093_HR0392 LRB093 12047 KEF 17048 r 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, It has come to the attention of the legislative 3 members and employees of the Illinois House of 4 Representatives that Penny A. Kink will retire from her 5 position as Chief Journal Clerk for the Illinois House of 6 Representatives at the end of the 2003 spring legislative 7 session; and 8 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink began her State of Illinois career 9 with the Department of Transportation as a data input 10 operator on January 22, 1968, and then transferred to the 11 Legislative Information System and worked there from November 12 1, 1974, through September 15, 1980; and 13 WHEREAS, On September 16, 1980, then Clerk of the House, 14 Jack O'Brien, transferred Penny A. Kink to the House 15 Democratic Research/Appropriations staff; and 16 WHEREAS, On that very day, the support staff supervisor 17 had absolutely "no idea" who Penny A. Kink was and what her 18 duties were to be, and quizzingly inquired "Can you type?"; 19 and 20 WHEREAS, From that day forward, as a member of the 21 Democratic staff, Penny A. Kink proved herself to be an 22 invaluable employee by: 23 -- always giving 150% to every task encountered -- 24 amazingly without ever once yawning, slumping, snapping, 25 grumping, slowing, fraying, or showing any other signs of 26 strain; 27 -- arriving one hour early so as never to be late; 28 -- carrying a large enough purse to accommodate a wide 29 variety of items, including 800 milligram Motrins, a 30 full-size uncut watermelon, and an acrylic-encased snakehead -2- LRB093 12047 KEF 17048 r 1 from her past addiction to ordering from catalogs; 2 -- willingly sharing her stash of vitamins, potions, and 3 personal remedies for every imaginable (and unimaginable) 4 illness; 5 -- bravely clubbing to death, with her black stiletto 6 heel, a 5th floor mouse while her co-workers "eeked" in 7 terror; and 8 -- typing at lightning speed with exceedingly long purple 9 acrylic nails; and 10 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink was then transferred from the 11 Research/Appropriations staff to the House Journal Room, and 12 mistakenly left her infamous purse in her old office; and 13 WHEREAS, It has been documented that another Democratic 14 staff secretary transported that infamous HEAVY purse to 15 Penny's new office by way of Mud's workroom cart; and 16 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink was then transferred from the 17 House Journal Room to the Issues Development Unit in the 18 Stratton Building, and then back to the House Journal Room 19 where she remains today; and 20 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink, as Chief Journal Clerk, has 21 quietly weaseled our Chief of Staff, Clerk of the House, 22 directors, and employees out of legislative scrapes, posting 23 mistakes, and computer disasters by utilizing her eagle eye 24 and expert knowledge to catch and correct bloopers, blunders, 25 typos, and "agreed-list" boo-boos; and 26 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink has been known to cut short any 27 conversation with those four tiny words: "Gotta go, it's 28 Tim"; and 29 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink, who has always liked to work with 30 computers and punch keys, formed a lasting friendship when -3- LRB093 12047 KEF 17048 r 1 she looked into the eyes of our former computer information 2 systems planner, Frank G. Kink; and 3 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink and Frank G. Kink, on that very 4 day, became inseparable and subsequently married; and 5 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink has worked alongside 6 representatives and staff members, their children, and their 7 children's children; and 8 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink's daughter, Melisa A. Fraase, who 9 was only 18 months old when Penny started her career with the 10 House of Representatives, is now a grown woman with her own 11 daughter, and works at the Legislative Reference Bureau; and 12 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink is now the very proud grandmother 13 of 4-year old Briley Isabelle Tanner; and 14 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink's decades of service on behalf of 15 the State of Illinois have made her one of the most 16 knowledgeable and informed employees in the entire General 17 Assembly, and an inexhaustible source of counsel; and 18 WHEREAS, Penny A. Kink and Frank G. Kink have purchased a 19 retirement home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and invite 20 everyone they know -- and everyone they don't know -- to 21 visit at all times and ungodly hours; therefore, be it 22 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 23 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 24 we sincerely thank Penny A. Kink for her extraordinary 25 dedication and loyalty, for a job more than well-done, and 26 for her unparalleled skill; and be it further 27 RESOLVED, That we, as friends and colleagues, wish Penny 28 A. Kink and her husband Frank G. Kink the very best in their 29 retirement and new life in Colorado; and be it further 30 RESOLVED, That we will surely miss Penny A. Kink's -4- LRB093 12047 KEF 17048 r 1 friendship, smiles, and laughter; and be it further 2 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 3 presented to Penny A. Kink as an expression of our profound 4 respect and friendship over the many, many years.