It’s almost four months into the new year and the city is down to four candidates for the position of manager of equity and organizational performance.
“Yes and we are now in the interview stage,” said City Manager Luke Stowe in an email on March 27. “We hope to be able to offer the position to a final candidate in the next couple of weeks.”
Filling this position is one of Stowe’s highest priorities for 2023. A total of 27 people have applied to the position, said Jessie Mayo, the city’s community & employee engagement coordinator.
The city has narrowed that list down to four applicants to interview. None of the four currently work for the city.
City staff sought candidates with “fresh outside perspective” rather than current city employees, Stowe told the RoundTable in December 2022.
The equity manager will report to Stowe and be the “principal advisor” for racial equity within the city’s workplace. The city launched its search for this position after Black city employees released an explosive 39-page letter, report and action plan detailing more than 60 examples of racial discrimination.
This is a great idea and best wishes to Mr. Stowe to identify and hire a qualified professional.
I hope the City would also consider hiring an Independent Inspector General (I believe this position would pay for itself in savings to residents and taxpayers)!
Respectfully submitted, Brian G. Becharas
Is there a requirement that this employee actually be a resident of Evanston? Are any of the 4 short listed residents? When are we going to stop hiring outside of our city for positions that so greatly impact our city? If they don’t live here and aren’t directly impacted by their decisions, what makes them care about the actions they take?