HR0208

LRB094 11703 CSA 43540 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives congratulate Francis and Anita Bowers of 
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Lovington on their retirements from the Moultrie Independent 
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Telephone Company; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Since July 1, 1975, Francis and Anita Bowers have 
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owned and operated the Moultrie Independent Telephone Company 
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(Company) along with their sons, Steven, David, and Stuart; the 
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Bowers also have a daughter, Suzie McCloy; Francis and Anita 
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Bowers have been married for 58 years; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Through the years, the Company has continued to 
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make improvements and add services for residents of Lovington 
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and the surrounding area; the Company has been a member of the 
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Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small 
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Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO) for approximately 40 
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years; Francis Bowers served as Treasurer for this national 
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organization from 1980 to 1986; it was during this time that 
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OPASTCO moved its national headquarters from Chicago to 
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Washington D.C., and Mr. Bowers spent several years shuttling 
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back and forth between Lovington and Washington D.C. to assist 
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in this transition and to fulfill his duties as
Treasurer; he 
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also served as Treasurer of the Illinois Independent Telephone 
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Association from March 2, 1971 to December 4, 2003; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1980, the cable TV provider, Moultrie 
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Telecommunications, was established; in May of 1990, a digital 
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switch was installed which had the capacity to provide 12,000 
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lines and 16,000 numbers; in July of 1996, Moultrie InfoComm 
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was established to provide long-distance telephone service to 
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Lovington customers; in October of 1996, One-Eleven Internet 
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Services was established to provide dial-up and broadband 
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Internet service to customers in Central Illinois; and

 
 


 






HR0208
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LRB094 11703 CSA 43540 r




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    WHEREAS, Francis and Anita Bowers are longtime members of 
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the Lovington First United Methodist Church; Mr. Bowers served 
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as mayor of Lovington from 1968 to 1972; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Anita Bowers retired on December 31, 2004, and 
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Francis Bowers retired on February 2, 2005, his 80th
birthday; 
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therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we wish Francis and Anita Bowers well in their retirement and 
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commend them for their many years of dedicated and progressive 
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service to the telephone industry and to the customers of 
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Moultrie Independent Telephone Company; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Francis and Anita Bowers as an expression of our 
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admiration and esteem.