City, Public Works Director, Part Ways

Public Works Director Suzette Robinson has been “separated” from the City of Evanston, according to a Friday email from City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz.

The decision to let Robinson go comes at a time when the city is looking at consolidating its Public Works and Utilities departments into a new Public Works Agency with four Bureaus to carry out functions.

“The creation of the Public Works Agency will reorganize the management structure of the former departments, but will not change positions that directly deliver services to the community,” Bobkiewicz said. “No layoffs of employees represented by AFSCME are planned. Changes are expected among the manager and supervisor ranks as some existing positions will be eliminated.”

Assistant City Manager Marty Lyons will meet with employees of both departments over the next week to detail the proposed structure of the new Agency. He will present a review of both department operations to the City Council on August 31.

Robinson has worked for the Public Works Department since 2006 and was promoted to director in 2010.

Among her accomplishments, according to Bobkiewicz, are “overseeing snow removal efforts during two major blizzards, a record breaking snowfall season and a record breaking polar vortex” and “spearheading the efforts to expand Evanston’s recycling program by increasing residents’ recycling capacity, securing grants for the program, expanding recycling collection to business districts, parks and multi-family properties, implementing education and awareness programs.”

“Ms. Robinson also made it a priority to support and develop youth in our community by serving as a community service site for the Evanston Police Department, serving as one of the larger city employee sites for the Mayor’s Summer Youth Program and providing internships and seasonal employment for Evanston youths home for the summer from college.”