Seventh Ward aldermanic candidates Elizabeth Tisdahl and Junad Rizki agreed Evanston and Northwestern need to work toward a better relationship during a debate at the McCormick Tribune Center Forum Tuesday.
“This relationship has gotten so bad,” said Tisdahl, who has served as Seventh Ward alderman for two years. “It’s in all of our best interest to end this stupid feud.”
The aldermanic debate, sponsored by the Communications Residential College, gave NU students the chance to ask the candidates questions before the April 5 city elections. The Seventh Ward includes Jones Residential College, 1835 Hinman Ave., the rest of NU’s campus east of Sheridan Road and northeast Evanston. About 30 people attended the debate.
Ben Stewart, one of the event’s three student organizers, said he hopes the event will increase student interest in city government.
“A lot of students only care about Evanston because they have to go there to pick up bath soap,” said Stewart, a Medill freshman. “City events can alter the way we operate on this campus.”
Tisdahl said increasing NU students’ involvement in Evanston is one of her priorities.
“Most of you and I have never met, and that is a problem,” Tisdahl said, addressing the primarily student audience. “I need to hear directly from you on some occasions. There are many exciting things we could do. We could be a model for town-gown relations.”
Rizki said improving relations between NU and Evanston is mainly up to the city.
“Northwestern is a well-run business,” Rizki said. “The city should be well-run, too. We need to basically show them we’re efficient.”
One way to do that is by better city planning, Rizki said. He said he could bring his background in engineering and architecture to improve urban design and prevent all of Evanston from becoming a downtown.
“We don’t have a vision for the community,” Rizki said.
Tisdahl also recognized the “canyon effect” created by narrow sidewalks, crowding and traffic in Evanston. She said reducing the number of condominiums is one solution to the problem.
The Evanston Civic Center is a point of contention in the debate about city planning.
Tisdahl supports selling the building at 2100 Ridge Ave. and moving the site to an area in need of economic growth, which is accessible by public transportation. She added she would like the building to be environmentally friendly and energy efficient.
Rizki said the current Civic Center would be replaced by other buildings if it were sold.
“If we’re worried about green space, we need to make sure we preserve that site,” Rizki said.
Both candidates addressed the issue of campus safety.
Tisdahl said Evanston crime statistics have improved since the wave of assaults in Fall Quarter 2003 thanks to an expanded campus police department.
But Rizki said the crime rates could be reduced further with better communication between Evanston and its police department.
“We don’t really know what’s going on,” said Rizki, who embraced his status as an outsider candidate. “Somebody has to really ask questions, and that’s who I am. I challenge the status quo. Alderman Tisdahl is the status quo.”
Reach Francesca Jarosz at [email protected].
