News

Committee OKs funding to honor legacy businesses

Committee OKs funding to honor legacy businesses

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...

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Former Varsity Theater site moves to next chapter

Former Varsity Theater site moves to next chapter

"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...

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Kelly’s Successful Initiative to Freeze 2022 Property Tax

Kelly’s Successful Initiative to Freeze 2022 Property Tax

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...

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Housing subcommittee hits impasse on rental licensing program

Housing subcommittee hits impasse on rental licensing program

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...

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How council members ‘bright ideas’ are faring

How council members ‘bright ideas’ are faring

Evanston Now by Bill Smith December 24, 2021 Read on evanstonnow.com Evanston City Council members have advanced dozens of ideas for new legislation since they formed a Referrals Committee following last April’s election. Most of those ideas remain somewhere in the...

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NU Donates $800K for New City Fire Engine

NU Donates $800K for New City Fire Engine

First Ward Councilmember Clare Kelly played a central role in engaging Northwestern for this contribution along with retired Evanston firefighters and lifelong residents Dave Ellis and Jack Mortell, who provided support by studying and comparing similar universities’...

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Plan Commission advances ADU moratorium proposal

Plan Commission advances ADU moratorium proposal

Evanston Round Table by Matt Simonette August 3rd, 2021 Click for Full Story in Evanston Round Table The Evanston Plan Commission, by a 3-2 vote, advanced a proposal that would impose a six-month moratorium on permitting and construction of non-owner occupied...

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Calendar

Upcoming First Ward meetings, First Ward Agenda items at City Council and other committees, and other events.

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New Evanston City Council Hits Ground Running At First Meeting

New Evanston City Council Hits Ground Running At First Meeting

Wed, May 12, 2021 "After introductory remarks, 1st Ward Ald. Clare Kelly asked city staff to place a measure on the agenda for upcoming committee meeting that would establish a separate fund for money received via the American Rescue Plan — the $1.9 trillion bill that...

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WE DID IT!

WE DID IT!

We are delighted to announce that, as of the end of day Tuesday, April 20, we have the most votes in the final count. We expect to be proclaimed the winner this week by the Cook County Clerk’s Office. What made this First Ward campaign special was that it was a...

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Election Update

Election Update

I am humbled and delighted by the strong showing of support and passion from First Ward voters. Tuesday’s election-day lead of 20% was exciting and promising. That margin narrowed as mail-in and early votes came in later, but we remain in the lead! We’ve been in...

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Full Transparency –  Clare for First  D-2 Quarterly Report

Full Transparency – Clare for First  D-2 Quarterly Report

In the spirit of full transparency, I submitted my D-2 form today to the Illinois State Board of Elections, in advance of both the April 6th election and April 15th deadline. This document provides a listing of my donors, as well as campaign expenditures. I am very...

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