While she lacks the long tenure of some of her colleagues, the impact of Ald. Anjana Hansen’s (9th) retirement will still be felt by the city council.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Hansen said of her retirement after a single term.
In January, Hansen cited her increasingly hectic work schedule and time-consuming family commitments as reasons for stepping down.
Though Hansen only served one term on the city council, she has been involved in Evanston public service for longer.
Before she joined the council, Hansen and a group of her neighbors in the 9th ward formed a neighborhood watch group. She credited the experience as one of the inspirations for running for city council.
Residents elected Hansen, then 32, in 2005, following the retirement of Gene Feldman. She said that in addition to her previous public service, the existence of a single candidate spurred her to put her name on the ballot.
“I wanted to give the voters of the 9th ward a choice,” she said.
Hansen defeated Mimi Peterson by a margin of 783 votes to 700 – the smallest margin that year.
Though she was initially quiet, Hansen grew into a vocal and influential alderman, said retiring Mayor Lorraine Morton.
“She’s not contentious,” Morton said. “She just says what she thinks.”
Hansen’s youth was also important, Morton said.
“I have a lot of fun with Alderman Hansen,” she said. “I call her ‘the young one.'”
Hansen has also gained the respect of the citizens she worked with during her time on the council.
Her replacement, Alderman-elect Coleen Burrus, worked with Hansen on the Community Development Committee.
“She does a really good job of doing her homework,” Burrus said.
Burrus received Hansen’s endorsement on the way to her victory.
Hansen is a graduate of St. Norbert College and John Marshall Law School. She has been a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney for more than a decade.
Her time as an alderman has affected the way she thinks about her “day job” as a county employee, she said.
“It’s changed my perspective on how I view city government,” she said.
One positive change has been “knowing the answers, or explaining that things aren’t as important as people think they are,” she said.
One of Hansen’s more controversial votes in her time on the council was her decision to support the passage of the Downtown Plan and her approval of the 708 Church St. “Tower.”
Burrus, by contrast, was part of the Plan Commission and was against both of these votes. Still, they appeared at events together during Burrus’ campaign.
“Even though we disagree on this, there’s plenty of other things we do agree on,” Burrus said. “I think she’s a good person.”
Hansen said she wants to continue to serve Evanston in various capacities. She plans to remain on the Community Development Committee, and wants to help Ald. Ann Rainey (8th) plan “Bike the Ridge” this fall. She said she also does not rule out future runs for elected office.
When she looks back at her time on the council, Hansen said it was difficult to pinpoint one thing as her greatest achievement.
“They’ve all put a smile on my face,” she said. “They all make me proud that I’ve been able to influence the Evanston community in one way or another.”
Editor’s Note: The Daily will profile all three retiring Evanston aldermen before they officially leave their posts on May 11.
