In the coming days, “Evanston Advocates” will receive their first e-mail from the city.
The city’s intergovernmental affairs department launched the Evanston Advocate program on Jan. 24 with the goal of keeping residents informed on the city’s key issues and cultivating civic participation. By signing up to become an “Evanston Advocate” at cityofevanston.org/advocate, residents will receive two types of e-mails from Matt Swentkofske, the intergovernmental affairs coordinator.
One type alerts advocates about imminent events. The other regularly updates advocates about state, regional and national issues that could affect Evanston, from legislation to board decisions. The ultimate goal, Swentkofske said, is to bring residents into the government’s decision-making process.
For example, advocates would have received special notification about the Chicago Transit Authority’s meeting with residents to discuss the proposal to close the El stop at Foster.
“The Evanston Advocate would be alerted to the meeting – ‘We’re hoping you’re able to attend and voice your concerns about this closure because it’s negative on the city as a whole,'” Swentkofske said. “And then (the Advocate would) go that next step and write the CTA on how this affects the community as a whole.”
Swentkofske said the idea arose from watching business and medical associations, public-interest groups and unions educate their memberships on issues.
“Why not do the same thing but do it at a municipal level,” Swentkofske said. “There are issues that affect residents, so why not educate them in the same way?”
