Cook County asks for public input during administrator hiring process

The Cook County Board of Commissioners will interview two candidates on Wednesday, March 12, as they seek to fill the County Administrator position. Interim Administrator Rowan Watkins has served in the role since October of last year.

The interviews will take place during a public meeting beginning at 8:30 a.m. Members of the public will have the option to attend in-person at the Cook County Courthouse, or stream the meeting live, or after the fact, through the county’s website.

Over the past several regular Board of Commissioners meetings, the board has discussed how best to solicit and process public feedback on the candidates. They have opted to use an online form that will become available at the start of the interviews. The public will have until midnight on March 13 to submit responses. Both the form and a guide on what kind of feedback is appropriate can be found on the county’s website.

The board expects to decide whether to hire either candidate at a special meeting on Thursday, March 13. That meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will also be open to the public.

Kirsten Wisniewski March 11, 2025