Chicago Park District Supt. Rosa Escareno is stepping down, the latest shakeup in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration after he vowed to purge officials who aren’t loyal to him.
Escareno, a longtime City Hall veteran, submitted her letter of resignation on Wednesday after four years of helming the top job at the Park District, according to sources who are familiar with her decision.
The expected departure will be the latest high-profile departure from city government in the wake of Johnson’s earlier warnings this month of a firing spree apparently focused on holdovers from past mayoral administrations.
Her replacement was not immediately clear, but the Johnson administration is considering longtime ally Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th. If confirmed, Ramirez-Rosa’s appointment would further increase progressive representation within Johnson’s leadership team, as the mayor hinted was the goal in his explosive Feb. 10 remarks.
During a “Faith in Government Tour” panel at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church that evening, Johnson said he should have “cleaned house faster” when it came to holdover City Hall staffers who did not “agree with (him) 100%” when he first became mayor. Days later, two members of his cabinet announced their resignations.
“If you ain’t with us, you just gotta go,” Johnson had said. “So now, I’m in a position now where I’ll be making some decisions in the days to come, because playing nice with other people who ain’t about us, it’s just a waste of exercise.”
Johnson’s predecessor Lori Lightfoot tapped Escareno to lead the Park District in 2021 after former Superintendent Michael Kelly resigned over the fallout from a lifeguard sexual abuse scandal.
Escareno, who had worked in Chicago city government since the 1990s, came out of retirement to assume the position. She had most recently served as the city’s Business Affairs and Consumer Protection commissioner and, before that, deputy chief operating officer in Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration.
It’s unclear what, if any, hang-ups the Johnson administration had with Escareno’s tenure that may have prompted her leaving the Park District.
The next parks superintendent will be expected to help shepherd the Johnson administration’s vision of expanding the city’s cultural footprint while also contending with solidifying the district’s long-term financial footing and lingering uncertainties over the fate of Soldier Field.
As a sister agency of the city, the Park District has a separate, $600 million budget that pays for the maintenance of parks, fieldhouses and other public facilities. It is the entity that handles permitting and contracts for special events including the blockbuster Lollapalooza music festival and NASCAR street race in Grant Park, which in turn generate revenue for the city’s parks and programs.
Some aspects of the Park District’s portfolio have bigger footprints than others, though. Soldier Field — and its two most notable tenants, the Chicago Bears and Chicago Fire — remains a political headache for mayors.
The Bears lease is not up until 2033, but the franchise continues its multi-pronged exploration for a new home in Arlington Heights, a beefed up dome near the current Soldier Field, or setting up shop at the former Michael Reese site. Johnson has said keeping the NFL team in Chicago is a priority.
The Fire’s lease at Soldier Field ends this year. Owner Joe Mansueto is potentially looking at either The 78 or Lincoln Yards to build a new 25,000 seat stadium for the soccer team.
Two weeks ago, Jamie Rhee, commissioner of the Department of Aviation, and Jose Tirado, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, also announced their resignations. They were both also holdovers from previous mayoral administrations, though Tirado had already planned to leave earlier this year to join the Cook County state’s attorney’s office and didn’t appear to be part of a Johnson administration purge.
The aviation opening — which has yet to be filled — gives Johnson a chance to shape the leadership of the department tasked with running operations inside the two airports after seven years with Rhee in charge. Her successor will take over leading the major, ongoing overhaul of O’Hare International Airport’s terminals that has at times pitted Johnson against the Illinois congressional delegation.
