Happy New Year's Eve! On this last day of 2025, I'm filled with gratitude for the opportunities my team and I have had over this last year to serve the constituents of the 49th Ward and the City of Chicago. While this year was anything but ordinary, with ICE agents kidnapping our neighbors, an unprecedented federal government shutdown that affected crucial resources, and a city budget process unlike anything we had seen before, I am delighted by the ways our community stuck together and showed up when it mattered most. This work was not easy, and at times, it tested all of our resolves. Nevertheless, we continued to fight against unjust oppression and reinforce that Rogers Park is a united front and the best neighborhood in Chicago. 

Thank you for choosing me to represent you in City Council and for supporting me and my team. We may not know what 2026 holds in store for us, but if 2025 taught us anything, the 49th Ward is a resilient and resourceful community, and when it matters, we step up and protect each other.

To prepare for 2026, we are all enjoying some well-deserved time off. Remember, the office is closed until Wednesday, January 7th. We all return to work on Monday, January 5th but will be in a two-day staff development meeting to plan and prepare for the year.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year - I can't wait to see you all in 2026!

Alderwoman Maria Hadden