Cook County Highway Engineer Robbie Haas presented a proposed reorganization to the Committee of the Whole on June 17 that would restore an engineering supervisor role in the Highway Department to provide technical leadership, standardization and on‑the‑job mentoring for technicians responsible for in‑house design and project delivery.

Haas said the change is driven by staffing turnover and the departure of experienced technicians; he described the proposed supervisor as a technical lead (not an additional project manager) who would not take primary responsibility for individual projects but would provide templates, technical standards, and immediate expertise for technicians and assist across concurrent projects. Haas emphasized the proposal would not add a new full‑time headcount beyond existing classifications; rather, the department would use an existing classification ladder (Engineering Technician 1/2) and create a supervisor role within current staffing and grade structures. He said the salary impact for the 2025 budget would be modest (approximate $5,000–$10,000 range discussed) and would be within the Highway budget.

Why it matters: The department has increased in‑house project delivery in recent years and commissioners asked for an evidence‑based justification tied to project delivery capacity, cost savings from standardization and staff training, and measurable outcomes. Several commissioners recommended benchmarking with comparable counties and providing metrics that show how a supervisor would improve efficiency and protect grant deliverables.

Details: Haas described the supervisor’s duties as technical mentorship for CAD and plan standards, maintaining templates and standards, and providing field support during construction season. Commissioners asked about comparables and budget impact; Haas said he has consulted peer counties and confirmed similar structures exist, and that the proposed change is intended to avoid a bottleneck and preserve capability to deliver three to four in‑house projects simultaneously.

Next steps: The item will be on next week’s board agenda for formal action; Haas said he will provide a job description and a short business case that includes project‑delivery risk and budget impact.