Assistant City Manager to Leave for Position in Ohio

Joe McRae, Deputy City Manager/Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services for the City of Evanston, has resigned effective next month to become a Parks and Recreation Director in the Cleveland area.

“Joe McRae has been a leader and role model in the Evanston community,” City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz said Wednesday. “His intelligence, humor and compassion will be greatly missed.”

Bobkiewicz credits McRae for Evanston’s highly touted 3-1-1 service.

“His 12 month project creating the system has been heralded nationwide as a model for starting a 3-1-1 service,” Bobkiewicz said.

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Having served as Assistant City Manager since 2008, McRae took on the new role with the Parks and Recreation Department in 2013.

“During Joe’s time at Parks and Rec., he has lead a process to transform and reinvigorate a great department to become a truly outstanding operation serving the needs of all Evanston residents,” Bobkiewicz added. “The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is in an excellent position to continue its growth as one of the premier departments in the nation.”

McRae’s new role will officially be Director of Parks and Recreation in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

For Evanston, Bob Dorneker (Assistant Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services) will serve as Interim Department Director beginning on September 12. The City will begin a national recruitment for the next Director immediately with the expectation of filling the position by the end of the year, Bobkiewicz said.