File #: 23-0623    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Consent Calendar Resolution Status: Approved
File created: 11/22/2023 In control: Office of the General Superintendent
On agenda: 12/12/2023 Final action: 12/12/2023
Title: PROPOSED RESOLUTION HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF BUILDING ARCHITECT JAMES HAVLAT WHEREAS, James Havlat will retire from public service to the Forest Preserves of Cook County on December 28, 2023, after a 38-year career, and for the past 32 years, Mr. Havlat was only the second head building architect employed by the Forest Preserves since 1962, succeeding Edward P. Koster, who served in this prestigious Forest Preserves' position from 1962 to 1990; and WHEREAS, Mr. Havlat graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Studies, and the University of Texas at Austin with a Master of Architecture degree in 1985, and began his employment with the Forest Preserves in 1991; and WHEREAS, during his 32 years of service to the Forest Preserves, Mr. Havlat managed the building architecture section of the Forest Preserves' Department of Planning & Development and was responsible for the planning, design and oversight of the cons...
Sponsors: TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), FRANK J. AGUILAR, ALMA E. ANAYA, SCOTT R. BRITTON, JOHN P. DALEY, DENNIS DEER, BRIDGET DEGNEN, BRIDGET GAINER, MONICA GORDON, BILL LOWRY, DONNA MILLER, STANLEY MOORE, JOSINA MORITA, KEVIN B. MORRISON, SEAN M. MORRISON, ANTHONY J. QUEZADA, TARA S. STAMPS, MAGGIE TREVOR
Indexes: (Inactive) ARNOLD RANDALL, General Superintendent
title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION

HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF BUILDING ARCHITECT JAMES HAVLAT

WHEREAS, James Havlat will retire from public service to the Forest Preserves of Cook County on December 28, 2023, after a 38-year career, and for the past 32 years, Mr. Havlat was only the second head building architect employed by the Forest Preserves since 1962, succeeding Edward P. Koster, who served in this prestigious Forest Preserves' position from 1962 to 1990; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Havlat graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Studies, and the University of Texas at Austin with a Master of Architecture degree in 1985, and began his employment with the Forest Preserves in 1991; and

WHEREAS, during his 32 years of service to the Forest Preserves, Mr. Havlat managed the building architecture section of the Forest Preserves' Department of Planning & Development and was responsible for the planning, design and oversight of the construction or renovation of hundreds of buildings and shelters throughout the Preserves; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Havlat oversaw many significant public building programs for the Forest Preserves under several major capital funding initiatives, including the Illinois First program in 2005 and SB 83 program in 2007-2008 and Forest Preserve general obligation bonds issued in 2012; and

WHEREAS, significant public building projects completed during Mr. Havlat's tenure include the Forest Preserves' first green LEED-certified buildings, a new Little Red Schoolhouse, new Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, historic cabins at Sand Ridge Nature Center, renovation of historically significant pavilions at Dan Ryan Woods and Thatcher Woods, conversion of the Forest Preserves' General Headquarters to all-electric heating and cooling systems, and many other building and picnic shelter improvement projects; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Havlat was a member of various interdepartmental Forest Preserves' commi...

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