Full Text of HR0098 98th General Assembly
HR0098 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The Honorable Terrence J. O'Brien, having | 3 | | dutifully served as a commissioner on the board for the | 4 | | Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago | 5 | | since 1988, announced his retirement as a commissioner | 6 | | effective November 30, 2012; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, Following in his father, William M. O'Brien, and | 8 | | his grandfather, John P. Hickey's footsteps, Terrence J. | 9 | | O'Brien wanted to serve the residents of Cook County by working | 10 | | for what was then known as the Metropolitan Sanitary District; | 11 | | and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Terrence J. O'Brien was first elected in November | 13 | | 1988 to a 6-year term as commissioner and was re-elected in | 14 | | 1994, 2000, and 2006; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Proving himself to be an effective leader, | 16 | | Terrence J. O'Brien was elected president of the Board of | 17 | | Commissioners in 1997 for a 2-year term, and was unanimously | 18 | | re-elected by his fellow commissioners 7 times; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Making fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers a | 20 | | priority during Commissioner O'Brien's terms as president, the | 21 | | district is one of the few governmental agencies in the State |
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| 1 | | of Illinois to have an AAA bond rating and abated over $228 | 2 | | million dollars back to the taxpayers of Cook County; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Passionate about the district's goal to protect | 4 | | our environment, President O'Brien actively pursued continuous | 5 | | funding for the MWRDGC's Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), one | 6 | | of the largest civil engineering projects ever undertaken and | 7 | | named the American Society of Engineers' Most Outstanding Civil | 8 | | Engineering Project of 1986; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, It was under President O'Brien's leadership that | 10 | | the world saw the completion of the 109 mile network of | 11 | | tunnels, an integral piece of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, | 12 | | allowing the district to capture and treat up to 2.3 billion | 13 | | gallons of sewer overflow during storms that otherwise would | 14 | | end up in the waterways; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Recognizing that many individual Chicago land | 16 | | communities lack the technical expertise and funding | 17 | | capabilities to handle flooding issues, President O'Brien | 18 | | spent 7 unrelenting years garnering the necessary support in | 19 | | Springfield for the passage of Public Act 93-1049 (ACT) | 20 | | granting authority for general supervision of stormwater | 21 | | management in Cook County to the district, which was indeed | 22 | | passed on November 17, 2004; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, President O'Brien instituted the (800) 332-DUMP | 2 | | pollution hotline number for citizens to report illegal dumping | 3 | | of materials into sewers and waterways, enabling the district | 4 | | to take immediate action against these violators and protect | 5 | | the environment; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Other various organizations have benefited from | 7 | | President O'Brien's vast knowledge and generous dedication of | 8 | | his time through his service on their executive boards, | 9 | | including but not limited to the Ground Hog Club of Chicago, | 10 | | the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago, his alma mater, John | 11 | | Carroll University's President's Council, and the Special | 12 | | Olympics Program for Misericordia Homes; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, President O'Brien, no stranger to public | 14 | | recognition, has received, among others, the following awards: | 15 | | Statesman of the Year for the International Union of Operating | 16 | | Engineers, Local No. 150, the Illinois Committee for Honest | 17 | | Government Award, the Excellence in Community Service Award | 18 | | from John Carroll University, the Distinguished Service Award | 19 | | from the American Public Works Association, and the Public | 20 | | Service Award from the Water Environment Federation; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, The House of Representatives extends its | 22 | | heartfelt wishes for as much success in his retirement as Terry | 23 | | has enjoyed throughout his career and express our sincere |
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| 1 | | gratitude to his family, including his wife Julie, sons Kevin | 2 | | and Patrick and daughter, Therese for allowing the district to | 3 | | take advantage of Terry's outstanding commitment and | 4 | | unparalleled talents for the benefit of all the residents of | 5 | | the district; therefore, be it
| 6 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 7 | | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 8 | | we do hereby recognize Terrence J. O'Brien's dedicated service | 9 | | for 24 years to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and | 10 | | express our gratitude and appreciation for his work on behalf | 11 | | of the taxpayers of the district; and be it further
| 12 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 13 | | presented to President Terrence J. O'Brien as an expression of | 14 | | our esteem and respect.
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