Mayor appoints Krissie Harris to fill 2nd Ward council seat

Mayor Daniel Biss announced Friday that he is appointing Krissie Harris to fill the vacant Second Ward council seat.

Harris’ appointment will be put to a majority vote by sitting council members at the beginning of the Monday, Sept. 12 meeting. If confirmed, she will take office immediately and join the rest of City Council on the dais for the remainder of the meeting.

“As a 5th generation Evanstonian, Krissie has deep roots in our community and brings an action-oriented, collaborative approach to solving problems and making our city stronger,” Biss wrote in the announcement. “I look forward to working with Krissie as a member of our City Council and I extend my sincere thanks to all of the excellent candidates who applied for this position.”

Harris is a 49-year resident of Evanston; her home for 23 of those years has been in the Second Ward. She is the manager of student life and campus inclusion at Oakton Community College. She is also a trustee of Second Baptist Church and has previously served on the boards of local community organizations such as YWCA Evanston/North Shore, the Dajae Coleman Foundation and the Family Focus Auxiliary Board.

“I am so honored to further serve the community which has given much to my development,” Harris wrote in the announcement. “Evanston, we have work to do. This work is not mine alone, it is the work of the collective. Let’s go!”

The Second Ward seat became vacant after the resignation of longtime Council Member Peter Braithwaite in July. If confirmed, Harris will serve on City Council until a special election is held in Spring 2023 to fill the remaining two years of Braithwaite’s term.

A crowded field of 11 initial applicants narrowed to seven by Tuesday evening, when Biss held a public forum to ask the candidates resident-submitted questions. Other applicants included Keith Banks, the Executive Director of Reba Place Development Corp.; community organizer and 2021 runner-up Darlene Cannon; and District 65 School Board member Anya Tanyavutti.