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Residents and commission members criticize mayor’s decision not to reappoint George Halleck to Land Use Commission
Summary
Several residents and community members used public comment to protest Mayor Biss’s decision not to reappoint Land Use Commissioner George Halleck and to question the vetting of the mayor’s appointee; speakers said the change threatens continuity during the Envision Evanston comprehensive‑plan drafting.
Multiple residents and community members told the council on April 14 they oppose Mayor Biss’s decision not to reappoint George Halleck to the city’s Land Use Commission and urged immediate reconsideration or greater transparency in the appointment process.
Speakers said Halleck had been deeply involved in months of work on Envision Evanston — the city’s 20‑year comprehensive plan — and that removing him midstream harms continuity. Jennifer Washburn asked the mayor to identify “the group representing a majority of council” that she said had asked him not to reappoint Halleck. She told the council the public deserves transparency about how the decision was made.
Other commenters raised concerns about the mayor’s replacement pick. John Story Williamson read a social‑media post by the mayor’s appointee that criticized public commenters, and said that the appointee had advocated eliminating single‑family zoning; he asked whether that creates an appearance of bias. Kira Kelly said more than 500 residents had signed a petition calling for Halleck’s reappointment and called the removal “disruptive” to the plan‑making process.
Paul Breslin and multiple other speakers urged the mayor to reappoint Halleck, calling him experienced and noting the importance of continuity during the comprehensive‑plan process. Speakers also asked whether the mayor consulted actual sitting council members before announcing a replacement and whether the process complied with Open Meetings Act constraints.
Mayor Biss’s earlier public comments (reported in local media and referenced by some speakers) said he had been counseled by a group representing a majority of council members; public commenters questioned who that group represented and whether the decision was political rather than merit‑based. The council did not take a formal vote on the appointment at the April 14 meeting; the mayor’s staffing decision and the public comment record are entered into the meeting minutes.
