R. Sutker neglected the entire district — except for Skokie, where he lives.

Sutker, whom Suffredin defeated in the primary, called that charge a “fallacy” — noting that the two major appointments he made as commissioner went to Evanston residents. But he also said Suffredin was capable of continuing the board’s good works.

Although Suffredin lives in Evanston’s Seventh Ward, he said he wants to improve the entire district. “I didn’t run for Evanston,” he said. “I thought the 13th District was being neglected.”

Suffredin said he decided to run after complaining to U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston, about funding issues with the board.

“She said, ‘If you feel that strong about it, just do it,'” Suffredin said.

So, at 55, the long-time Democratic lawyer and lobbyist decided to run for office.

Suffredin has represented Evanston as an attorney and pushed for the city’s interests at the state capital in Springfield. He also has lobbied for abortion-rights candidates and stronger gun control laws. Suffredin said he would not give up his legal practice after taking office next month, but he would avoid cases that might present a conflict of interest.

Bernstein said Suffredin’s knowledge of law and contacts at all levels of government would bring more county money to Evanston.

“He can get us a piece of the pie,” Bernstein said. “It’s a $3 billion pie. That’s a lot of pie.”

Ald. Edmund Moran (6th), who worked as a public defender with Suffredin, said he and the other new commissioners will open county government to citizens. In Evanston, Cook County has been known as a “stealth” government because no one really knows what it does.

“They will operate in a more open fashion,” Moran said. “I don’t expect to be disappointed.”

To achieve that goal of openness, Suffredin already has formed four advisory task boards to address some of his top priorities for the district.

Suffredin said he wants residents to better understand tax systems that fund the government.

He also wants to ensure that court fees do not force the middle class out of the judicial system, said Brendan Moore, Suffredin’s deputy campaign manager, who added that Cook County residents pay the highest court fees in Illinois.

Health care also is an issue for Suffredin, Moore said, because there is no outpatient county health facility in the 13th District. Residents have to go all the way to Palatine.

Suffredin said finances of the forest preserve system also need to be cleaned up.

Funding is “totally skewed,” Moore said, and the preserve is employing more landscaping workers than it needs. Suffredin would re-examine forest preserve finances “across the board.”

Suffredin said task boards comprising local leaders, experts and community activists, will bring people closer to county government.

“You get more people involved,” he said. “You’re bound to get good ideas and you get a spotlight on issues.”