Local Program

Each year members are encouraged to attend a Program Planning Meeting at which time current local positions are reviewed and our program for the coming year is planned. Recommendations are made for a new study and/or new action focus items. A new study is only necessary if there is not League position on the issue. An action focus recommendation is appropriate if there is an existing local, national or state position. It can combine citizen education and advocacy. A local action focus implies concerted effort to develop an action plan to influence local public policy.

Local Program must be approved by the board of directors and adopted by the membership at its annual business meeting.

Local Program 2024-2025

The League of Women Voters of Evanston will take appropriate action or collaborate with and support like-minded organizations and coalitions in Evanston and other northern suburban communities, to advocate for issues consistent with League positions.

Environmental Justice

Form a working group to gain an understanding of the Church Street Waste Transfer Station, and
• Explore a partnership with other community organizations,
• Work with and support the affected community members in the relocation or other action to resolve outstanding issues related to the waste station and other environmental justice issues, and
• Educate our members and the Evanston community and recommend advocacy as appropriate and consistent with League positions.

Birch Burghardt, Paula Scholl and Willie Shaw are interested in working on this and expect that others will join them.

Envision Evanston

Form a working group to monitor and report on the process and outcomes of the Envision Evanston initiative, aimed at collecting feedback from the community to inform the comprehensive plan and zoning code revision.
• Follow the development of the comprehensive plan and determine areas of League advocacy based on issues consistent with League positions.
• Educate members on proposed Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code revisions.

Betty Hayford and Sue Calder and other members of the Local Gov group will take the lead.

Climate Change

Support climate change priorities in Evanston, Skokie and the surrounding region, focusing on the Evanston Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP), as well as the Skokie Sustainability Plan. LWVE’s actions will focus on advocacy with the Evanston City Council and its committees, the Skokie Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission and the state legislature, and education of our members and the community at large about ways they can live more sustainably and support sustainable policy and environmental justice.

Climate Change Committee Chair: Paula Scholl.

Click here to view more Climate Change information and resources.

Review efforts and reports for LWVE's Local Program for 2023-2024 focus areas:

• Fair Housing Enforcement in Evanston

• Civics Education

• Climate Change

• Economic Development in Evanston Downtown
and Neighborhood Areas.
(Read the Roundtable's article covering January's program luncheon:
"Panel Participants Push Back on Safety, Parking Concerns.")

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