HR0439 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0439 LRB096 12878 KXB 26701 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor former Decatur City Council members Mayor Michael Carrigan, Councilman Shad Edwards, Councilwoman Betsy Stockard, and Councilman Dan Caulkins for their service to the people of Decatur; and

WHEREAS, Former Mayor of Decatur Michael Carrigan was first elected to the Decatur City Council in 1995; during his fourth term on the City Council he was appointed as Mayor to fill an unexpired term; he has served on the Decatur-Macon County Economic Development Foundation, the Decatur Celebration Board, the Macon County Merit Committee, the Decatur-Macon County United Way Executive Board, and is a former trustee of the NECA-IBEW Health and Welfare Trust Fund and the NECA-IBEW Pension Trust Fund; and

WHEREAS, Former Councilman Shad Edwards is a community policing Sergeant with the Illinois State Police; he began serving on the Decatur City Council in 2005 and served until 2009; he was a past President of the Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations; he is a member of Keep Decatur/Macon County Beautiful, Operation Sparkle and Shine, the Decatur Snow Ski Club, the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, the Adopt-A-Street Program, the Turning Point Environmental Committee, and many other organizations; and

WHEREAS, Former Councilwoman Betsy Stockard served on the City Council beginning in 1997; she initiated the "Stop the Violence" marches in Decatur in April of 1994, which continued until April of 1995; she also began the Central Illinois violence-gang prevention agency, "The Youth Empowerment Agency"; she is a board member of the Women in Municipal Government and a member of the Crime and Public Safety Committee for National League of Cities; and

WHEREAS, Former Councilman Dan Caulkins served his term on the Decatur City Council from May of 2005 to April of 2009; he is involved with United Cerebral Palsy, the Decatur Area Arts Council, Pathways to Independence, Prairieland ABATE, American Legion Post 105, the Illinois Raptor Center, and the Macon County Historical Society; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor former Decatur City Council members Mayor Michael Carrigan, Councilman Shad Edwards, Councilwoman Betsy Stockard, and Councilman Dan Caulkins and wish them well in their future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to former Mayor Michael Carrigan, Councilman Shad Edwards, Councilwoman Betsy Stockard, and Councilman Dan Caulkins as symbols of our respect.