Daniel Shield couldn’t let long-time Eighth Ward alderman Ann Rainey run another election unopposed.

"This is not an election for the best candidate," Shield said. "This election is a vote of confidence or no confidence on her performance."

Shield is the only candidate this election to challenge Rainey, who has served on the Evanston City Council for 18 years.

Shield said his lack of political experience was one of his strong points. Shield said he promises to initiate change in the council if he unseats Rainey.

"I think it’s time for a fresh perspective and new ideas," Shield said.

Shield has lived in Evanston, his wife’s hometown, for three years. The creation this fall of the Oakton Historic District near his home sparked his interest in city politics. The historic designation limited homeowners’ ability to maintain and expand their homes with the raised taxes and additional zoning ordinances, he said.

"It went too quickly," Shield said. "There was no fair and equitable platform for residents to voice their opinion on whether it was good or not."

Shield may be new to the Evanston political scene, but he really cares about the city, his wife Michelle Shield said.

"He’s extremely passionate, especially about Evanston politics," she said.

Shield said his experience in sales, marketing and the strategic management for several medical companies will enable him to manage and operate within budgets, as well as "build relationships and cultivate new opportunities for success."

"I’ve built my career on translating the skills and abilities I’ve attained in my career," Shield said.

He said he now wants to take his business skills to the council chambers.

Jim Evans, who worked with Shield at the medical equipment company LifeSource, said Shield is very personable and can find details that might have been overlooked.

"He has an uncanny ability to see things that other people may feel are not important," Evans said. "But oftentimes, it’s the little things that really count."

Though the Eighth Ward is far from Northwestern, Shield said Evanston should take a stronger position in the city-university relationship and he has made this one of the main issues in his campaign.

"The city of Evanston needs to take an aggressive stance with Northwestern in terms of infrastructure and social programs," he said. "I think the city needs to look after itself first and foremost."

NU should take responsibility for the roads that run into the university, as well as the parks adjacent to campus, he said.

Shield also said that he the city should not allow the tax base to be "minimized and eroded" by NU’s growth.

"I understand as a business person what Northwestern is doing and why they’re doing it," he said. "But as a citizen and alderman I need to look at what benefits the city first and foremost."

Shield said he is also concerned with creating more affordable housing in the Eighth Ward.

"We need to do more to ensure that apartments aren’t converted into condos and that housing is geared towards low and middle incomes," he said.

But if Shield wins, he said he’ll be happy to have another resident unseat him in four years.�

"For someone to step up and infuse new ideas and build upon successes is a means of public service," he said.

"If I’m elected and after four years I’m able to give back to the city, with two or three candidates to take my spot, that would be a successful term."

Reach Kendra Marr at [email protected].