COOK- Cook resident Robert Jorgenson likely didn’t expect to get such a speedy response when he attended last week’s Cook City Council meeting to register a complaint about trash on some nearby properties owned by the Cook Housing and Redevelopment Authority. His complaint was addressed almost before he completed it by the man seated behind him, Mike Jugovich, the new CHRA executive director.
“We’ll be over there to take care of that tomorrow,” Jugovich said.
Jugovich replaces former executive director Reed Erickson, who resigned about two months ago. Erickson’s tenure was marked by accusations of heavy-handed management from a small number of residents who appeared frequently at council meetings to voice their complaints.
This time, comments from Jugovich were decidedly more upbeat.
“I’m Mike Jugovich and I’m your HRA director, and I have had a really good experience with it,” he began after being welcomed by City Administrator Theresa Martinson. “The board has been outstanding, and the residents have been great to work with. We are moving through some obstacles. but we’re going to win, failure is not going to be an option for us. We’re just about back on the right track.”
Jugovich noted that the apartments will be completely filled by mid-February.
“We want to make sure that these apartments are up to speed and people have a good experience,” he said. “They deserve to be in a clean, healthy environment. I think we’re trying to change the culture a bit and do things a little bit differently, bring people back into meetings and let them understand that they have a voice.”
Jugovich voiced a commitment to use local sources wherever possible for maintenance activities.
“We’re trying to buy as much local as we can,” he said. “There are some items that are difficult. But we’ve got great places right here in Cook to purchase things.”
Jugovich also talked about getting acquainted with some of the administrative ins and outs.
“When I walked in there’s a lot of things I didn’t have, and the board has been outstanding,” he said.. “Anytime I call somebody I get help. I’ve really leaned on the board, and it’s been such a wonderful experience because everybody has stepped up and said ‘What do you need?’ We want this operation to be good, strong and move into the future.”
Jugovich said he’s reworking the application waiting list according to Housing and Urban Development guidelines. He also talked about other ideas for improving CHRA, and extended an invitation to not only the council but the community.
“Please stop in and see us,” he said. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done, we’re very proud of the things that we’re doing, and very proud that we feel that the residents have gotten a sense of ownership back. It’s their building. We work for them.”
In a related matter, Mayor Harold Johnston recommended that former city counselor Dave Danz be appointed to the CHRA board. That recommendation was approved.
In other business, the council:
• Extended a warm welcome to newly-elected council member Liza Root.
• Approved annual budgets for the ambulance service and fire department.
• Approved payment of an invoice from SHE for $6,200 for work on the snow removal equipment building at the airport, and approved another invoice from KGM Contractors for the same project.
• Received a final report on the Artists on Main Street project.
• Heard from Mayor Johnston that an increase in per capita assessments to townships for fire protection will be needed to help provide for much-needed equipment upgrades. A preliminary assessment suggested the increase could possibly be from $20 to $40 per capita.
• Approved a bid from Shannon’s Mechanical Contractors for $7,300 to replace the furnace in the liquor store.
• Discussed housing development options.
• Heard a State of the City report from councilor Liz Storm, who highlighted a long list of positive aspects of the community that would make Cook attractive to new residents.