Bakan is Cook Utilities Superintendent

James Bakan was hired as the Utilities Superintendent for the Village of Cook in April and started his duties in May. Bakan is a native of Southern California. He and his family moved to Cook in 2014. Bakan started his career in the plumbing industry and continued in this capacity until 2010. Then he started working in building maintenance. He continued to work in building maintenance at Norris Public Schools until he took the position as the utilities superintendent for the Cook community.
“My number one priority is water,” said Bakan. He is currently being trained by former Utilities Superintendent Jason Brandt on Cook's water system and maintenance. “Jason has been a huge help. I respect everything he's done.”
Bakan was involved in making everything in the Cook community look nice and clean for Cook Days, which was held July 17-19. He also has completed the replacement of all the plumbing and porcelain fixtures in the park restrooms, as well as giving the interior and exterior walls a new coat of paint. “Now I can start focusing on the next phase of improvements the board wants me to do,” Bakan said.
Trimming and removing tree limbs that fell during a windstorm that blew through the Cook area on July 3 also kept Bakan busy.
“Everyone pulled together to clean things up,” said Bakan. He hopes the Village of Cook will receive some disaster relief funds to assist residents with any damage to their homes.
According to Bakan the most challenging part of his job has been learning about Cook's water system as well as the state regulations and paperwork that goes along with the water maintenance duties.
Bakan enjoys working in his hometown of Cook.
“I just want to do the best I can for the people and I take pride in what I do. The Cook village board members are fantastic to work with. They all work hard to make Cook better.”
Bakan and his wife, Courtney, have two daughters, Hadley, age 13, and Hazel, age 9. Both girls are musically talented and both can play the violin/fiddle. Hadley also plays the guitar and other instruments.
James said he has several hobbies himself including playing guitar, painting and leather-working. Through the years, Bakan has sold several paintings of oceanscapes as well as scenic barns of Nebraska.
“My family and I are very grateful to be a part of the Cook community,” Bakan concluded.