Evanston Names Public Works Bureau Managers

Information provided by the City of Evanston

City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz and Public Works Agency Director Dave Stoneback announced today the appointment of three of the four new public works agency bureau managers.

Jim Maiworm has been named infrastructure maintenance bureau manager, Paul D’Agostino environmental services bureau manager and Lara Biggs, capital planning and engineering bureau manager.

City officials are continuing recruitment for the water production bureau manager. In the interim, Sustainability Manager Catherine Hurley will fill the position.

Jim Maiworm

The infrastructure maintenance bureau is responsible for the maintenance of city streets, alleys, sidewalks, water and sewer infrastructure. Bureau manager Jim Maiworm began his career with the City of Evanston as the Superintendent of Streets and Sanitation in November of 2011. In 2013 Maiworm was promoted to assistant director of public works for operations and maintenance during a reorganization in which the Public Works Department absorbed the forestry, parks and facilities divisions of the city.

Prior to coming to Evanston, Maiworm was director of public works for Hawthorn Woods and has also served as the superintendent of street services inOak Park and as a public works superintendent in Palatine. Maiworm has 29 years of experience in public works management, capital projects, street maintenance union contract negotiations, forestry and park maintenance and snow removal operations.

Maiworm has three associates’ degrees from William Rainey Harper College: an Associates of Applied Science in Park Management, An Associates of Applied Science in Horticulture and an Associate of Arts in General Studies.

He is a past president of the American Public Works Association Suburban Branch. Maiworm is married and he has five children ranging from 22 to 9 years old.

Paul D’Agostino

The Environmental Services Bureau is responsible for forestry, refuse, recycling and the maintenance of our greenways and parks throughout the city. Bureau Manager Paul D’Agostino started with the City of Evanston in 1987 and has been responsible for our forestry and greenways maintenance since 1995. He has a bachelor of science degree in plant and soil science from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and is a certified arborist, playground inspector and certified task specialist with the US Department of Agriculture Urban Forest Strike Team.

Lara Biggs

The Capital Planning and Engineering Bureau is responsible for citywide capital planning, capital projects and engineering. Bureau Manager Lara Biggs has worked in the water and wastewater industry for 20 years. She graduated from University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in environmental engineering. She worked as a consulting engineer doing design and oversight of large engineering projects for municipalities for over 10 years. She started working for the city of Evanston in 2007 overseeing the capital improvement program for water and sewer projects. She also supervised field operations for the water distribution system and sewer collection system. During this time, she has focused on developing a sustainable capital program through long-term planning and collaboration with other departments. She has led city efforts to increase public understanding of water treatment, water conservation and city water and sewer operations, increasing outreach to both Evanston children and adults through water plant tours, school visits, and events at city festivals. She is active in the American Water Works Association, an international organization of drinking water professionals, where she works to promote public outreach and education for members.

Catherine Hurley

The Water Production Bureau is responsible for the operation of the Evanston Water Plant. Interim Bureau Manager Catherine Hurley joined the City of Evanston in 2010 and has been responsible for developing and implementing Evanston’s Climate Action Plan and Livability Initiative within municipal operations and across the community. As sustainability manager, her project highlights includes securing 100 percent green energy for residents and small business through Community Choice Electricity Aggregation, earning grant funding to develop Evanston’s Water Conservation and Efficiency Plan and spearheading staff public education and outreach programs around sustainability topics. Catherine lead Evanston’s effort to become the second city in the nation to earn a 4-STAR Rating from STAR Communities, which evaluates cities on their efforts to provide for a healthy environment, strong local economy, and vibrant community.

Prior to joining the City of Evanston, Catherine worked for MWH Americas Inc., an engineering consulting company, where she was a supervising engineer and project manager. In this role, she worked with state and local governments to plan, design, and construct projects for the protection and management of drinking water, stormwater and wastewater. Her projects included hydraulic modeling of many water treatment plants and distribution systems, including Evanston. Catherine has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Dayton, is a registered professional engineer and a LEED accredited professional.