093_HR0455

                                     LRB093 12910 HSS 18120 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members of the House of  Representatives  of
 3    the  State  of  Illinois  would like to congratulate James T.
 4    "JT" Somer on the occasion of his retirement  as  Salem  Fire
 5    Chief   after  30  years  of  service  with  the  Salem  Fire
 6    Protection District; and

 7        WHEREAS, Chief Somer was born on September  21,  1948  to
 8    James  D.  and Jewell Somer in Salem; he graduated from Salem
 9    Community High School in 1966 and Lambeth College in Jackson,
10    Tennessee in the early 1970s; he served in the Air  Force  as
11    an  officer  after college; in 1976, he returned to Salem and
12    opened Somer Real Estate; and

13        WHEREAS, Chief Somer married Janis Staser Somer  on  July
14    22,  1994;  he  is the father of James Robert "Rob" Somer and
15    Elisabet Ann Somer Murray; the stepfather of Jennifer Suzanne
16    Bradshaw and Beth Ann Rysavy; the step-grandfather  of  Sarah
17    Beth Bauer, Casey Jo Bauer, and Jonathan Staser Bradshaw; and
18    the soon-to-be grandfather of one who is on the way; and

19        WHEREAS, During his tenure with the Salem Fire Protection
20    District,  Chief  Somer  has  led  the  way  in several areas
21    including updating equipment, updating  training,  remodeling
22    of  the fire station, beginning the planning and construction
23    of a new training facility, and guiding the  fire  department
24    to an ISO Class Rating of 4; and

25        WHEREAS,   Chief   Somer   has   served   on   many  fire
26    service-related committees at the state level  including  the
27    Medal of Valor committee and the advisory committee; he is on
28    the  board of directors at Salem Township Hospital, is a past
29    president of the Salem Industrial Business Committee and  the
30    Salem  Chamber of Commerce, was listed in the Hall of Fame of
31    Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate in  1994,  and  is  very
32    involved  in  the  economic development of Salem; in 1992, he
 
                            -2-      LRB093 12910 HSS 18120 r
 1    was Salem's Man of the Year, and he has been the recipient of
 2    many awards from the City of Salem over the years; and

 3        WHEREAS, During his retirement, Chief Somer hopes to have
 4    time to pursue some of his hobbies including  golf,  fishing,
 5    hunting, and carpentry; therefore, be it

 6        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
 7    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
 8    we  congratulate Chief James T. "JT" Somer on the occasion of
 9    his  retirement  as  Chief  of  the  Salem  Fire   Protection
10    District,  and  we  thank him for his faithful service to the
11    safety of the citizens of Salem and the  State  of  Illinois;
12    and be it further

13        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
14    presented to Chief Somer as an expression of our respect  and
15    esteem  and  with our best wishes for a peaceful and relaxing
16    retirement.