Longtime Evanston Parks Department Staffer Exits For Lincolnwood

LINCOLNWOOD, IL — The top deputy in the Evanston Parks and Recreation Department resigned to take a job as chief of the parks department in Lincolnwood. The move comes amid an ongoing investigation into her former department's handling of allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct.

Karen Hawk had worked for the city since 2003, starting as a program manager and becoming a recreation manager before her promotion five years ago to assistant director of parks and recreation. Prior to taking the job in Evanston, Hawk was a recreational supervisor for the Winnetka Community House and a program coordinator for the Peoria Park District.

"It has been my pleasure working for the City for the past 18 years and I am very grateful for all the opportunities the City of Evanston has afforded me. I am very proud of all the ways the Parks and Recreation department has served the community. Evanston is a great community to both work and play and I know that the department will continue to provide incredible programs and services for the residents to enjoy," Hawk said in her Sept. 28 resignation letter.

"I will very much miss working with all of the City teams and serving the community," she added. "I wish you all the best and look forward to participating in recreation programs and enjoying all the amazing parks."

Tuesday was her last day on the job. She is due to begin work in Lincolnwood on Nov. 1.

“It is my honor and privilege to serve the Village of Lincolnwood to continue to build community through Parks and Recreation and provide the best experience for our residents and visitors,” Hawk said in a statement announcing her appointment.

"We are thrilled to welcome Karen to Lincolnwood," Lincolnwood Mayor Jesal Patel said in a statement. "Karen’s proven ability in Evanston over the last 18 years will certainly help to lead us forward with the planned enhancements to our Parks facilities and programs.”

Village Manager Anne Marie Gaura said she was excited for Hawk to start her new position and meet Lincolnwood residents as planning for fall and winter events gets underway.

“We are so excited to have Karen join our team in Lincolnwood," Gaura said in a statement. "Her breadth of experience and knowledge in the field of Parks and Recreation will be an unparalleled asset as our Department continues to perform at such a high level.”

Like Evanston, Lincolnwood's parks are governed by the municipality rather than a separately elected park district.

As Evanston Patch reported in August, Hawk was among the five city employees who met in July 2020 with a group of women who presented a petition to city officials seeking an apology for sexual misconduct toward employees at the city's lakefront.

The petition was supplemented with a series of anonymous comments from current and former female employees that included accounts of abuse and sexual assault by male supervisors. The city has hired an outside law firm to conduct an investigation into the allegations and response by city staff.

In the past two months, at least three of the employees who met with the petitioners have resigned their jobs at the city. Likewise, former City Manager Erika Storlie resigned after the City Council approved a negotiated severance deal worth about $100,000. Hawk did not receive any severance or separation agreement.

However, Parks and Recreation Director Lawrence Hemingway, Hawk's former boss, last month withdrew his name from consideration for a job in Michigan to which he had been appointed in August, rescinding his application ahead of a scheduled Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to consider approval of his background check.

Records show Hawk was never formally disciplined over her handling of the lakefront sexual misconduct scandal.

However, she was issued a one-day suspension in 2019 in connection with signing off on "several improper credit card transactions" for former employee Kevin Brown, the popular youth and young adult division community service manager, according to a disciplinary action form obtained via the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

In what his supporters described as a retaliatory move, Brown was fired after he was accused of violating personnel rules by paying parking tickets his employees had received at the Civic Center parking lot with a city-issued credit card.

It could not be immediately determined if Hawk took a pay cut to move to the position in Lincolnwood. Patch has requested her latest compensation package from the village and will add it here when received.

In Evanston, Hawk was budgeted to earn over $150,000 in 2021 as an assistant director. According to Lincolnwood's annual salary report, the village's previous parks and recreation director, Melissa Rimdzius Marsh, received less than $129,000 in total compensation before taking a job in May as superintendent of recreation and museum services at the Glenview Park District.

Related:
Evanston Parks Director Withdraws After Appointment In Michigan
Lakefront Sex Harassment Scandal Probe Assigned To Outside Firm
City Urged To Reconsider Firing Of Community Services Manager