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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The Honorable Terrence J. O'Brien, having | ||||||
3 | dutifully served as a commissioner on the board for the | ||||||
4 | Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago | ||||||
5 | since 1988, announced his retirement as a commissioner | ||||||
6 | effective November 30, 2012; and | ||||||
7 | WHEREAS, Following in his father, William M. O'Brien, and | ||||||
8 | his grandfather, John P. Hickey's footsteps, Terrence J. | ||||||
9 | O'Brien wanted to serve the residents of Cook County by working | ||||||
10 | for what was then known as the Metropolitan Sanitary District; | ||||||
11 | and | ||||||
12 | WHEREAS, Terrence J. O'Brien was first elected in November | ||||||
13 | 1988 to a 6-year term as commissioner and was re-elected in | ||||||
14 | 1994, 2000, and 2006; and | ||||||
15 | WHEREAS, Proving himself to be an effective leader, | ||||||
16 | Terrence J. O'Brien was elected president of the Board of | ||||||
17 | Commissioners in 1997 for a 2-year term, and was unanimously | ||||||
18 | re-elected by his fellow commissioners 7 times; and | ||||||
19 | WHEREAS, Making fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers a | ||||||
20 | priority during Commissioner O'Brien's terms as president, the | ||||||
21 | district is one of the few governmental agencies in the State |
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1 | of Illinois to have an AAA bond rating and abated over $228 | ||||||
2 | million dollars back to the taxpayers of Cook County; and | ||||||
3 | WHEREAS, Passionate about the district's goal to protect | ||||||
4 | our environment, President O'Brien actively pursued continuous | ||||||
5 | funding for the MWRDGC's Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), one | ||||||
6 | of the largest civil engineering projects ever undertaken and | ||||||
7 | named the American Society of Engineers' Most Outstanding Civil | ||||||
8 | Engineering Project of 1986; and | ||||||
9 | WHEREAS, It was under President O'Brien's leadership that | ||||||
10 | the world saw the completion of the 109 mile network of | ||||||
11 | tunnels, an integral piece of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, | ||||||
12 | allowing the district to capture and treat up to 2.3 billion | ||||||
13 | gallons of sewer overflow during storms that otherwise would | ||||||
14 | end up in the waterways; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Recognizing that many individual Chicago land | ||||||
16 | communities lack the technical expertise and funding | ||||||
17 | capabilities to handle flooding issues, President O'Brien | ||||||
18 | spent 7 unrelenting years garnering the necessary support in | ||||||
19 | Springfield for the passage of Public Act 93-1049 (ACT) | ||||||
20 | granting authority for general supervision of stormwater | ||||||
21 | management in Cook County to the district, which was indeed | ||||||
22 | passed on November 17, 2004; and
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1 | WHEREAS, President O'Brien instituted the (800) 332-DUMP | ||||||
2 | pollution hotline number for citizens to report illegal dumping | ||||||
3 | of materials into sewers and waterways, enabling the district | ||||||
4 | to take immediate action against these violators and protect | ||||||
5 | the environment; and
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6 | WHEREAS, Other various organizations have benefited from | ||||||
7 | President O'Brien's vast knowledge and generous dedication of | ||||||
8 | his time through his service on their executive boards, | ||||||
9 | including but not limited to the Ground Hog Club of Chicago, | ||||||
10 | the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago, his alma mater, John | ||||||
11 | Carroll University's President's Council, and the Special | ||||||
12 | Olympics Program for Misericordia Homes; and
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13 | WHEREAS, President O'Brien, no stranger to public | ||||||
14 | recognition, has received, among others, the following awards: | ||||||
15 | Statesman of the Year for the International Union of Operating | ||||||
16 | Engineers, Local No. 150, the Illinois Committee for Honest | ||||||
17 | Government Award, the Excellence in Community Service Award | ||||||
18 | from John Carroll University, the Distinguished Service Award | ||||||
19 | from the American Public Works Association, and the Public | ||||||
20 | Service Award from the Water Environment Federation; and
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21 | WHEREAS, The House of Representatives extends its | ||||||
22 | heartfelt wishes for as much success in his retirement as Terry | ||||||
23 | has enjoyed throughout his career and express our sincere |
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1 | gratitude to his family, including his wife Julie, sons Kevin | ||||||
2 | and Patrick and daughter, Therese for allowing the district to | ||||||
3 | take advantage of Terry's outstanding commitment and | ||||||
4 | unparalleled talents for the benefit of all the residents of | ||||||
5 | the district; therefore, be it
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6 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
7 | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
8 | we do hereby recognize Terrence J. O'Brien's dedicated service | ||||||
9 | for 24 years to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and | ||||||
10 | express our gratitude and appreciation for his work on behalf | ||||||
11 | of the taxpayers of the district; and be it further
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12 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
13 | presented to President Terrence J. O'Brien as an expression of | ||||||
14 | our esteem and respect.
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