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HJ0060 |
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LRB096 13029 GRL 27259 r |
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| HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly are |
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| proud to honor the life and legacy of those who have made an |
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| impact on the lives of the citizens of the State of Illinois; |
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| and
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| WHEREAS, Jack B. Williams was a graduate of De La Salle |
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| High School; he then completed 3 years of pre-med studies at |
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| Northwestern University before joining the United States Army |
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| as an infantryman and medic during World War II; he was the |
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| recipient of the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart as a result |
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| of action in Germany in March of 1945; and
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| WHEREAS, Jack Williams had a long and distinguished career |
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| in State and local government; he served faithfully as a member |
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| of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1973 until 1981; |
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| he served as mayor of the Village of Franklin Park from 1969 |
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| until his passing in 1996; and
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| WHEREAS, As Mayor of the Village of Franklin Park, Jack |
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| Williams concerned himself with the problems of jet noise from |
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| O'Hare International Airport and flooding from the Des Plaines |
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| River; he was well known by his constituents as a leader that |
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| always did what was best for everyone, not just the citizens of |
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| his community; and
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HJ0060 |
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LRB096 13029 GRL 27259 r |
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| WHEREAS, Jack Williams was a past president of the Illinois |
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| Municipal League, the chairman of the executive committee of |
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| the Chicago Area Transportation Study, and an elected |
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| commissioner of the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission; |
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| he also served as president of the West Central Municipal |
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| Conference of 35 municipalities and as vice-chairman of the |
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| West Cook County Solid Waste Agency; and
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| WHEREAS, Jack Williams was considered to be an expert on |
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| water and flood-water management; he served as chairman and |
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| executive director of the Illinois Water Resources Commission; |
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| he was the only Cook County mayor to be appointed by the |
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| Governor's Task Force on Flood Control to serve on its |
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| committee; he also served as vice-chairman of the Des Plaines |
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| River Basin Steering Committee on Flood Water Management, the |
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| largest flood-water management plan in the U.S.; and
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| WHEREAS, Jack Williams was a registered pharmacist who |
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| operated 2 pharmacies in Franklin Park from 1949 to 1969; and
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| WHEREAS, Jack Williams was instrumental in the planning and |
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| construction of the Grand Avenue Underpass in the Village of |
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| Franklin Park; beginning his mission to create the underpass in |
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| the 1960s, he unfortunately did not live to see its completion |
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| in November of 2006; and
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HJ0060 |
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LRB096 13029 GRL 27259 r |
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| WHEREAS, Jack Williams should be honored in a manner |
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| befitting his legacy of selfless service and strong leadership; |
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| therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
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| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE |
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| SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Grand Avenue Underpass in |
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| the Village of Franklin Park be renamed the "Jack B. Williams |
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| Underpass" in honor of Jack B. Williams and his many |
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| accomplishments; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| presented to the mayor of the Village of Franklin Park and the |
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| family of Jack B. Williams.
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