HR1386 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1386 LRB099 22862 MST 50300 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Members of the Illinois House of Representatives recognize that township government is the oldest existing unit of government in the United States, first established in 1636 in Providence, Rhode Island, and first established in Illinois when Ela Township was formed in Southwest Lake County in 1850; and

WHEREAS, Eighty-Five of the 102 counties in Illinois operate under the township form of government, and the 1,431 townships serve more than eight million citizens; and

WHEREAS, Ela Township serves over 40,000 residents in Lake County; and

WHEREAS, Ela Township has provided vital programs and services to its residents since its founding in 1850; today, those services include senior, youth, disabled, general assistance, cemetery maintenance, park maintenance, bussing, assessment, road maintenance, and counseling; and

WHEREAS, Ela Township has been recognized on several occasions for service to the community; most recently, receiving the Association of Illinois Senior Centers highest honor, the "Mind, Body and Spirit" award, for its "55 Plus" program; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate September 21, 2016 as Township Day in Ela Township, and we thank Ela Township for its service to its residents; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Ela Township as a symbol of our respect and esteem.