Interview with Ald. Michelle A. Harris

“Being Alderwoman of the 8th Ward Is a Labor of Love”

So said Alderperson Michelle A. Harris in her Zooming with the Aldermen interview conducted by Barbra Goering that premiered on August 5. While the South Side 8th Ward is 90% single-family homes, there is also some industry, including a steel works, sugar refinery, and the straw manufacturing facility that supplies McDonald’s. Ald. Harris is working to bring more commercial development to the 8th and surrounding wards, including the 79th Street corridor project.

Watch the full interview above or read on for more highlights:

• Ald. Harris chairs the Rules Committee, the only “committee of the whole” composed of all City Council members. Items which one or more alderpersons want to delay often end up being referred to Rules, which then re-refers the item to the appropriate committee. Ald. Harris also said that some of the issues that arise from the Police Oversight Committee to be formed will also come to Rules under the recently passed ordinance.

• Like most areas of the city, violence is the number one issue for her ward. Infrastructure needs are the second. Ald. Harris explained that the 8th Ward is an old area, as well as being among the larger wards, and there are many water and natural gas line projects, along with issues with streets, curbing, and gutters.

• She would like to be known as the “parks queen” for rebuilding and improving all six parks in her ward. She is also proud of all that she was able to do to help rebuild her alma mater, the Chicago Vocational Career Academy in the 8th Ward, which is a STEM school, as well as providing programs in seven vocational areas.

• One change in the operations of the City Council she would like to see become permanent: having committee meetings via Zoom. This saves the members significant time by not having to come downtown for the meetings. Further, this makes it easier for the public to access the meetings and provide public comments.