Plainfield elevates assistant as new public works director

Plainfield — The village of Plainfield hired a new director to lead its Public Works Department.

Mayor John Argoudelis announced the hiring of Scott Threewitt as the village’s new public works director to fill the job left by the retirement of longtime director Allen Persons earlier this year.

Threewitt had been serving as the assistant public works director under Persons. He’s been with the village since 2011.

“One of the things we talked about was 10 or 20 years from now, future generations looking back and saying ‘Wow, they really thought ahead,’” Argoudelis said during Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting. “And I know Scott’s the person that will be able to do that for us.”

Threewitt is a registered professional engineer, certified bridge inspector and holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Argoudelis said Threewitt’s annual salary as the village’s public works director would be $150,000.

The mayor pointed to multiple big projects the department will be engaged with under Threewitt, namely the long-planned 143rd Street extension aimed at alleviating truck traffic along Route 59.

The village is also looking to work on a 10-year mobility plan, which Argoudelis said would include not just roadway improvements, but also potentially bike paths, electric charging stations and designing roadways for self-driving cars.

“I want us to think ahead,” Argoudelis said.