On the heels of a recent decision to separate the Envision Evanston 2045 comprehensive plan from a controversial zoning code rewrite, City Council voted Monday to approve a sole-source contract with Morreale Communications, a current sub-consultant, to take on a larger role in the project.
The move responded to growing concerns from residents and city officials over the effectiveness of Envision Evanston’s current primary consultant, HDR Inc. It also followed the spirited campaign by some residents against the project, which they characterized as rushed.
Mayor Daniel Biss officially introduced Envision Evanston last February, outlining a 20-year development strategy with goals for zoning, transportation and economic growth. The proposal included a five-phase process for gathering community input before the plan is formally adopted in March.
When the initiative launched, HDR, a Nebraska-based engineering consulting firm, inked a $750,000 contract to lead the effort. This contract entailed gathering community input and drafting documents for review by the Land Use Commission and the council. HDR also enlisted five subcontractors for various tasks, though it has not worked with Morreale Communications since the initial engagement segment.
Morreale’s role will expand under the new agreement, with payment for its services capped at $40,000 in addition to the funds already allocated to HDR.
At the council’s Jan. 13 meeting, members discussed potentially moving to sole-source contracts with HDR’s subcontractors and ending the primary contract with HDR. While the council made no official decision at that time, Monday’s approval of the contract with Morreale marks the first step toward that shift.
Alison Leipsiger, Evanston’s policy and intergovernmental affairs manager, said that entering into a contract with one of the subconsultants was necessary.
Ahead of Monday’s meeting, she praised Morreale’s early contributions to the project, calling its work “exemplary” in a memo. Leipsiger highlighted Morreale’s active involvement in community events and feedback-gathering efforts — actions that have drawn attention, particularly given HDR’s apparent absence from recent council and Land Use Commission meetings.
“I think there’s been a lot of dissatisfaction with the work,” Ald. Clare Kelly (1st) said of the progress made by HDR and its subcontractors.
Ald. Thomas Suffredin (6th) asked whether the decision to expand Morreale’s role was motivated by the approaching March deadline to complete the final phase of the comprehensive plan, or because of the firm’s “exemplary” work. Leipsiger said it was a combination of both.
In a vote requiring a two-thirds majority to pass, both Suffredin and Kelly voted against the motion.
Ahead of Monday’s vote, two of the roughly 45 public commenters raised concerns about Envision Evanston and its consultants. Evanston resident Pat Mulhern said he and his neighbors spent the weekend reviewing the entire document, marking sections they deemed to be “unanswered” or “unqualified.” He urged the council to hold off on hiring Morreale until the document was “ready to be redrafted.”
Though Ald. Devon Reid (8th) voted in favor of the contract, citing the need to adhere to the planning phase timeline, he questioned the effectiveness of the city’s partnership with its consultants and suggested the council reconsider some of its processes.
“It seems like something we’re doing isn’t reaching the right people,” Reid said.
Email: audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu
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