Mayor Daniel Biss has appointed Juan Geracaris as the next 9th Ward City Council member, the mayor announced in a Wednesday news release. City Council will vote to confirm Geracaris’s appointment on Monday, Feb. 28. 

If approved by the council, Geracaris would be Evanston’s first Latino councilmember. He is a first-generation Argentine immigrant who moved to Evanston to attend Northwestern University, and has now lived and worked in Evanston for 29 years. His two sons attend Evanston/Skokie School District 65 schools. 

Geracaris, who has lived in the 9th Ward for 14 years, currently works at the University as the senior network systems engineer in the Kellogg School of Management. He is the vice president of Evanston Latinos and has served as the vice president of the Oakton Elementary School Parent Teacher Association. He is a member of the Next Steps Evanston planning committee, a group of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 caregivers that aims to close the opportunity gap in local schools. He also founded local skateboarding organization Evanston Skates.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the 9th Ward and the greater Evanston community on City Council,” Geracaris said in the news release. “I will do my best to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard.”

In a Feb. 17 community forum, Geracaris said he believes it is important to ensure people know the city is working for them. He said he will prioritize making city meetings and city services more accessible for Spanish-speaking families.

In his application for the seat, Geracaris also said he aims to select a city manager who shares the community’s values, to ensure working-class families have access to affordable housing in Evanston, to invest in solar energy infrastructure and to provide safer streets for pedestrians. 

The appointment comes after Ald. Cicely Fleming (9th) announced her resignation in December. If approved, Geracaris will serve until the municipal election in 2023.

“I am pleased to appoint Juan Geracaris as Evanston’s next 9th Ward city councilmember,” Biss said in the release. “Juan has demonstrated his commitment to making Evanston more affordable, accessible, and sustainable through extensive community involvement. I am grateful for his willingness to serve, and I extend my deepest thanks to the wonderful candidates who applied for this position.”

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Related Stories:

— Biss releases 9th Ward council seat applications

— 9th Ward Ald. Cicely Fleming to depart City Council

— 9th Ward aldermanic candidates address the community in forum