By Slade Sohmer

As the starving city of Evanston continues its game of chess withNorthwestern's deep pockets, meet a man with a different vision for thefuture of our relations. Meet a man with a different visual image fordowntown Evanston. Meet a man who is actually having a little fun whiletrying to shake things up.

Eric Singer is hoping a political outsider can seize the mayoral throne.The 42-year-old restaurant owner has never been a public official, hedoesn't even have a staff and his platform is still a rough sketch.

But Singer does know one thing: "I think the town's in trouble," he says."Is it in more trouble than it was in 20 years ago? I don't know, but Iknow that my taxes as a property owner have gone up an awful lot in justone year."

His bid for mayor, though, is not just about the new taxes. Read his lips:Singer wants to put his hometown of Evanston the map. And his resume canback those words up. In the mid-70s, he organized the first and only liveconcert in E.T.H.S.' gymnasium - no small task in a conservative town.(Singer admitted Harvey Mandel was a big flop that evening.)

Throughout the 90s, his restaurant on Main St., the Lucky Platter, hasbrought some personality to Evanston's otherwise corporate image. To him, aTaco Bell next to an Einstein's is a huge "waste of real estate." Maybethat is why his restaurant is the closest thing to colorful, New Yorkdiner, where people can sit and enjoy the friendly surroundings andpersonal touch.

But not only can you benefit from Singer's delicious omelets and stackedsandwiches, his ideas on bridging the gap between the town and the schoolare worth taking a bite out of.

"To me, it's like two siblings," he says. "They don't seem to be headed inthe right direction. It really is too bad."

Singer thinks that maybe NU can help the town through its departments,rather than its checkbook. Maybe the art department can help the citydesign, or the political science department can aid in importantlegislation.

"There's a huge brain trust over there," Singer says. "Certainly cities,communities, towns and governments all around the world are benefiting fromNorthwestern's involvement."

In addition to improving town-city relations, Singer would help NU studentsand Evanston residents with a fresh spin on the downtown area. In additionto a pool hall and a Sundance-sponsored movie theater, he has lobbied for abowling alley.

"There are lots of interesting elements involved: College students bowl,elderly bowl, young people bowl, black people bowl, white people bowl.Could solve some other problems, too."

Trying to solve some of those problems, Singer has been actively involvedin Evanston's economic development for the past eight years. And in thosedealings, he knows one trick that might spruce up the town. He would liketo see a committee that goes out to find legitimate businesses to bring totown, instead of dealing with whatever pops up.

"We need to be more proactive and bring to town what we want," he says.

Perhaps the greatest selling point of his campaign, though, is hiscommitment to diversity. Along with friend Pat Naven, Singer intends to putforth a proposal for a Race Relations Museum. Following in the footsteps ofCalifornia's recently erected aquarium and the Holocaust Museum inWashington D.C., a world-class museum here could really land Evanston onthe map.

"This is a town that has real race relation issues and we felt that amuseum, over the long haul, could solve some social and economic problems,"Singer says. "You get [people] here by doing something that visitors andtourists want to come to."

For Singer, to translate these ideas into victory, he's going to have todefeat a popular mayor. A retired middle school principal and former 5thward alderman, Mayor Lorraine H. Morton successfully defended her title in1997, and is now finishing up her second term.

According to the city of Evanston's Web site, one of Morton's main concernsis also economic development. Coinciding with that, she wants to develop alandmark newsstand at Main St. and Chicago Ave., an issue that Singer knowsall too well.

That newsstand has been vacant for six years, he says. The other Main St.merchants and he approached Mayor Morton about buying the lot from the cityand proactively finding a tenant. The city did not bite, but the two groupsdid open up communication about the vacant store. Singer claims that one ofthe best independent newsstands in Chicago will be moving in soon enough.

The actual election does not take place until April 3, 2001, when Evanstonwill elect or re-elect the mayor, its alderman, the city clerk and a fewother positions. According to a 1992 resolution, if more than twocandidates file for the ballot, a primary will be held in February. The toptwo candidates then move on to the election, unless one candidate receivesmore than 50 percent of the primary vote. Then that person automaticallytakes the seat, which is how Jerry Springer became the Mayor of Cincinnati.

Only 7,718 ballots were cast in the 1997 election. Singer expects to godoor-to-door to rally some support behind his ideas. The first project, hesays, is getting elected. And that may be the toughest part.

"I'm having a good time. I'm getting to talk to a lot of people. I'm sure Iwould never be reaching out to Northwestern students and faculty to findout what they think unless I was doing this."

So reach back and be a sounding board for this rational visionary. Head ondown to the Lucky Platter to air your thoughts about the city. You justmight get some good food for a change.

Slade Sohmer has no business running an online magazine. The designer did everything. However, if you still want to write him, send an e-mail to sladeny@yahoo.com.