SR1068LRB097 23740 MST 72836 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Senator Suzi Schmidt has represented the citizens
3of Lake County with distinction as State Senator for the 31st
4District since 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt's priorities have always been
6those of the people she represents-local government,
7education, business development and job creation, and lower
8taxes; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt's public service began in 1985,
10when she was elected as a township trustee and served in the
11capacity until she was elected to the Lake County Board; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt was first elected to the Lake
13County Board and Lake County Forest Preserve Board in 1988, and
14served with distinction for 22 years; and
 
15    WHEREAS In 2000, Senator Schmidt became the first female
16chair of the Lake County Board, and her peers elected her as
17chair for 10 consecutive years; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt has always been a strong supporter
19of the environment, making sure that the residents of Lake
20County for generations to come would have the opportunity to

 

 

SR1068- 2 -LRB097 23740 MST 72836 r

1enjoy open space, forest preserves, and recreational areas; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt's environmental commitment is
3evidenced by her diligent efforts on the Land Acquisition
4Committee from 1988 to 2010; she was instrumental in the
5purchase and protection of 16,297 acres of land in Lake County,
6including the acquisition of 34 entirely new Forest Preserves
7such as Bonner Farm, Hastings Lake, Duck Fann, Sun Lake, and
8Bluebird Meadow, as well as additions to 54 existing preserves
9and many parcels of land acquired to develop the Des Plaines
10and Millennium regional trails; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt has been dedicated to the
12preservation of the history of Lake County's agricultural roots
13as evidenced by her support of agricultural leasing, as well as
14her service on the Bonner Farm Advisory Committee from 2000 to
152004, which resulted in the opening of the Bonner Heritage
16Farm; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt demonstrated her commitment to
18wetland protection and research through her service on the
19Wetlands Research Board from 1988 to 2008; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt previously served as a director of
21the Illinois Lakes Management Association from 1986 to 1988;
22and
 

 

 

SR1068- 3 -LRB097 23740 MST 72836 r

1    WHEREAS, Because of Senator Schmidt's strong environmental
2commitment to the State of Illinois, she was presented with the
3Environmental Legislator of the Year Award in 2011; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt influenced countless decisions
5that improved Lake County and the quality of life for its
6residents; she was known for her ability to build consensus on
7the county board; she fostered cooperation with all members of
8both sides of the aisle and worked on behalf of all residents;
9and
 
10    WHEREAS Senator Schmidt brought those same team-building
11traits with her to the Illinois Senate; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt's commitment to effective local
13government continued in Springfield as she served as Republican
14spokesperson of the Senate Local Government Committee, helping
15to guide public policy that impacts all Illinois communities
16and their citizens; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt recognized the need to balance the
18important work done by local governments with the public right
19to know, cosponsoring a new law that requires a public body to
20take reasonable steps to ensure that a copy of any meeting
21notice and agenda are continuously available for public review

 

 

SR1068- 4 -LRB097 23740 MST 72836 r

1during the entire 48-hour period preceding the meeting; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt also served as a member of the
3Senate Commerce Committee, the Senate Appropriations II
4Committee, the Senate Financial Institutions Committee, and
5the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt has always been a champion for
8fiscal responsibility and prudent conservative budget
9principles, often heard to say: "We don't spend money we don't
10have."; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt was born in Chicago in 1951,
12attended grade school in Summit, and graduated from Lyons
13Township High School in LaGrange; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt earned a bachelor's degree in Art
15Education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in
161974; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt taught for 12 years at Lotus
18Elementary, Grass Lake Elementary, and Gavin School District;
19and
 
20    WHEREAS, A resident of Lake Villa Township for over 30

 

 

SR1068- 5 -LRB097 23740 MST 72836 r

1years, Senator Schmidt has long been active in her community,
2serving as the president of Metro Counties, as a member of the
3Board of Governors of the Lake County University Center, and as
4a member of the Executive Committee of the Lake County
5Municipal League; she is also a member of the Lindenhurst/Lake
6Villa Chamber of Commerce, Friends of Lake Villa Library, and
7Lake Villa Historical Society; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Senator Schmidt has represented her constituents
9in the Senate with dedication, energy, and enthusiasm, earning
10the respect and admiration of her colleagues on both sides of
11the aisle; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Legislators and staff alike know and appreciate
13Senator Schmidt for her engaging personality, generosity,
14kindness, and a smile that lights up the Senate Chambers;
15therefore, be it
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
17ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Senator
18Suzi Schmidt on her retirement from the Illinois Senate after 2
19years of honorable and dedicated service; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to Senator Suzi Schmidt with our friendship, our
22gratitude for her hard work, and our best wishes for her future

 

 

SR1068- 6 -LRB097 23740 MST 72836 r

1endeavors.