Evanston council may have votes to save their jobs

An Evanston alderman insists that it's a coincidence, but theCity Council happens to be considering referendums for November thatwould head off a move to cut the council in half.

A citizens' group is circulating petitions to eliminateEvanston's city manager form of government and cut the the size ofthe council in half, to nine members, while retaining staggered termsfor aldermen.

The Committee for Accountability in Local Government aims to putits three referendums on the November ballot. Its goal is to restorethe "strong mayor" system, abandoned in 1952, under which a full-timemayor would take over duties assigned to the manager.

But the council may put …