Eight years ago Ald. Edmund Moran (6th) saw the policies he supported being approved by Evanston City Council. But in the past year Moran has found himself to be increasingly alone on a number of crucial votes — something he doesn’t see as a problem.
“I have to vote for how I feel,” Moran said. “I don’t feel lonely when it’s an 8-1 vote.”
Moran voted against the Evanston redistricting map that was approved by the council in December. The map shifted approximately 550 Northwestern students living on-campus from the First Ward to the Seventh Ward — something Moran said was unfair.
Associated Student Government President Jane Lee, who was involved in the redistricting process as ASG’s external relations chairwoman, said Moran was very responsive to students’ concerns.
“He is incredibly fair and very dedicated to public service,” said Lee, a Weinberg junior. “Ald. Moran technically isn’t even our alderman, but he definitely gave us his time and listened to our argument.”
More recently Moran voted against the 2004-05 budget in February, citing poor budget planning by the other aldermen.
NO MORE ‘FRIENDS’
Ald. Arthur Newman (1st) said Moran’s decisions have left him isolated on the council.
“I would ignore Alderman Moran because he’s so ineffective,” Newman said. “The only reason I respond to him is because he’s misleading the public.”
Newman also said Moran has been isolated in part because his “friends” were voted off the council in 1997.
In the elections that year, three aldermen who often voted in the majority with Moran were defeated — former Alds. Emily Guthrie (3rd), Anny Heydemann (4th) and Ernest Jacobi (8th). Although Moran said he often voted in the majority before 1997, he said he never engaged in the block voting some aldermen take part in now.
“The 1997 election was, in some people’s minds, all about changing the approach of the City Council,” Moran said. “It was going to be a large alteration of politics and government.”
‘vIOLATING THE PUBLIC TRUST’
Moran said the results of the 1997 election have allowed block voting to occur. For instance, he said Newman and Ald. Melissa Wynne (3rd) often vote together as part of the larger majority block.
“He helps her with her politics,” Moran said. “She’s not free to vote the values she espouses.”
Moran said he thinks block voting is “an abdication of responsibility.”
“It’s a violation of the public trust to say ‘I won’t vote in the best interest of the public. I’m going to vote the way my political allies tell me,'” Moran said. “That’s wrong.”
Moran said the block voting that the council engages in has left him on the outside.
“How I feel about something is irrelevant to them,” Moran said. “These people are committed to voting with each other.”
And since former Ald. Stephen Engelman (7th) — who also used to vote alongside Moran — announced his retirement in spring 2003, Moran is the only member left from the pre-1997 majority.
Newman said that as a result, Moran has found himself voting alone on some issues.
“He doesn’t really have a lot of friends on the council,” Newman said. “He’s been on a campaign for about seven years to run certain people off the council and it’s failed miserably.”
But Engelman called Moran always committed to the community and his constituents.
“I don’t think that he isolated himself,” Engelman said. “I think it’s very unfortunate that one or more members of the City Council find personalities to be more important than rational discourse and reasonable approaches to problem-solving and dialogue.”
Moran said he fears that other aldermen will vote down his proposals if he doesn’t support their ideas, but he said he can’t bring himself to acquiesce.
“It’s not my job to vote for phony-baloney things so that when I have something proposed, they’ll vote for it,” Moran said. “You can’t sit there and constantly throw your lot in. People probably think I’m stupid, but I don’t think that’s what I’m supposed to do.”
Sixth Ward resident Larry Magill said Moran failed to inform his constituents about proposed building restrictions that would have affected many homeowners in northwest Evanston. The zoning changes ultimately were voted down by the council in February.
“He never once attempted to notify us of one public meeting,” Magill said. “He’s an embarrassment as a city official. He was responding to the wants of a small amount of people.”
But another Sixth Ward resident said he felt Moran devoted time and effort to everybody.
“He never shows disrespect for opponents,” said Sixth Ward resident Isidro Lucas. “He only discusses on the issue and not on personalities.”
‘A FUNKY GUY’
Moran’s daughter, Meaghan Heaton, called her father one of her best friends. She said her father’s position in city government did not affect her significantly, despite being in high school when he first was elected.
But Heaton jokingly said her father, who she calls “a funky guy” and a “fashion renegade,” should seek advancement.
“I’m thinking state senate,” Heaton said. “I think there are a lot of different things my dad can accomplish politically.”
For now Moran is content to remain an alderman, though said he’s not sure if he will run for re-election next spring.
“I feel really lucky and really fortunate,” Moran said. “I feel very honored to be elected to the City Council four times. I’m not sure when I was 12 years old I foresaw that I’d get to do what I’ve done.”
