Forest Preserve District of Cook County - File #: 23-0309

• File #: 23-0309
• Version: 1
• Type: Consent Calendar Resolution
• Status: Approved
• File created: 4/7/2023
• In control: FPD Board of Commissioners
• On agenda: 4/25/2023
• Final action: 4/25/2023
• Title: PROPOSED RESOLUTION CELEBRATING THE CAREER AND HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF STEPHEN HUGHES WHEREAS, Stephen has provided over 40 years of public service in local government agencies including as the Managing Deputy Comptroller for the City of Chicago, the Chief Financial Officer for the Chicago Park District, the Deputy Director of Cook County's Enterprise Resource Planning Department, and most recently the Chief Financial Officer of the Forest Preserves of Cook County (the "Forest Preserves"); and WHEREAS, in his role with the Forest Preserves, Stephen was responsible for managing all financial affairs and administrative functions related to personnel, purchasing, risk management and financial accounting; and WHEREAS, soon after arriving at the Forest Preserves, he discovered a substantial pension and structural budget deficit, and spent the next several years helping to identify and analyze over fifty initiatives and options to reduce costs and raise revenues, ultimately advocati...
• Sponsors: TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), JOHN P. DALEY, BILL LOWRY, BRIDGET GAINER, STANLEY MOORE, SEAN M. MORRISON, DENNIS DEER, BRIDGET DEGNEN, SCOTT R. BRITTON, BRANDON JOHNSON, ALMA E. ANAYA, KEVIN B. MORRISON, DONNA MILLER, FRANK J. AGUILAR, JOSINA MORITA, MONICA GORDON, ANTHONY J. QUEZADA, MAGGIE TREVOR

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
4/25/2023	1	FPD Board of Commissioners	approve on the Consent Agenda	Pass

title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION

CELEBRATING THE CAREER AND HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF STEPHEN HUGHES

WHEREAS, Stephen has provided over 40 years of public service in local government agencies including as the Managing Deputy Comptroller for the City of Chicago, the Chief Financial Officer for the Chicago Park District, the Deputy Director of Cook County's Enterprise Resource Planning Department, and most recently the Chief Financial Officer of the Forest Preserves of Cook County (the "Forest Preserves"); and

WHEREAS, in his role with the Forest Preserves, Stephen was responsible for managing all financial affairs and administrative functions related to personnel, purchasing, risk management and financial accounting; and

WHEREAS, soon after arriving at the Forest Preserves, he discovered a substantial pension and structural budget deficit, and spent the next several years helping to identify and analyze over fifty initiatives and options to reduce costs and raise revenues, ultimately advocating to find a sustainable source of revenue to avoid reducing programs and services; and

WHEREAS, Stephen was instrumental in making the case for a tax referendum, which voters approved in 2022, providing critical funds to care for nature, improve outdoor recreation amenities, maintain infrastructure, and stabilize the Forest Preserves' pension fund; and

WHEREAS, his focus on fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability helped build the case that the Forest Preserves could be trusted to spend taxpayer funds efficiently and effectively; and

WHEREAS, Stephen has a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Illinois State University. He serves as a Trustee and Board Secretary for the Cook County and Forest Preserve Annuity and Benefit Funds. He is also a member of the Cook County and Forest Preserve Deferred Compensation Committee and has previously served on the Board of the Chicago Municip...