County administrator transition process underway in Cook County

County Administrator James Joerke has a full week on the job working at his new post in Cook County.

With his contract approved by the Cook County Board of Commissioners in late September, Joerke arrived to Grand Marais and the North Shore earlier this month and appeared in his first meeting of the county board Oct. 13.

Joerke arrives from Kansas City where he was an associate executive director for the non-profit organization Bridging the Gap, an organization that focuses on the environment and clean water.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to alter the way local government functions and meets at this time and Election Day draws near, the Cook County Board of Commissioners agreed on a succession plan to keep Interim Cook County Administrator Rena Rogers in her current dual role with the county in order to assist Joerke and transition to new leadership at the county level. Rogers will now serve as the ‘transitional county administrator’ until the end of the year.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Rogers about this transition and the role of the county administrator in Cook County.

Joe Friedrichs October 19, 2020