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Trio helps keep Evanston streets clear
Updated: February 21, 2013 2:38PM
When it come to keeping winter at bay and off the streets of Evanston, the city has finds success in the hands of Superintendent of Streets & Sanitation James Maiworm of Glencoe, Streets Department Supervisor Glenn A. Crabtree of Skokie, and Public Works Operations Coordinator Kevin Johnson of Markham.
They are three among municipal staff who work 24/7 at clearing alleys and roadways of snow while residents often slumber.
Q. So are you guys truly three men and a (snow) plow?
A. Yesssssssss.
Q. What an amazing job you guys have. How fun is it?
A. Johnson: Fun enough that I’ve done this job for the last 22 years.
Crabtree: Uh, I’ve done it for 36 (years) and this is my last winter (he’s retiring).
Maiworm: I’ve been doing this for 29 years and I still have quite a few more to go.
Q. What are some of your fun memories from being on the job, then, Glenn?
A. Crabtree: Plowing, the blizzard a couple years ago (Groundhog Day) was extremely fun. I was working at night during that time period and just watching the snow cascade east to west in a parallel fashion and not coming down.
Q. What’s it like being in a plow truck, when it’s just you and Old Man Winter plus Mother Nature?
A. Johnson: Oh, it’s great. You know, there’s nothing like it to watch the snow come down and actually plow and fight the elements, nothing like it.
A. Maiworm: Yeah, I’d agree with that. It’s aImost like you’re competing against Mother Nature. You know, there’s a lot of solitude in the truck, but most of our trucks have radios.
A. Johnson: It’s blinding at times, so it keeps you on your toes while you’re out there driving.
Q. Are you a summer or are you a winter person, Glenn, since you are retiring?
A. Crabtree: I don’t know. I mean, operationally here, we go by seasons. We have our snow season, we have our leaf season, we have our construction season, you know, so we are constantly rotating.
Maiworm: I think, secretly, all of us are to an extent winter people. I mean, you know what you’re getting into when you get into this business. There is a certain attitude and a certain flavor when you’re fighting a snowstorm. There are certain people that just enjoy doing that.
Q. So Kevin, what do you think of these two guys?
A. Johnson: I love them both (all three laugh, “Good answer!,” says Glenn. “Real good answer!” adds Jim.) You got to remember, both of them are my bosses. I love them both …
Q. Kevin, are they (Jim, Glenn) the best bosses?
A. Johnson: They’re the greatest
