EVANSTON, IL - City Manager Luke Stowe today announced the appointment of Dave Stoneback as the City of Evanston's deputy city manager and Edgar Cano as the City's public works director.

About Dave Stoneback

Stoneback has been serving as the City’s interim deputy city manager since October 2021, overseeing the Public Works, Community Development, and Administrative Services Departments as well as the Economic Development and Sustainability Divisions. Before that, he served as public works director beginning in 2015 and utilities director beginning in 2010. Stoneback has worked for the City of Evanston since 1985. 

Throughout his tenure, Stoneback oversaw the operations of the108 MGD water treatment plant, the second largest water treatment utility in Illinois. He also oversaw the City’s $210 million Long Range Relief Sewer Program, which has successfully mitigated combined sewage backups into basements. Over a seven year period, Stoneback led the operations of the Public Works Department comprised of more than 150 employees in the Public Services, Capital Planning and Engineering, and Water Production Bureaus. He was also an instrumental part of the team that negotiated new wholesale water supply agreements with Niles, Morton Grove and Lincolnwood. 

Stoneback holds a bachelor’s degree in water resources engineering from Penn State University.

About Edgar Cano

Cano has served as the City's public services bureau chief since 2018 after joining the City in 2017 as the streets supervisor. Over the past 11 months, Cano has also been serving as the acting public works agency director. 

In his formal position, Cano was responsible for the day-to-day and long-term maintenance of the City's public infrastructure, including its 76 parks, 190 lane miles of road, 32,000 trees, street light system, and refuse collection. In his acting position, he oversaw the Public Works Agency, which consists of three bureaus comprised of more than 150 staff. 

Throughout his tenure, Cano helped revamp snow and ice operations, introducing new technology and focusing on minimizing the environmental impacts associated with deicing and plowing methods. These improvements were recognized by the American Public Works Association, who in 2022 selected the City of Evanston as one of five national winners of the Excellence in Snow and Ice Control Award. 

Cano holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management and engineering technology from Purdue University. 

"Dave and Edgar have served in these interim leadership roles for the past 11 months under very challenging circumstances," said City Manager Luke Stowe. "They are dedicated, hard-working, and possess tremendous institutional knowledge about Evanston and its operations. I am grateful for their contributions to the City and look forward to working with them in their permanent roles."

For more information, please call/text 847-448-4311 or simply dial 311 in Evanston.