Bill's top priorities:

Public Safety
Public Health
Housing
Jobs / Employment

Local Economy - Employment will stimulate our local economy. Will continue to host citywide Job Fairs in Rogers Park, in partnership with the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce, government programs, and small and large businesses and non-profit organizations throughout Chicagoland.

Continue to produce local Community Guide to feature our local businesses, organizations, institutions, transportation, annual events, and unique amenities, including our parks, walkability, and beautiful lakefront.

Be a community booster with press conferences and advertising to increase local businesses, fill our chronically empty storefronts, and encourage tourism dollars.

Bill was Wild Onion Market Member #6 and believes in keeping food dollars local and achieving food justice, security, equity, and inclusion. Wild Onion Market Food Co-Op will provide sustainable food production and packaging at the mall near the Clark & Lunt intersection.

Bill will introduce a new Rogers Park community website for Rogers Park & West Ridge which will be Web 2.0 activated, to encourage heavy involvement, comparable to facebook groups Rogers Park News and Photographers of Rogers Park, which he created/co-created.

Bill believes that Alderperson is a full-time job, being on call 24/7/365, for all our 49th Ward residents.



Bill will address the Touhy Park tent encampment with the following plan:






- Best option so far is Lake Church shelter in Evanston. Lake Church has over 35 years of experience, accepts 45-50% non-Evanstonian residents, has two locations, drop-in services, and is about 4 miles north of Rogers Park.





Bill will represent every constituent of the 49th Ward, not just a favored few!

As 13-year President of the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce, Bill represents all residents, businesses, organizations, and institutions in Rogers Park.

Bill takes the time to meet with 49th Ward residents to address their concerns. Bill's exceedingly large rolodex represents the full diversity of our community.

All businesses of the area will decide on street closures, instead of only four (4) or so, of ten or more affected local stakeholders, such as Jarvis al fresco (Jarvis Square).

If found to negatively impact a majority of local residents or businesses on any given street, al fresco street dining programs may be discontinued. Streets may be returned to regular service, and quasi-permanent structures removed.

Bill will address and help eliminate inefficient and wasteful redundancy between CDOT and IDOT.

Bill will address speeding along Sheridan Road.

Immediate pot hole filling, curb painting, sidewalk trip hazard removal.

Will work with the CTA to fix crumbling infrastructure including stations, overpasses, and overall responsibilities of facilities and adjacent properties.

Accessibility - Bill was outraged when both Morse & Jarvis Red Line stations underwent major renovations, and failed to add elevators for accessibility. Bill will address these.

Bill will work with the CTA to bring a CTA 147 Bus stop on Howard Street for the Howard Red Line station.

4-way stop sign at the intersection of Clark Street and Estes Avenue
- Fix sidewalk trip hazard outside Giordano's Pizza, 6836 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626
- Fix sidewalk trip hazard located at 7450 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60626
- Fix uneven sidewalk trip hazard designed by Caroline Hedger Apartments, at bus stop on Devon Avenue, at the Sheridan Road intersection

Q. "Getting a stop sign at the blind bend in Ridge Blvd. next to the charter school, where collisions occur on a regular basis?" - Emily Carlson
A. A promise to you, Emily. If elected I will install a stop sign at this intersection on Ridge."




Bill will work closely with the Bureau of Rodent Control to address the rat problem.

Rats- Will address the rat infestation in the 49th Ward by researching and locating food sources of rats, eradicate those food sources, and sterilize the rats.

Q. How long has Bill lived in Chicago?
A. Chicago born & raised, 20+year Rogers Parker


Q. What is Bill's experience in business? 
A. Bill has worked at several small businesses in the neighborhood. Bill worked hourly jobs, has been a renter, overcame poverty, and has become a Rogers Park community leader.

Small business owner (Bill Morton Promotions)


Before founding the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce, Bill traveled to India to immerse himself in diversity and culture. 

Q. Does Bill have experience with our parks and beaches and the Chicago Park District?
A. Bill has attended several Chicago Park District board meetings, and participates in Friends of the Parks workshops and events. Bill is President of the Leone Beach Park Advisory Council and served as member on Loyola Park and Touhy Park Advisory Councils.

Bill is the former President of the Willye White Park Advisory Council, where the council voted to create an afterschool program, funded the Willye White Wolverines Junior Football team and cheerleaders, and welcomed the fieldhouse gymnasium residency of Wolfgang Bientzle's CirquesExperience | Connect. Perform. Shine.

Bill's final act in conjunction with the Willye White Park Advisory Council was the Chicago Park District's Chicago Plays program, where he connected the Baby Wranglers (parents with toddlers weekly morning meetup), with the park advisory council, to earn enough votes to replace the rusty playground equipment with a new musical playground at Willye B. White Park.

The Leone Beach Park Advisory Council held monthly park, playground, and beach cleanups with community volunteers.

Bill will consider utilizing the Leone Beach Park Fieldhouse to facilitate a small nature center, with the focus of the facility remaining as the training headquarters for the Leone Jr. Lifeguard program.

Bill will hold the Chicago Park District accountable for maintenance of their parks, beaches, playgrounds, fieldhouses, fountains, bathrooms, and the Harold Washington Memorial Playlot.




Bill's ongoing projects:



Neighborhood Revitalization Coalition with the Small Business Advisory Council
- Creating the framework of a 10-point plan to eliminate/reduce barriers to the revitalization of neighborhood business districts
- Vacancy ordinance. The coalition has spoken with three Cook County Commissioners and achieved significant progress
- Public way use permits - fee reduction. Spoke with Alders to discuss the progress we have made and the next steps to filing the ordinance
- Package for revitalization. Identifying impediments/revitalization issues impacting small businesses and entrepreneurs in citywide commercial corridors
- Research and promulgate policy solutions to present as a package to policymakers






Chicago Missing Persons Task Force to create a Missing Persons Registry which is cross-referenced throughout City, County and State of Illinois agencies

Community Unity Now television show co-host, with Trudy Leong on weekly CAN TV Channel 21, interviewing guests about social justice issues.




Bill cares:

Bill requested Dr. Willie Wilson provides the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce 250,000 lifesaving facemasks during the worst of the pandemic, which Bill and Dr. Wilson handed out together, with volunteers.

A Just Harvest Bill initiated a $1000 donation to fund a meal for everyone, as President of the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce.

Care For Real Bill & Trudy Leong distributed food, as volunteers, onsite at United Church of Rogers Park during the pandemic.

Sam Leone Jr. Lifeguard Program Bill hosted fundraisers for the Sam Leone Jr. Lifeguard program, and for families with children who could not afford park programs. Bill partnered with the Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society and the Vivian Maier estate for two fundraisers.

"Public Safety - Will communicate with 24th District Police, Fire Department, & First Responders consistently and regularly.
Bill attends CAPS meetings, Coffee with the Commander events, and National Night Out


"Public Health - Will address the lack of mental health facilities in City Council Chambers

Education - Support finance and renovation of Chicago Public Schools. Attendance in support of school programs and events.

- Will bring Jacques International Language Academy into Rogers Park and other resources, including Black Math Genius, that improve the educational outcomes of our marginalized populations.
Our community needs an education-based Community Center for all, a Technology Center with basic computer training and resources, including free homework and resume printing.
Bill will bring Quest Network Services back to Rogers Park.

Bill worked with Professor Rooshey Hasnain in advocating for people with disabilities.
Asians with Disabilities Outreach Project Think-Tank (ADOPT) development of outreach strategies and tools that VR agencies and community-based organizations (CBOs) can use to help AAWD and other immigrant and refugee job seekers with disabilities find employment; 2) research, in the form of focus groups and qualitative and quantitative data analysis; and 3) focus by ADOPT’s three task forces on high-priority, community-identified needs.
Partners of Refugees in Illinois Disability Employment (PRIDE) An initiative focusing on the development and dissemination of employment training to improve vocation
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Department of Disability and Human Development (DHD) Service Learning Site Co-Supervisor



Environment - Bill will hold the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicagoland accountable for dumping toilet and sewer waste overflow directly into Lake Michigan.
Water is life.

Bill encourages green roofs for all commercial strip malls in the 49th Ward and energy conservation
Bill supports Water Conservation Days, Earth Day, use of rain barrels, permeable surfaces, green roofs, and green spaces.
Bill supports neighborhood walkability, bicycling, and using public transportation
Bill believes that re-use is better than recycling

Sponsor of the Arts
The Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce was the Lake Michigan Level Sponsor of the Artists of the Wall and Loyola Movies in the Park.
The Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce was the West Stage Sponsor of Glenwood Avenue Arts Festival.
Bill Morton for 49th Ward Alderman was a Sponsor of the Glenwood Avenue Arts Festival.
Hosted Zhanna Biletska & Fabiola Guzman Fine Art exhibit receptions at campaign headquarters.
Hosted Jill Zylke Fine Art exhibit opening reception at campaign headquarters.

Bill was disappointed that Glenwood Avenue Arts Festival did not include Rogers Park musical mainstays, including the Amazing Heeby Jeebies and Jimmy Bennington.

Bill promises to implement the Taste of Rogers Park and grace this new annual event with local Rogers Park artists.

Awards
For his work helping small businesses, institutions, and nonprofit organizations as Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce President, Bill received the Community Builder 2022-2023 award from Jacques International Language Academy, and the Saint Joseph the Worker Award from Evangelical Catholic Diocese of the Northwest.



Bill's work experience:
Chicago Special Events Management
Cook County Department of Elections
Fung's Chinese Mandarin Cuisine
Gay Chicago Magazine
Kate Smith Promotions (current)
Los Portales Mexican Restaurant
Quest Network Services

Bill is a proud member of:
Equality Illinois
Illinois Restaurant Association
International Art Adventures
IVI-IPO
Rainbow PUSH Coalition

Endorsed by:
Dr. Willie Wilson
Dr. Catherine Brown D'Tycoon
Frank Avila Sr., former Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner
Val Leventhal, host The Val Leventhal Show on Que4 Radio

To create change, you need a change.

Where there's a will, there's Bill!