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After a public search process for the next Ninth Ward City Council member, including an open application process and community candidate forum, Mayor Daniel Biss has announced his appointment of Juan Geracaris to fill the position, pending approval from City Council on Monday, Feb. 28.
Geracaris would become the city’s first Latino council member.
“I am pleased to appoint Juan Geracaris as Evanston’s next Ninth Ward City Council member,” said Biss. “Juan has demonstrated his commitment to making Evanston more affordable, accessible and sustainable through extensive community involvement. I am grateful for his willingness to serve, and I extend my deepest thanks to the wonderful candidates who applied for this position.”
“I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the Ninth Ward and the greater Evanston community on City Council,” Geracaris said. “I will do my best to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard.”
Vice President of Evanston Latinos
Geracaris is a first-generation Argentine immigrant who has lived and worked in Evanston for 29 years. As a Northwestern alumnus and father of two boys who attend District 65 schools, he has deep connections to the Evanston community.
Geracaris graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in mechanical engineering and currently works at the university as the Senior Network Systems Engineer in the Kellogg School of Management. He is a founding member and currently Vice President of Evanston Latinos, a local nonprofit organization formed to help Latino families during the COVID-19 crisis. He has also served as the Oakton PTA Vice President, is a member of the Next Steps Evanston planning committee and sits on the City’s Skate Park Advisory Board.
In applying to be Ninth Ward council member, Geracaris stated that his goals include selecting a City Manager who reflects the community’s values, making city services more accessible for Spanish-speaking families, keeping Evanston affordable for working class families, investing in a solar energy infrastructure for city buildings and utilities and providing safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists.
Under state law, the appointed and approved candidate will serve until the municipal election in 2023.
For more information, please call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 311 in Evanston.
Source: City of Evanston