Evanston will hold its annual township meeting tonight, which last year turned into a four-hour frenzy that included failed attempts by residents to invoke a head tax and abolish the township assessor’s position.
The township encompasses the same area as the city of Evanston and controls funding for community development and social services. Evanston City Council serves as the board of trustees for the township and two full-time employees present the township’s financial report to them at a meeting each April. Evanston is one of few communities in Illinois that is both a township and a city.
After convening as the trustess of the township, aldermen will also consider general city business, including a approval of a popcorn shop downtown and a liquor liscense for a blues club opening this month.
Last year, more than 50 people filed into the council chambers to argue in favor of a $5-per-employee head tax on Evanston businesses, aimed at boosting Northwestern’s tax contribution.
“It was a very difficult situation (last year),” said City Clerk Mary Morris. “What those people wanted to do was simply not possible.”
City Manager Roger Crum said the 2002 meeting was and annomally and the only one he could remember with such a suprising turn of events.
“Normally there is simply a report from the township assessor and the township supervisor,” he said. “Then they ask for any comments from the floor and close the meeting.”
In addition to proposing the head tax, residents attempted to abolish the township assessor Sharon Eckersall’s position and require township officials to sign an ethics statement.
All three proposals were shot down in subsequent weeks after the city lawyer determined residents did not have policy-making authority.
Eckersall said she hopes tonight’s meeting is short. “I have a two-and-a-half page statement to read and that’s it.”
Afther the township meeting, the aldermen will consider a proposal to create a new type of liquor license for Bill’s Blues, a music club scheduled to open this month. Since Bill’s Blues will not serve food, the new license is necessary because current ordinances require live music venues to serve food in order to sell alcohol.
Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th) said he supports the new license because the blues club, to be located at 1029 Davis St., will help keep “downtown vital.”
Bernstein, whose ward includes the club’s future home, was not the only aldermen to support the liscense.
“This has significant support on the council,” said Ald. Gene Feldman (9th). “I think it will pass easily.”
The council will also consider allowing a gourmet popcorn shop to open at 1737 Sherman Ave., the former location of the Student Books Exchange.
Tuesday’s meeting be at 8:30 p.m. in the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., and is open to the public.
