HR0774 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0774 LRB103 40466 LAW 72843 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Rita Fletcher on the occasion of her retirement from the Bartlett Park District after 37 years of service; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher earned her bachelor's degree in parks and recreation administration from Eastern Illinois University and her master's degree in recreation administration from Aurora University; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher worked in parks and recreation for over 39 years, during which she built an exceptional reputation within the community as a standard for how to perform park district operations efficiently, effectively, and in a fiscally responsible manner; she initially served the Bartlett Park District as recreation supervisor before being promoted to assistant superintendent of recreation in 1996, superintendent of recreation in 2002, and executive director in 2005; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure, Rita Fletcher remained attuned to community feedback in terms of planning activities and events and developing the Bartlett Park District through instituting effective community surveys to better guide the board and staff, spearheaded an effort to pass a successful $18 million bond referendum in 2010, organized the Halloween Boo Drive-Thru event and a mass vaccination site that resulted in the 3,100 vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and oversaw the district's use of over $3.2 million dollars in parks and facility grants to go towards a number of improvements, including the development of Riley's Run in 2007 and the renovations of Beaver Pond in 2008, Schrade Gym in 2014, and Apple Orchard Community Park in 2022; and

WHEREAS, Under Rita Fletcher's leadership, the Bartlett Park District received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association for 20 consecutive years, was named a finalist for the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) Gold Medal Award in both 2009 and 2010, and has been deemed an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency since 1999; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has belonged to and held leadership positions in several professional organizations, including serving the NRPA and its Joint Distinguished Agency Committee, the Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency Committee, as a board member of the Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA), as president and treasurer of the Suburban Park and Recreation Association (SPRA), and the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA), where she served on its facility management board from 2000 to 2005, its certification board from 2002 to 2007, and its board of directors, serving as chair in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has actively participated in the Bartlett community, including being involved in the Bartlett Parks Foundation, the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, the Character Counts Coalition, and several youth athletic organizations; she has also cultivated great working relationships with the Village of Bartlett, the Bartlett Police and Fire Departments, the Elgin Area School District U-46, and the local library district; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has served as a panel speaker on the subject of girl power at many state conferences, sharing useful tips on career advancement, leadership, and how to be a successful, inspiring female leader; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has received a number of awards for her work, including the 2002 IPRA Professional of the Year Award and the 2011 NRPA Great Lakes Network Distinguished Professional Award; and

WHEREAS, In retirement, Rita Fletcher leaves a fun-loving legacy of community engagement, partnership, and health; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Rita Fletcher on her retirement from the Bartlett Park District, commend her service to the community for the past 37 years, and wish her success in her next chapter; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rita Fletcher as an expression of our esteem and respect.