???? KRISSIE HARRIS PROMISED US A VOICE. THEN SHE CLOSED THE DOOR.

???? KRISSIE HARRIS PROMISED US A VOICE. THEN SHE CLOSED THE DOOR. ???? KRISSIE HARRIS PROMISED US A VOICE. THEN SHE CLOSED THE DOOR. If you can’t read this now - SAVE THIS POST. Because what’s inside is not speculation. It’s not rumor. It’s email receipts. FOIA documents. Facts.

And at the bottom????? The smoking gun - the moment the decision was made without us, while we were being told we’d have a say.

⚠️ START HERE: WHAT NANCY FLOY ENDUREDAt the June 24, 2025 Special City Council meeting, Nancy Floy - longtime Evanston business owner and wellness advocate - stood up during public comment to describe what happened to her for simply opposing Popeye’s:

???? A man entered her Buddhist temple at Heartwood Wellness.
???? He confronted her aggressively, got in her face, and harassed her.
???? She was told by this man that city staff sent him.
???? She had to call the police. That’s how serious and frightening it got.

And what did the City do? They backed away. Emails show Paul Zalmezak and Krissie Harris distanced themselves - not from the aggression, but from any accountability. This isn’t just procedural failure. This is what it looks like when leadership turns its back on the people they claim to serve.

???? WHAT THE FOIA EMAILS PROVE:

???? April 22, 2025:Sam Hubbard (Senior Planner) tells Popeye’s developer Karim Poonja that the project qualifies for administrative review, but if denied or deemed inappropriate, it could go to the Land Use Commission (LUC) for public hearing.

???? May 16, 2025:Hubbard tells Poonja:“I’ll make a determination by June 6, whether it’s approved, denied, or goes to LUC.”

So we now know:

???? The LUC path was real.
???? And Krissie Harris could have demanded that route.

???? June 2, 2025:

Krissie tells a resident: “I’m open to input… even if we get a say.” Why if? She knew what was already shifting behind the scenes.

???? JUNE 6, 2025 - THE SMOKING GUN FOIA emails show a quiet pivot inside City Hall:

❌ Sam Hubbard emails Liz Williams and Sarah Flax, confirming there’s no rule against fast food concentration - it’s all “open to interpretation.”❌ Williams admits the only concern raised so far was the concentration of fast food at Dempster & Dodge.
❌ But instead of honoring community pushback, staff interpret the rules in favor of the developer.

???? Krissie forwards applicant emails to her personal account.And that same day?

???? The internal tone shifts: No public hearing. No Land Use Commission. No more talk of deferral.

???? The decision is made before the June 17 Ward meeting ever happens.

???? WHO ELSE IS DOCUMENTED IN THE FOIA?

Paul Zalmezak (Economic Development Manager): Knew about neighborhood opposition. Still backed away.

Adam Finlayson (resident and Harris supporter): Dismissed concerns as “individual agendas” - ironic given his personal connections to development.

Bradley Belden (Colliers broker): Emails about alternative restaurants - as if the neighborhood was just picky, not protective of its health.

Jonathan Nieuwsma (Alderman, not directly involved): Mentions a vet clinic looking to relocate. Even he sees better possibilities for the site than Popeye’s.

Karim Poonja (Developer): Downplayed opposition, courted City Hall, and questioned, “What neighbors exactly care who goes in?”

???? WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID

????️Over 300 residents opposed another fast food chain.
????️ Nearby business owner Nancy Floy voiced real concerns about health, noise, and quality of life.
????️ Residents offered Black-owned business alternatives for the space.
????️ Concerns were raised about trash, traffic, 4–6am Sysco deliveries, and disrespectful developer behavior.

Krissie Harris told us this would go to LUC.She told Nancy Floy and the public that we’d have a say.Instead, she backed out and let City staff drive the decision without us.

???????? THANK YOU to the people who stood up when the system hoped you’d stay quiet:

???? Trisha Connolly - who went through every FOIA and brought the truth to light
???? Nancy Floy - who stood her ground with clarity and courage
???? Darlene Cannon - who continues to show us what real public service looks like

???? DON’T SCROLL PAST THIS. Save this post. Screenshot it. Share it.

Because when they come knocking for your vote, they’ll be hoping you forgot. But now you know the names. Now you know the timeline. Now you know the truth. And they can’t spin it.

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