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Parents say Evanston Special Olympics staffing gaps remain after coach’s termination; council urged to act
Summary
Parents and program supporters told the council city managers must fill a Special Olympics coordinator role and post promised job openings and certified coach positions after the termination of longtime coach Leonard Woodson. Speakers said the city has not posted job listings and that families remain uncertain about program continuity.
Parents and supporters urged the Evanston City Council on Aug. 25 to accelerate hiring and clarify who will coordinate Special Olympics programming after the termination of longtime coach Leonard Woodson. Linda Houser, a parent and longtime volunteer, said the city placed responsibility with the city manager and that promised job postings and coach certifications have not appeared. “We were promised that job postings would be made for coaches specified in specific sports and for an accessible recreation program coordinator for Special Olympic and camps,” Houser told the council.
Why it matters: Parents said Northwestern Special Olympics partners and volunteer networks need a named contact to coordinate tickets, halftime appearances and other opportunities. Cecilia Wallen, another parent, told the council “Mister Woodson's termination began over a month ago and no job listings for a Special Olympics coordinator or for additional certified coaches have been posted.”
Concerns raised: Parents said the city’s transition planning failed to account for the specialized skills Woodson brought to the program and that families are experiencing loss and uncertainty. Wallen said comments from staff that “we lost 1 coach, but we have 18 other excellent coaches” overlooked the ‘‘exceptional skills and experience’’ that parents say Woodson provided. Parents also said they left a list of outstanding issues at a Parks and Recreation board meeting that have not yet been addressed.
What council/staff were asked to do: Speakers asked the city manager to post job descriptions and coach postings, name a contact person for Northwestern Special Olympics, and clarify certification requirements for coaches. City Manager Stowe acknowledged two items in the city manager's announcements earlier in the meeting but no formal hiring motion or timeline was presented during the council meeting.
Next steps: Parents said they will continue to press the city for action and will seek postings, role descriptions and an accountable point of contact. The council did not take a formal vote on personnel actions during the public comment period.
