Gaytan takes the wheel with Kankakee's public works

KANKAKEE — From her perch in the seat inside the cab of the end loader Yuliana Gaytan often operates for the Kankakee Department of Public Works crew, she has a much different view of the community.

She notices everything.

Her perspective is not only shaped by the high-above view she has as she travels through the streets and alleys, but it is also shaped by the journey she has taken to wind up behind the wheel as a heavy equipment operator.

It would be best to describe the tall, slender, 24-year-old Gaytan as a remarkable young woman.

To achieve what she has in the past seven years can only be described as astounding.

The Kankakeean did not arrive in the United States nor in Kankakee until 2016 when her family, led by parents Manuel and Sonia Gaytan, emigrated here from Guanajuato, Mexico.

She completed her high school education as a 2017 graduate of Kankakee High School. She arrived here with only a limited English vocabulary. She was named to the Daily Journal’s All-Area girls soccer team, having scored 27 goals and was widely regarded as the Kays’ top player.

Gaytan had hoped to attend college at a four-year university, perhaps with at least a partial scholarship due to her athletic success, but she had difficulty navigating the application process.

She enrolled at Kankakee Community College where she not only continued her soccer play, but earned a law enforcement degree in 2020 as well.

In the midst of all of that activity, she had also gained employment at Van Drunen Farms and gained certification as a forklift driver as well as studying and passing the CDL examination to become a licensed truck driver.

“I always wanted to have something to fall back on if something didn’t work out,” she explained of her accumulation of skills.

HELP WANTED

She noticed Kankakee’s Department of Public Works was accepting applications to fill a staff vacancy.

In typical Gaytan fashion, she completed the application and on April 26, 2021, was hired as only the department’s second operator, but it’s first Hispanic woman employee.

She is now one of the department’s heavy equipment operators.

Gaytan can often be found operating an end loader picking up debris from tree cuttings, leaves during the fall or discarded items in the city’s alleyways.

It is a perch she finds to be more than satisfying.

But Gaytan appears to have one of those Type-A personalities where she is never quite satisfied, never quite fulfilled.

And as the lone woman on the 26-member public works crew, she has more than found her niche within the department, earning a growing reputation as being one of those “go-to” crew members.

Just ask 17-year employee Desavien Porter.

“She’s young and energetic. She is driven, no question about it. To be truthful, she outworks probably 60 or 70% of the crew. She is driven,” he said. “The future is bright for her.”

Added Brandon Collins, a crew member since 1999, when asked about having her “man” the end loader: “I think it’s great. She’s awesome. She’s determined. When she puts her mind to something, she gets it done. She’s a quick learner.”

WEED WACKER TO HEAVY EQUIPMENT

On an overcast late January morning, Gaytan makes her way in the end loader to the city’s east side. There she meets up with a crew cutting down a tree. Her function at the stop is to operate the loader’s claw to put up the fresh-cut logs and get them in the dump truck bed.

She operates the heavy equipment in a silky-smooth fashion. When she’s finished, there isn’t much left for the crew to sweep up.

Not bad for the young woman who started her public works tenure operating a weed wacker.

Being the only woman in the crew, and being the first Hispanic woman in the department’s long history, carries challenges. She knew coming in she was going to be watched. She knew her every move would be judged.

She was up to the test.

“At first, Mom was scared about me doing this work,” Gaytan said, as she explained to her mom the pay and benefits are good. Mom came around.

“I’m happy where I am. It’s a great environment with the guys and the bosses. Who knows? Maybe after 25 years I’ll retire and then go into law enforcement. You never know where you will be. I know I never thought I would be doing this.”

Gaytan was hired under the previous public works administration of Bert Dear and Dennis Doyle.

WORK ETHIC ‘OFF THE CHARTS’

James Lopez, now the public works director, and Frank Hasik IV, the assistant director, are in charge. They note they would love to have an entire crew of Gaytans.

“She’s an incredible worker,” Lopez said. “Frank saw her potential. He had her become an [heavy equipment] operator.”

Hasik said there was no crystal ball he looked into to see Gaytan’s future. What he saw through his own eyes was her work ethic. He saw it while she operated the weed wacker.

“Her work ethic is off the charts. She just, this is an easy decision for us. We truly believe in her. She’s such a blessing. The sky is the limit. She can do any job and she will be incredible.”

If Gaytan hadn’t been in the cab of the end loader, she would no doubt have been blushing about the praise her bosses had heaped upon her.

A few minutes later, the job at Country Club Drive and Sunnyside Avenue is complete. It’s on to the next job.

Before she departs, she jumps off the equipment. She makes sure everything has been taken care of.

She returns to the cab and the engines begins to roar.

“She’s just a genuine person,” Lopez said. “I can’t say enough about her.”

Gaytan’s actions speak louder than words.

For more on Yuliana Gaytan's story, check out the In Her Heels feature in the Winter/Spring issue of Lifestyles of Kankakee County, which releases Feb. 15.