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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING COMMISSIONER JOHN A. FRITCHEY
WHEREAS, Commissioner John A. Fritchey will vacate his seat on the Forest Preserve District of Cook County Board of Commissioners on November 30, 2018 after eight exemplary years of public service to the residents and visitors of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, it is the mission of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County “to acquire, restore and manage lands for the purpose of protecting and preserving public open space with its natural wonders, significant prairies, forests, wetlands, rivers, streams, and other landscapes with all of its associated wildlife, in a natural state for the education, pleasure and recreation of the public now and in the future;” and
WHEREAS, the Forest Preserves District of Cook County has an over one-hundred year history, currently spans almost seventy thousand acres, shares over sixty million visits annually, and contributes immeasurably to the quality of life of residents of Cook County and scientific research and conservation, including public-private partnerships with the Brookfield Zoo and Chicago Botanic Garden; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Fritchey attended both grammar and high school in Chicago, after which, he received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Michigan, then a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University Law School; and
WHEREAS, following law school, Commissioner Fritchey began his public service work as an Illinois Assistant Attorney General, where he represented the state in both state and federal courts, advocating for victims and their families and representing the state in civil rights claims; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Fritchey was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1996, and during his 14 years as a state legislator, was an unwavering reform leader and served as the Chairman of the House Civil Judiciary Committee and Consumer Protection Committee as well as a member of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules; and
WHEREAS, in 2010, he was elected as Cook County Commissioner for the 12th District which encompasses most of the north and northwest sides of the City of Chicago, and by this election became a Forest Preserve District of Cook County Commissioner and served as Vice Chairman of the Finance Subcommittee on Litigation and Vice Chairman of the Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations; and
WHEREAS, throughout his distinguished career in public service, Commissioner Fritchey has been dedicated to the needs and values of the residents of Cook County and Illinois and a stalwart advocate for open and honest government; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Members of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby extend our sincere and grateful appreciation to Commissioner John A. Fritchey for his exemplary career in public service and on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and our best wishes to him for continued success, happiness, and good health in the years to come; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of same be tendered to Commissioner John A. Fritchey.end