8th Ward Alderman Shares Information About Responsibilities and Challenges
8th Ward Alderman Shares Information About Responsibilities and Challenges
BY KATHERINE NEWMAN
Michelle Harris is Alderman of Chicago’s 8th Ward which includes parts of South Shore, Chatham, Calumet Heights, Pullman, Avalon
Park, Burnside and South Chicago with about 51,000 residents living in the ward, according to Alderman Harris’s website.
For more than 40 years, Harris has been a resident of the 8th ward and in 2006 she was elected to serve as Alderman. In September of 2013, Alderman Harris was appointed to Chairman of the Committee on Committees, Rules, and Ethics and she also is a committee member on the Budget and Government Operations, Finance, Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, Public Safety, Workforce Development and Audits, Zoning, and Landmarks and Building Standards committees.
In an effort to provide readers with a better understanding of what their alderman is doing for them, we have asked Alderman Harris a few
questions about the role she plays in the 8th Ward. Below are her responses.
CITIZEN: What do you believe is your number one responsibility as Alderman of the 8th Ward?
HARRIS: While the Eighth Ward Alderman carries a number of key responsibilities, paramount among them is to serve as a bridge between my constituency and the many city agencies that provide services. It is my responsibility to help ensure services are delivered in as timely a fashion and thoroughly as possible.
CITIZEN: Tell us about the most unique challenge you face in the 8th Ward and how you address it?
HARRIS: A unique challenge is having enough resources to meet the demands of my constituents. Being responsible for a ward this size, keeping up with street resurfacing is one of my biggest challenges. The city’s budget doesn’t allow for many of the infrastructure improvements
it did as recently as a decade ago.
CITIZEN: Name one power or responsibility that you have as an Alderman that residents might not be aware of?
HARRIS: One of my responsibilities is keeping the ward clean. We try to help keep the community clean by scheduling special hand cleaning of our viaducts and lots. We also enforce existing ordinances that relate to keeping businesses or residential properties clean and we provide input on the Building Department’s Hearing process.
CITIZEN: In the next 2 months, what opportunities will there be for 8th Ward residents to engage with you and your community?
HARRIS: We are having a number of developments coming online in the spring and we will be inviting the community out to engage and get their questions and concerns answered.
CITIZEN: What is the best way for residents of the 8th Ward to connect with you?
HARRIS: The easiest and the absolute best way to connect is through my Ward Office at 8539 South Cottage Grove, it is always staffed during regular business hours so anyone can call 773-874-3300 or stop by.
To learn more about services provided by
Alderman Michelle Harris visit www.aldermanmichelleharris. net.
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