West Cook News

The Cook County Board of Commissioners met Jan. 17 to discuss priest reassignments.

Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the board:

County Commissioners are elected officials who oversee county activities and work to ensure that citizen concerns are met, federal and state requirements are fulfilled, and county operations run smoothly.

January 17, 2017 Board of Commissioners BOARD AGENDA

CONSENT CALENDAR

Pursuant to Cook County Code, the Secretary to the Board of Commissioners hereby transmits Consent Calendar Resolutions for your consideration. The Consent Calendar Resolutions shall be published in the Journal of Proceedings as prepared by the Clerk of the Board.

17-1031

Sponsored by: PETER N. SILVESTRI, Cook County Board of Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

FATHER DONALD JOSEPH AHEARN, IN MEMORIAM

WHEREAS, Almighty God in His infinite wisdom has called Father Donald Joseph Ahearn from our midst; and

WHEREAS, Donald Ahearn, son of the late Daniel and Helen Ahearn and brother to the late Eleanor, Marion, Peggy, and Bill, grew up on the West Side and attended Presentation Parish; and

WHEREAS, Father Ahearn progressed through the seminary system, first at Quigley High School and then at Mundelein Seminary; and

WHEREAS, Father Ahearn was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 3, 1951; and

WHEREAS, Father Ahearn’s first assignment was St. Gertrude Parish in Franklin Park, where he served as the assistant pastor for eight years; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure at St. Gertrude, Father Ahearn acted as a chaplain at St. Patrick High School in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Father Ahearn’s next assignment was as assistant pastor at St. Barbara Parish in Brookfield, where he served for seven years; and

WHEREAS, in 1966, Father Ahearn transferred to St. David Parish in Chicago, where he served as assistant pastor for four years; and

WHEREAS, over the next several years, Father Ahearn worked in various capacities at St. Nicholas, Holy Rosary, All Saints, and Our Lady of Ransom; and

WHEREAS, Father Don found his home at St. Juliana Parish in the Edison Park neighborhood of Chicago, where he served as pastor from August of 1975 through June of 1995; and

WHEREAS, during that time, Father Don was a member of the Pastor Review Board and the School Board Advisory Committee and served as Assistant Vicar for Senior Priests; and

WHEREAS, from 1995 until his passing on January 1, 2017, Father Ahearn was pastor emeritus at St. Juliana, where he will be remembered for his Irish wit and warmth.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby offer its deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of Father Donald Joseph Ahearn and joins them in sorrow at this time of loss; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and that a suitable copy of the same be tendered to the family of Father Ahearn so that his memory may be so honored and ever cherished.

17-1055

Sponsored by: PETER N. SILVESTRI, Cook County Board of Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

FRANK H. PASCHEN, IN MEMORIAM

WHEREAS, Almighty God in His infinite wisdom has called Frank “Bud” Paschen from our midst; and

WHEREAS, Bud Paschen was the beloved husband of Dianne Paschen, nee Tieken; and

WHEREAS, Bud Paschen was the loving father of Debora, Jeanne, Mary, Frank Henry, Tony, Paul, Elisabeth, Daniel, and the late Sarah; and

WHEREAS, Bud Paschen was the cherished grandfather of twenty-two and great-grandfather of three; and

WHEREAS, Bud Paschen was the devoted brother of LaVerne (Walker) Finney; and

WHEREAS, Bud Paschen grew up in Evanston and attended Evanston Township High School and Northwestern University, earning a civil engineering degree in 1959; and

WHEREAS, Bud got his start in construction as a teen, when he joined the family business as a laborer and later as an estimator; and

WHEREAS, Bud Paschen founded his company in 1975, but the family name has been linked to Chicago construction since the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when his great-grandfather used his tuck-pointing skills to help rebuild the charred city; and

WHEREAS, after starting his own firm, Bud acquired S.N. Nielsen and Paschen Contractors, building his company, F.H. Paschen, into a multimillion-dollar enterprise, which now performs work in 25 states and completes projects in commercial, industrial, and civil industries; and

WHEREAS, Bud Paschen was known as a “regular guy” with great foresight and exceptional entrepreneurial skills; and

WHEREAS, Bud’s company projects include the Deep Tunnel, Midway Airport, the 2012 reconstruction of Wacker Drive, and extensive renovations and construction of CTA lines throughout the city; and

WHEREAS, Bud Paschen gave back to the community in many ways, including donating and building a non-denominational mission in Ghana, which includes a church, orphanage, women’s center, and school for students with disabilities.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby offer its deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathy to the family of Frank “Bud” Paschen and joins them in sorrow at this time of loss; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of the same be tendered to the family of Bud Paschen, so that his memory may be so honored and ever cherished.

17-1058

Sponsored by: JESÚS G. GARCÍA, Cook County Board of Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

CONGRATULATING DIRECTOR NAASON JOAQUIN GARCIA OF THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD - LIGHT OF THE WORLD

WHEREAS, Dir.Naason Joaquin García was born on May 7th, 1969 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, born the fifth of eight children; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García grew up admiring the teachings and example of his father Dr. Samuel Joaquin Flores, who dedicated over 50 years of his life to religious and humanitarian work; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García took on the role as the International Director of the Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of the Truth the Light of the World to whom he is known as the Apostle Naason Joaquin by his parishioners; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García has encouraged a positive meaning to community members, and parishioners through his universal message to promote respect, love, honesty, and integrity; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García through his church is recognized in 53 countries around the world for his universal message and religious motto - “it is more of a blessing to give than to receive”; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García has been a firm believer in education so that future generation can become empowered professionals; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García has established non-profit organizations for students and professionals in under privileged communities to help promote higher education, and has provided scholarships to youth in the U.S, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Colombia; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García motivates and instills in others to become a “professional at the service of your community”; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García has demonstrated faithful devotion and determination in his ministry and has attended to the spiritual needs of his Church and the community, and has worked closely with all the faithful parishioners; and

WHEREAS, Dir. Naason Joaquin García is a valorous man of God and a living example to all that know his pastoral mission.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby congratulates Dir. Naason Joaquin García for his dedicated work on social justice issues, civil rights, and freedom of religion as the International Director of The Light of the World Church, and recognize him as a distinguished leader; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the proceedings of this Honorable Body and that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dir. Naason Joaquin García.

17-1107

Sponsored by: JOHN P. DALEY, BRIDGET GAINER, TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), LUIS ARROYO JR, RICHARD R. BOYKIN, JERRY BUTLER, JOHN A. FRITCHEY, JESÚS G. GARCÍA, GREGG GOSLIN, EDWARD M. MOODY, STANLEY MOORE, SEAN M. MORRISON, TIMOTHY O. SCHNEIDER, PETER N. SILVESTRI, DEBORAH SIMS, ROBERT STEELE, LARRY SUFFREDIN and JEFFREY R. TOBOLSKI, Cook County Board of Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

HONORING THE MOTHER MCAULEY “MIGHTY MACS” ON THEIR HISTORIC 2016 VOLLEYBALL SEASON

WHEREAS on November 12, 2016, the Mother McAuley volleyball team known as the “Mighty Macs” defeated the Minooka volleyball team in the Class 4A final in Redbird Arena to win the program’s record 15th Illinois state championship; and

WHEREAS the “Mighty Macs” played a challenging schedule during the 2016 season that included wins over power programs from four different states; and

WHEREAS the “Mighty Macs” finished the season with 32 straight victories and swept the Glenbard Autumn Fest and the Rich East tournaments without losing a set against teams that averaged more than 25 wins a season; and

WHEREAS the “Mighty Macs” state championship victory this season was their second in the last decade, along with a 2013 title, and builds upon two titles won in the 2000’s, four in the 1990’s, six in the 1980’s and one in the 1970’s; and

WHEREAS the “Mighty Macs” ended the season as the top ranked squad in the nation in the rankings provided by Prepvolleyball.com and USA Today; and

WHEREAS the Mother McAuley volleyball program has, most importantly, helped the players learn the value of teamwork and self-discipline, and develop the leadership skills necessary to succeed on and off the volleyball court; and

WHEREAS under the guidance of coaches of Jen DeJarld and Meg Gardner, the “Mighty Macs” team of Mary Kate Boland, Bridget Burke, Nora Burke, Madeline Dedeichs, Evelyn Gorman, Amanda Horn, Nancy Kane, Casey Macander, Ashley Maher, Moira Mixan, Charley Neigo, Abby O’Brien, Katie O’Connell, Paige Pappas, Emma Reilly, Rebecca Stepanek and managers Caitlin Zintak and Kayla Tilkes has consistently and diligently worked toward the goal of winning the Illinois state title and in the process they have brought great joy to their school, their community, the City of Chicago and the County of Cook; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners of Cook County does hereby congratulate the Mother McAuley “Mighty Macs” on their historic achievement this season; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this text be spread upon the Official Proceedings of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of the same be tendered to the players and coaches of the “Mighty Macs” to commemorate their historic 2016 season.

17-1110

Sponsored by: JOHN P. DALEY, TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), LUIS ARROYO JR, RICHARD R. BOYKIN, JERRY BUTLER, JOHN A. FRITCHEY, BRIDGET GAINER, JESÚS G. GARCÍA, GREGG GOSLIN, EDWARD M. MOODY, STANLEY MOORE, SEAN M. MORRISON, TIMOTHY O. SCHNEIDER, PETER N. SILVESTRI, DEBORAH SIMS, ROBERT STEELE, LARRY SUFFREDIN and JEFFREY R. TOBOLSKI, Cook County Board of Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

COMMEMORATING ALEXIS HERRERA’S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT

WHEREAS, Alexis Herrera started her career in Cook County Government in the summer internship program from 1984-1988, and was offered a position as a budget analyst, which she accepted on the 1st of September in 1988, for the Cook County Budget Department under the former Board President George W. Dunne; and

WHEREAS, in December of 1992, Alexis Herrera accepted a position as the Deputy Director of Finance at the Cook County Sheriff's Office to work under former Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan and managed matters pertaining to finance, budgeting, and purchasing; and

WHEREAS, Alexis Herrera returned to the Cook County Budget Office in October of 2000, and worked diligently on all matters pertaining to the fiscal year budgets for Cook County Government; and

WHEREAS, in May of 2007, Alexis Herrera accepted opportunity to return to the Sheriff's Office to work for Sheriff Thomas J. Dart as his Chief Financial Officer, where she managed all aspects of finance, auditing, budgeting, and payroll; and

WHEREAS, Alexis Herrera was elected by her fellow Cook County employees to serve on the Retirement Board of the County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Cook County and ex officio for the Forest Preserve District Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Cook County; and

WHEREAS, Alexis Herrera, due to knowledge and expertise of financial management, investment strategies, and legislation, was elected by her fellow board members to serve as President of the Retirement Board of the County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Cook County and ex officio for the Forest Preserve District Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Cook County; and

WHEREAS, in 2016, Alexis Herrera, in her position as Chief Financial Officer to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, participated in the Cook County budget process for the thirty third and final time; and

WHEREAS, Alexis Herrera, is revered and loved by her family, and her favorite and most important roles are as a wife to Frank Herrera, mother to Frank Herrera Jr., Gabriela Herrera, and Alex Herrera, sister to Lisa Hardy, beloved daughter of former 9th Ward Alderman Alex Adduci, and aunt, cousin, sister-in law, and friend to many; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of Cook County that the Board does hereby express our gratitude to Alexis Herrera for her 33 years of service to Cook County Government, commend her for her distinguished career, and extend best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of the same be tendered to Alexis Herrera to commemorate this joyous occasion

17-1111

Sponsored by: RICHARD R. BOYKIN, TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), LUIS ARROYO JR, JERRY BUTLER, JOHN P. DALEY, JOHN A. FRITCHEY, BRIDGET GAINER, JESÚS G. GARCÍA, GREGG GOSLIN, EDWARD M. MOODY, STANLEY MOORE, SEAN M. MORRISON, TIMOTHY O. SCHNEIDER, PETER N. SILVESTRI, DEBORAH SIMS, ROBERT STEELE, LARRY SUFFREDIN and JEFFREY R. TOBOLSKI, Cook County Board of Commissioners

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

CELEBRATING THE 93rd BIRTHDAY OF REVEREND WALLACE SYKES

WHEREAS, Reverend Wallace Sykes was born on December 21, 1923 in Starksville, Mississippi and celebrated his 93rd birthday in December 2016; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Sykes moved to Maywood, Illinois, in 1943 and became a deacon and trustee of the Second Baptist Church as well as superintendent of the church’s Sunday school; and

WHEREAS, in 1957 Reverend Sykes entered the ministry and was ordained in 1961; and

WHEREAS, in that time, Reverend Sykes has worked diligently in executing programs for youth fellowship, senior citizens, mentoring, feeding the hungry, substance abuse, and transitional living; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Sykes has led and worshipped at Second Baptist for more than half of its 112-year history; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Sykes has ushered in more than 54 years of great growth at Second Baptist as the congregation grew to a facility that seats 1,200, has full parking lots on Sundays, and expanded classroom settings for Bible study and music study; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Sykes raised five children who have gone on to do great things; and

WHEREAS, Generations to come will benefit from the good work Reverend Sykes has done and will continue to do in the Village of Maywood; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners Reverend Wallace Sykes is to be honored on the occasion of his 93rd birthday, and that the sincere appreciation of the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners be extended to Reverend Wallace Sykes for his service to his Church and to the wider community.