West Cook News

Cook County Board of Commissioners met June 26.

Here is the agenda provided by the Board:

Public Testimony:

Pursuant to Cook County Code of Ordinances, public testimony will be permitted at regular and special meetings of the Board. Duly authorized public speakers shall be called upon at this time to deliver testimony germane to a specific item(s) on the meeting agenda, and the testimony must not exceed three (3) minutes. The names of duly authorized speakers shall be published in the Post Board Action Agenda and Journal of Proceedings as prepared by the Clerk of the Board.

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 Post Board Action Agenda and Journal of Proceedings as prepared by the Clerk of the Board.

18-4145

Sponsored by: Luis Arroyo Jr, Toni Preckwinkle (President), Richard R. Boykin, Jerry Butler, John P. Daley, Dennis Deer, 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, Larry Suffredin and Jeffrey R. Tobolski, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Proposed Resolution

Congratulating Jorge Ramirez On His Retirement From The Chicago Federation Of Labor

Whereas, this June, Jorge Ramirez will be retiring from his position as president of the Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL) and as vice president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); and

Whereas, Jorge Ramirez was elected president of the CFL, an organization with 320 affiliates representing workers from pilots to doctors to zookeepers, in 2010, having previously served as secretary-treasurer. Prior to joining the CFL in 2006, Ramirez was elected vice president and served as executive director of Local 1546 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, representing nearly 30,000 members in Chicago and throughout Illinois; and

Whereas, since 2008, Ramirez has served on the Cook County Health and Hospitals System Board of Directors as Vice-Chairman. In 2012, he was named to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust board and the Cook County President's Council of Economic Advisors. He currently serves as a member of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Labor Advisory Committee, the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau Board of Directors, the Navy Pier Inc. Board of Directors, the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership and is co-chairman of the City of Chicago Labor Management Cooperative Committee (LMCC) and on the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's Board of Directors; and

Whereas, Jorge also serves as co-chairman of the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council and member of the National Manufacturing Renaissance Campaign design team and a director of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Ramirez also serves on the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls Board of Regents, the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Board of Directors and a number of other boards and commissions; and

Whereas, in 2012, Jorge was named one of Chicago Magazine’s 100 most powerful Chicagoans, a great testament to his influence and dedication to the Labor movement and residents of the Chicagoland area; and

Whereas, as the son of Mexican immigrants, Jorge understood the struggles his father, a meat packing worker in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood, and his fellow workers endured to unionize their workplace in the 1960s. Their fight for a living wage and better conditions motivated Jorge in his career serving working men and women in organized labor.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, do hereby congratulate Jorge Ramirez on his retirement as President of the Chicago Federation of Labor and offers its most heartfelt gratitude for his tireless efforts to achieve better conditions for all working men and women; and

Be It Further Resolved, that this text be spread upon the official proceeding of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of the same be tendered to Jorge Ramirez to memorialize this occasion.

18-4450

Sponsored by: Luis Arroyo Jr, Toni Preckwinkle (President), Richard R. Boykin, Jerry Butler, John P. Daley, Dennis Deer, 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, Larry Suffredin and Jeffrey R. Tobolski, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Proposed Resolution

Recognizing The Men And Women Of Comed That Volunteered To Restore Electricity To Puerto Rico

Whereas, originating from a tropical wave that the National Hurricane Center began monitoring on September 13, Maria developed into a tropical storm on September 16 strengthening just a couple of days later to a Category 5 hurricane, sustaining wind speeds of up to 160 mph and making the 2017 season the first since 2007 to feature two Category 5 hurricanes; and

Whereas, with winds of 155 mph, Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20th, making this hurricane the strongest to hit the territory since the 1928 San Felipe hurricane;

Whereas, hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands just 14 days after hurricane Irma skirted the Island, damaging the electrical grid, compounding problems for all Puerto Ricans; and

Whereas, all of the 3.5 million residents of Puerto Rico lost power following hurricanes Irma and Maria and in the nearly nine months since hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, more than 40,000 people are still without electricity; and

Whereas, Puerto Rico is experiencing the longest blackout in U.S. history and second-longest in world history, forcing Puerto Ricans to live, work, cook, attend school and live life in the dark; and

Whereas, 146 ComEd employees raised their hand and volunteered to travel to help their fellow Americans in Puerto Rico facing unfamiliar and treacherous terrain on the island's mountains and in its rainforests: and

Whereas, these employees, along with utility workers from the five other Exelon utilities, spent over 50 days in Puerto Rico visiting some of the areas hit hardest by the hurricane and installing 376 poles, 267 transformers, and more than 108 miles of cable thus helping more than 11,000 residents in the affected areas.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, do hereby recognize the invaluable humanitarian effort by the men and women of ComEd who volunteered to help our fellow Americans in the Island of Puerto Rico; and

Be It Further Resolved, that this text be spread upon the official proceeding of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of the same be tendered to the ComEd Operations Team Leads for their service to the People of Puerto Rico.

18-4431

Sponsored by: Richard R. Boykin, Peter N. Silvestri, Toni Preckwinkle (President), Luis Arroyo Jr, Jerry Butler, John P. Daley, Dennis Deer, John A. Fritchey, Bridget Gainer, Jesús G. García, Gregg Goslin, Edward M. Moody, Stanley Moore, Sean M. Morrison, Timothy O. Schneider, Deborah Sims, Larry Suffredin and Jeffrey R. Tobolski, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Proposed Resolution

Honoring David King On The 25th Anniversary Of His Business

Whereas, David King founded David King and Associates 25 years ago, and

Whereas, David has worked tirelessly to build his business into one of the premier commercial real estate companies in Cook County, and

Whereas, David has worked with financial, municipal and medical tenants to help build up his business, and

Whereas, anyone who has worked or even met with David would tell you that he is energetic, enthusiastic individual who works incredibly hard, and

Whereas, David served his community further as the president of the Triton Community College Foundation and is a current trustee for the foundation, and

Whereas, Triton serves thousands of students each year, and David has worked to make sure the facility and educational outcomes are excellent, and

Whereas, David has lived in Forest Park for more than 20 years, and

Whereas, David is actively involved in the chambers of commerce in the western suburbs, and

Whereas, he was instrumental in the resurgence of Madison Avenue in Forest Park, and

Whereas, he has dedicated his life not only to building his business, but to building up the Village he calls home, and

Whereas, David has improved the lives of so many West Suburban Cook County residents and the entirety of the First District.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners that David King is honored for his contributions to the Western Suburbs and congratulated on the 25th anniversary of his business.

18-4441

Sponsored by: Richard R. Boykin, Toni Preckwinkle (President), Luis Arroyo Jr, Jerry Butler, John P. Daley, Dennis Deer, 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, Larry Suffredin and Jeffrey R. Tobolski, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Proposed Resolution

Honoring Larry Broutman For His Contributions To Preserving The History Of Chicago

Whereas, Larry Broutman is an award winning photographer and author who resides in Cook County, Illinois, and;

Whereas, Mr. Broutman attended MIT where he received his Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate Degrees in the field of materials engineering and science in 1963, and;

Whereas, Mr. Broutman during his career in polymer engineering and science was an active researcher, teacher (Illinois Institute of Technology) and writer of over 150 technical articles, and;

Whereas, Mr. Broutman has received numerous awards for his photography and coffee table books that capture the history of Chicago in a unique way, and;

Whereas, Mr. Broutman is the author of three books (Chicago Unleashed, Chicago Monumental, and Chicago Eternal) that chronicle the history of Chicago, and;

Whereas, Mr. Broutman in his book Chicago Unleashed captures images of wildlife photographed around the world and iconic Chicago urbanscapes, and:

Whereas, Mr. Broutman in his book Chicago Monumental provides a photographic tribute to over 250 historic monuments, fountains, memorials, and statues in Chicago’s parks and cemeteries, and;

Whereas, Mr. Broutman in his book Chicago Eternal chronicles the stories of more than 300 Chicagoans buried in Chicago cemeteries, including people like Emmett Till, Bobby Franks, Al Capone, Marshall Field, and Harold Washington, and;

Whereas, Mr. Broutman has donated all proceeds from his books to the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Access Living.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners that Mr. Larry Broutman is honored for his contributions to preserving the history of Chicago through his books and congratulated for his efforts.

18-4286

Sponsored by: John P. Daley, Toni Preckwinkle (President), Luis Arroyo Jr, Richard R. Boykin, Jerry Butler, Dennis Deer, 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, Larry Suffredin and Jeffrey R. Tobolski, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Proposed Resolution

Edward Sadlowski, In Memoriam

Whereas, Almighty God in His infinite wisdom has called Edward Sadlowski from our midst; and

Whereas, Edward Sadlowski was the beloved husband of the Marlene; and

Whereas, Edward Sadlowski was the proud father of Susan Sadlowski Garza, Patricia Hoyt, Edward Sadlowski Jr and Diane Agelson; and

Whereas Edward Sadlowski was the proud grandfather of David Garza, Ryan Garza, Kate Garza, Tyler Garza, Deanna Hoyt, Adrianne Hoyt, Faith Sadlowski, Evelyn Sadlowski, Ed Sadlowski II, Angela Agelson and Hallee Agelson; and

Whereas, Edward Sadlowski was the loving great-grandfather of Aria and Sofia Garza; and

Whereas, Edward Sadlowski was born in Chicago’s South Chicago neighborhood and left school early to bravely serve in the Unites States Army during the Korean War; and

Whereas, Edward Sadlowski began working as a machinist's apprentice at US Steel in Chicago where he received the nickname "Oil Can Eddie." In 1964, he became the youngest person elected as President of Local 65, the United Steelworkers of America (USWA); and

Whereas, In 1975, Edward Sadlowski became President of the United Steelworkers of America District 31 with a membership totaling over 125,000 workers in Illinois and Indiana; and

Whereas, Edward Sadlowski served on a local panel of the Illinois Labor Relations Board from 1993 to 2001; and

Whereas, the Illinois Labor History Society inducted Edward Sadlowski into its Union Hall of Honor in 2012;

Whereas, Edward Sadlowski was an influential voice for working class men and women locally and nationally and his service to workers’ rights and union activism has helped improve the lives of Steelworkers and union members across many industries; and

Whereas all who knew him will attest that Edward Sadlowski was a kind and compassionate man, virtuous of character and gentle in spirit, admired and respected by his many friends and neighbors, and dearly loved by his family, now therefore

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, by the Board of Commissioners of Cook County that the Board does hereby offer its deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathy to the family of Edward Sadlowski 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 Edward Sadlowski so that his memory may be so honored and ever cherished.

18-4386

Sponsored by: Timothy O. Schneider, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Proposed Resolution

Honoring Gerry Bartnicke On Her Retirement From Schaumburg Township Senior And Disabled Services

Whereas, Schaumburg Township Senior and Disability departments serve hundreds of residents a month, and

Whereas, Gerry Bartnicke is retiring as the director of these departments after 34 years of service beginning on June 1, 1984, and

Whereas, her leadership has made a profound impact on our community and in particular Schaumburg Township through the creation of new services such as Township Riders Initiative Program (TRIP), and Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation (ITAC), and through transportation services that have brought residents to their doctor appointments and allowed them to communicate with friends and family and,

Whereas, she is a tireless advocate for persons with disabilities serving on numerous committees and boards whose purpose is serving this often-underserved population and,

Whereas, Gerry has left a lasting mark and professional legacy and serves as an example of leadership that Townships can provide in the areas of disabled and senior services,

Now Be It Resolved, that the President and Board of Commissioners of Cook County do hereby extend their best wishes, commend Gerry Bartnicke for her years of service and wish her a long and healthy retirement; and,

Be It Further Resolved, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable body and that a copy tendered over to Gerry Bartnicke

18-4449

Sponsored by: Timothy O. Schneider, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Proposed Resolution

Honoring The Jain Center Of Metropolitan Chicago And Their 25th Anniversary

Whereas, - Jain Center of Metropolitan Chicago was established in 1992; and

Whereas, the main Murti of Bhagwan Mahavir Swami was consecrated in 1993; and

Whereas, the Center has grown to about 6000 registered members in Cook County and Chicago Metro area; and

Whereas, the Jain Center has been serving the spiritual, religious, cultural, social and humanitarian needs of its community; and

Whereas, the Jain Center has over 500 students in its Pathshaala; and

Whereas, the students meet at least two Sundays a month learning and internalizing Jain values of compassion, universal equality, religious pluralism and supreme Ahimsa; and

Whereas, the Center runs a free medical camp every year which is used by 300 people; and

Whereas, the center has established a College Scholarship and Loan program which has received a very good response from students and donors alike; and

Whereas, consistent with Jain principles of non-violence and compassion, the Center contributes to various animal welfare causes in US and in India; and

Whereas, the community works on inter-faith activities that reinforce their religious pluralism; and

Whereas, the Center is run by a group of 20 elected and voluntary Board of Trustees and Executive Committee; and

Whereas, the Jain center celebrates their 25th year, from June 22nd till July 1st, 2018.

Now Be It Resolved, that the President and Board of Commissioners of Cook County do hereby extend their best wishes and congratulate the Jane Center on their twenty five year anniversary.

Be It Further Resolved, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable body and that a copy tendered over the Jain Center of Metropolitan Chicago.

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