SHARE Sue Black Poll Does Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele owe his constituents an explanation of why he fired parks director Sue Black? Yes, the public has a right to know why a government official takes certain actions. No, this is a purely internal personnel matter vote View Results Yes, the public has a right to know why a government official takes certain actions.: 78% No, this is a purely internal personnel matter: 22% Total Responses: 3385

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Milwaukee County Parks Director Sue Black, who brought national honors to the county's park system, was fired Thursday by County Executive Chris Abele.

Black said she was stunned when told by Abele during a regular weekly meeting with him that "we are going in another direction. We are letting you go."

She said Abele wouldn't tell her why he didn't want her at the helm of the Parks Department any longer. Abele said he did tell Black the reason for her termination, but he declined to publicly disclose that.

"I don't owe you gossip," Abele said repeatedly to reporters asking about the reason for Black's ouster at an afternoon news conference. He said the move wasn't arbitrary or personal. Abele also said the firing was not a prelude to some big parks budget cut.

"Jobs change," he said. "Nobody gets an appointment for life."

Black's firing came just a few months after Abele nominated her to stay on for another four years.

She said she had no idea what was coming when Abele gave her the bad news.

"I said, 'Are you serious? I deserve better than this after 10 years,' " Black said in a phone interview. She said she was locked out of her office in Wauwatosa while she was at the courthouse meeting with Abele. Her county cellphone was cut off by late afternoon.

Abele issued a terse statement thanking her for her service and announcing a national search for a new parks leader. He called her "a strong steward for the Milwaukee County Parks System."

Supervisor Gerry Broderick, the chairman of the County Board's Parks Committee, reacted angrily to the news of Black's firing. Broderick has been a strong supporter of Black.

"If they have some cause, they haven't revealed it," Broderick said. "Short of a felony, this is the most foolish thing. Her personal integrity is beyond question."

Broderick said he had supported Black for county executive after Gov. Scott Walker quit as Milwaukee County executive in late 2010. Black, however, decided not to run and threw her support to Abele.

By firing Black, Abele has "declared war," Broderick said. "This guy's got a dragon by the tail - the public backlash is going to be fierce."

County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic said she was sorry to see Black leave, though she noted it was within Abele's authority to replace her.

"Black became the public face of the Milwaukee County Parks, and I thank her for her efforts to tell the parks' story," Dimitrijevic said.

Supervisor Jason Haas called Black's firing "a real shocker. This is a heck of a move." Haas said Black's been "a very popular person. People around here loved her and had a great respect for her."

Successful leader

Black, 51, was hired in 2003 after stints running the state parks systems in Wisconsin and Arizona. Black has gotten high marks from Abele in the past, as well as from county supervisors, parks advocates and community leaders. She's been credited with helping shepherd upgrades of Bradford Beach, Lake Park, the Mitchell Park Domes and other more recent projects such as the opening of a beer garden at Estabrook Park this summer. She also helped establish off-leash dog exercise areas in five parks.

The Parks Department under Black's guidance won the national Gold Medal in 2009, which honors excellence in parks management. She also won the Norman Gill Award for individual excellence by a government leader this year from the nonpartisan Public Policy Forum.

Rob Henken, president of the forum and a former top county administrator, said he too was surprised by Abele's move. The award was in recognition for Black's innovation and work on public-private partnerships to upgrade parks, he said.

"I don't think there's any disputing that she accomplished a lot as parks director," Henken said.

It hasn't all been roses for Black. A fierce advocate for her department, Black has at times locked horns with other county administrators. In 2006, Walker threatened to fire Black unless she solved a $2.3 million deficit in her department. She nonetheless endured in the job. Black backed - at times gingerly - the idea of establishing a dedicated funding source for parks, a view that was at odds with Walker's.

Over the years Black's budget has been repeatedly cut in the face of county budget woes, but also augmented greatly by her talent for private fundraising and recruiting of parks friends' groups.

Her popularity, not to mention the ever-present idea that she just might run for county executive, gave her a certain amount of leverage, as did the popularity of the parks system. She was given a fair amount of freedom to find creative ways to refurbish the aging system, and used her immense powers of persuasion to garner private financial support for the parks and put in place a vision for saving them.

Abele has spoken glowingly of Black in the past and bucked critics on the County Board when he gave her two raises in 2011, saying she deserved them. During his 2011 campaign for county executive, Abele frequently singled out Black as a top-notch county department head who deserved more resources as reward for her success on the job.

Abele gave Black raises totaling about $21,000 last year, saying her pay had been frozen for several years and because she got an offer to run the Chicago Parks District. She turned down the offer.

At the time of her firing, her pay stood at about $140,000.

Black has won appointments to top jobs from both Republican and Democratic leaders. Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson hired her to run the state park system, and Walker, also a Republican, tapped her to head the county parks operation. Abele, a Democrat, reappointed Black last year.

Dave Umhoefer of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.