Downtown R.I. has new operations manager
By Emily Bell
The Rock Island Downtown Alliance recently doubled its workforce (to two) with the hiring of Operations Manager De’Andre Robinson.
A longtime Rock Island resident, Robinson previously worked as the community outreach coordinator at Rock Island-based nonprofit Christian Care, providing homeless street outreach and case management services throughout downtown and the Illinois Quad Cities, according to the downtown Rock Island website.
“De’Andre’s knowledge, passion and boots-on-the-ground experience working with a wide range of stakeholders set him apart from other candidates and enable him to perform this job at a high level,” said Downtown Alliance executive director Jack Cullen. “In under a month, he’s already shown a knack for building relationships and noticing and addressing disorder in the district. These intangibles, coupled with his eagerness to learn, are setting the Downtown Alliance up for success.”
Robinson is working with Cullen to launch a new “Clean and Safe” program for the city of Rock Island’s Downtown Special Service Area (SSA). Enhanced clean and safe place management services include litter and vandalism removal; business and visitor assistance; and mobile safety patrol and outreach in the downtown, the website’s blog says.
Robinson will lead a crew of new Downtown Alliance Cleaning Ambassadors and help manage partnerships with the city, law enforcement and social service providers to execute these activities that supplement general municipal services and property owner obligations.
In the last three weeks, Robinson has visited 125 downtown businesses and property owners across the commercial neighborhood, thanks in part to a leased utility vehicle branded with the Downtown Alliance logo and colors.
“I’m comfortable communicating and sharing resources with people in the area. My experience at Christian Care helped me build relationships with residents, local agencies and downtown business owners,” Robinson said. “I’m excited to be serving the community in this new and expanded capacity for the Downtown Alliance and look forward to improving the downtown for everyone.”
More than two-thirds of Robinson’s work will be administering clean and safe services downtown. These efforts will be aided by a place management progress-tracking mobile software application, implemented the same week Robinson started.
“We will use this technology to track all our work in real-time, from the number of trash bags filled and graffiti tags removed to businesses assisted and negative behaviors deterred,” Cullen said. “Measuring progress and sharing results is vital to this work, and I’m glad we have the proper tools to do it from the start.”
The Downtown Alliance will host an official launch party to kick off the new organization on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at Huckleberry’s, 223 18th St., from 4 to 6 p.m. All downtown business and property owners have been invited to attend and learn more about plans for the future.
Speakers will include Cullen, Rock Island Mayor Mike Thomas and Downtown Alliance board chair Arron Sutherland. For more information, visit the RIDA website HERE.
