As reported by Bruce Murphy of Urban Milwaukee, Sue Black has apparently been fired from her position as Milwaukee County Parks Director.
Milwaukee County Parks Director Sue Black has left her job and all signs suggest she was asked to leave. Executive Chris Abele has announced a national search for a new Parks Director to replace Black. Supervisor Gerry Broderick told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he heard Black was fired.
Sources say Black was escorted from her office and that police were there. Attempts to reach Black at her job at the parks office were unsuccessful. “She’s not here. She’s no longer employed here,” the person answering the phone said, adding that he had no other phone number for her.
As Murphy noted, Black was highly regarded and had a reputation for doing a lot with a parks budget that was constantly being cut. Black won national honors for her work as Milwaukee County Parks Director, and she was also cited as one of Milwaukee’s 10 most effective leaders in a cover story on leadership in the January issue of Milwaukee Magazine.
Given that Black’s departure is a personnel matter, we may never know the reason why she left her position as Milwaukee County Parks Director, but it seems pretty clear that her successor will have big shoes to fill.
From personal experience, she was an advocate for those who actually use the park system. This is a major setback for the parks.
You don’t suppose she was against selling ‘park land’, i.e. the transit center, for private development, like County Exec Abele’s high rise tower?
That’s an interesting theory, and I’m inclined to think there might be something to it, because it’s odd that Black would be shown the door so soon after being renominated and reconfirmed to her position.
She was fired from DNR and it is a surprise that she lasted this long in Milwaukee County. She is a horrible person to work for. Profane name calling in front of co-workers and in meetings was common.