Administrator hiring and LEC renovation processes move to next phase

Kirsten Wisniewski | January 30, 2025

After receiving 41 applications, the Cook County Board of Commissioners will review interview answers for 12 candidates for the role of county administrator. Interim County Administrator Rowan Watkins gave the board an update at their meeting on Jan. 28. He also shared an update on the Capital Improvement Plan, (CIP) which includes a proposed renovation and addition to the Law Enforcement Center (LEC).

Administrator hiring update

Watkins explained that DDA, the HR firm that the county hired to guide the administrator hiring process, reviewed all 41 applications, and selected the 12 candidates that best met the qualifications that the commissioners identified at the end of last year while building a candidate profile. Those top candidates will move on to the next step in the process. Watkins said, “These 12 candidates, per the process for DDA will take work personality index tests, complete an information disclosure statement, which is geared to explain any negative press or resume gaps that that they may have they’d like to address. And then, of course, as we’ve discussed, the online video interview.”

The candidates will be discussed at the Feb. 11 meeting. Instead of names they will be identified by numbers to protect privacy at that point in the process. The board will be tasked with narrowing the 12 remaining applicants down to just five who will be invited to interview in-person. Those interviews are tentatively scheduled for March 5.

CIP update

In addition to the update on hiring a new administrator, Watkins told the board that as the LEC addition and renovation plan progresses, some design changes have been made. He said that the new design would comprise of a single-story addition. The change reduces the square footage of the project by 1,800 sq ft, and eliminates the need for an elevator. Despite the adjustments, the project is still sticking to the planned design timeline. Watkins said, “We’re still on schedule for coming to the board, even with those changes, Feb. 25 with a recommendation on a schematic and a design. And from there, it would be for the board to decide how we would like to do additional public information sessions.”

Watkins has previously told WTIP that once the board accepts an initial design, there will an opportunity for the public to weigh in on the project before construction begins.

Audio of Watkins’ statements to the board during the Jan. 28 meeting can be found below.