The Evanston City Council voted to table the appointment of an interim city manager at Monday night’s meeting until a special meeting Sept. 20.
City Council members expressed concern that they were not given the proper five-day notice to look over the contract and consider it fully.
“This is a very weighty moment in Evanston history, with a lot of transition,” said Ald. Clare Kelly. “I ask that we hold this so that we as a council have the appropriate time to weigh in that we should have had.”
The current city manager, Erika Storlie, is set to leave Oct. 8 following a separation agreement approved on Aug. 12. According to city documents, the city intends to name Kelley Gandurski as the interim city manager until a new permanent city manager can be found.
Gandurski is the current deputy city manager. According to the proposed employment agreement, she would be employed as the interim city manager until a new city manager is hired. She would then return to her role as deputy city manager.
The proposed employment agreement also states that Gandurski’s employment may be terminated with a vote of seven council members. Some council members believed that this should be removed from the contract as it contradicts council rules.
“One provision in this contract I’d like to see changed is … the seven-vote threshold that exists in our rules,” said Ald. Devon Reid. “I think it’s best that that power be vested in our rules rather than in this contract. So I would like to see that provision struck.”
The City Council will vote on the agreement in their special meeting Sept. 20.
Emily Little is a freelance reporter.
