Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

39° Evanston, IL
Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Advertisement
Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our email newsletter in your inbox.



Advertisement

Advertisement

Candidates focus on NU, city relations

As campaigns for the 2005 aldermanic elections continue to kick off this week, candidates from all parts of Evanston are making Northwestern-city relations a central focus in their bids for office.

With three of Evanston’s nine aldermen retiring, candidates said this year’s election could bring a new dynamic to the City Council’s relations with the university and students.

Concerns over student safety, the purchase of the 1800 Sherman Ave. building and nuisance property ordinances are a few of the issues aldermanic candidates and Associated Student Government leaders have on their agendas.

“We want a person who will not necessarily do everything we say, but will take the time to work with us,” said ASG external relations representative Ravi Singh. “We want someone that is willing to listen instead of just brushing our issues off.”

Singh, a Weinberg junior and head of ASG’s election committee, said Ald. Arthur Newman (1st) has not done enough for students in the First Ward, which includes downtown and dorms west of Sheridan Road, except Jones Residential College and 1835 Hinman.

First Ward candidate Judy Fiske said she hopes to change students’ negative outlook on the City Council by accomplishing three main goals: improving neighborhood safety, keeping Chicago Transit Authority trains running and revamping street crosswalks.

“This is the neighborhood where students and residents interact the most,” Fiske said. “It’s important that we all get along with one another.”

Fifth Ward candidate Patricia Brown went door-to-door last weekend to talk to off-campus students living in her ward. Like Fiske, she wants to add more lights and cameras in areas where attacks have occurred.

“When you walk up and down Church Street, you shouldn’t be fearing for your life,” Brown said.

Junad Rizki, a Seventh Ward candidate, said he is worried about crime at NU after hearing about the mugging incidents over the past few years. His ward includes the dorms east of Sheridan Road, Jones Residential College, 1835 Hinman and northeast Evanston.

Evanston has higher crime rates compared to other North Shore suburbs, said Rizki, who has studied local crime trends for eight years.

“(Evanston City Council members) just ignore it at meetings because they don’t want to raise attention,” he said.

Ald. Elizabeth Tisdahl (7th) said she is working on ASG’s request for additional blue-light phones.

“The concept is lagging on the council because of the whole upset over the purchase of the 1800 Club,” she said. “Hopefully we can work it all out.”

Aldermanic candidates and NU students also agreed that nuisance laws are a problem. Many off-campus students say the law, which labels a property as a nuisance after two or more police citations, is unfairly targeting them.

Brown said new tenants shouldn’t be blamed for the irresponsible actions of previous residents.

She said the city should ease up on nuisance laws, but students also should behave responsibly when throwing parties.

“When students have parties and leave trash, have your buddies help clean it up,” she said. “It’s all about groups coming together to make things work.”

Although most students reside in the First, Fifth and Seventh wards, candidates from other wards have plans improve the city-university relationship.

Several aldermanic candidates want to open up communication between the city and NU, especially after the university purchased the 1800 Sherman building in November.

NU’s purchase of the building, which houses the 1800 Club, will cause the city to lose tax revenue because NU is exempt from property taxes.

Ninth Ward aldermanic candidate Mimi Peterson said she will work with NU on a binding agreement for both parties to prevent surprise purchases by the university.

Fiske has a similar idea. She said she wants to foster a more business-like relationship with NU.

“We need to raise those discussions to the level where we can sit down and talk so buildings like 1800 Sherman can stay on the tax rolls,” Fiske said. “There would be a much more productive relationship.”

Fourth Ward aldermanic candidate Ryan Garton said Newman’s departure will bring a new opportunity for changes, especially for NU. He said he wanted to create a long-term strategic plan so that the two groups can learn to cooperate.

“Northwestern and Evanston are in this community together,” Garton said. “We just seem to be stumbling along.”

Reach Stephanie Chen at [email protected].

More to Discover
Activate Search
Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
Candidates focus on NU, city relations