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Repeating what she said at the City Council meeting this week, First Ward Council member Clare Kelly reiterated that Evanston should step up contributions to the police and firefighter funds, striving for 100% funding by the state’s 2040 target date.At the First Ward...

"Kelly has called on the city to step up its contributions in the 2023 city budget from 90% level to 100% toward reaching the state’s target by 2040." https://evanstonroundtable.com/2022/11/01/pay-now-or-pay-later-officials-urge-city-to-fully-fund-pensions/

"This would put Evanston on track to avoid racking up unfunded interest that has served as one of the city’s biggest financial liabilities over the years" Under Kelly’s proposal, the city would tap reserve funds and other non-property tax revenues to support the...

“We’ve heard loud and clear there’s tremendous interest and will to turn that pattern around and to begin fully funding,” said Ald. Clare Kelly (1st), who brought up the issue.   Kelly estimated the city will need to allocate an additional $4.5 million this year to...

Ald. Clare Kelly (1st) said she" believes the city can keep the property tax levy flat while still fully funding the pension debt." Read full story in Daily Northwestern

Ald. Clare Kelly (1st), who joined the residents Saturday, said the city’s swift action reflects a change in leadership, including at the city manager and alderperson level. “It didn’t take that long. It didn’t take months of work and consultants,” Kelly said. “They...

"A working group headed by Councilwoman Clare Kelly of the First Ward is creating the programme." Read full story on BollyInside

“Evanston’s heritage resources are vitally important, bind its residents to their physical environment, and define the City’s unique character and identity. However, Evanston’s living heritage remains largely underrepresented and vulnerable from threats such as...

“..At the Sept. 19 meeting, First Ward Council Member Clare Kelly made the recommendation firefighters receive a one-time payment, a compensation for their sacrifice...In lieu of not losing firefighters,” Kelly said, the staffing “not only helped to cement the team...

As Council Member for the First Ward where this 18 story development was proposed, I greatly appreciate the community’s involvement and participation in the discussions around this proposed planned development.  In response to comments from “City Observer” and...

Council member Clare Kelly (First Ward) proposed creating the program, which officials hope to use to retain long-standing Evanston businesses, which have long been regarded as a key element in the city’s economic development strategy. Read Full Article Evanston...

by Bill SmithMay 31, 2022 Councilmember Kelly’s initiative to promote and support Evanston's Legacy Businesses. Evanston’s Economic Development Committee is scheduled to vote Tuesday evening on a plan to provide financial support for existing small businesses. Read...

by Nancy McLaughlin May 30th, 2022 Good news, Evanston dog lovers! Ten local restaurant patios have been approved for doggie dining this year, and more permits are in the works, according to Ellyn Golden, Evanston’s Environmental Health Licensing Coordinator. Read...

Pooches on patios will be permitted as the Evanston City Council Monday unanimously approved an ordinance allowing dogs at outdoor cafes. https://patch.com/illinois/evanston/ban-dogs-outdoor-restaurant-patios-evanston-be-lifted

"Kelly spoke with the city’s chief financial officer and treasurer, about ways to improve the process going forward. ..Gandurski said she found Kelly’s request for Desai to report any projected overages and surpluses of business units quarterly to the Finance and...

"Council Member Clare Kelly, in whose First Ward the project is located, spoke at the meeting in praise of the building’s adaptive reuse, saying the action was in keeping with other measures the council took that night, such as approving major climate change...

After Evanston residents had shouldered many consecutive years of property levy increases, straining their household budgets and forcing even middle income residents to move out of Evanston. Council Member Kelly committed to ensuring that Evanston residents would not...

Kelly, chairing the meeting, agreed the current system for dealing with property complaints is ineffective but argued it could be dramatically improved without launching a licensing program. “If, for example, we started with proactive inspections – if we increased our...