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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Mark William Eckert on
4the occasion of his retirement as mayor of the City of
5Belleville; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert served as alderman for Ward 5 of the
7City of Belleville from 1997 to 2004; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert was appointed mayor of the City of
9Belleville on December 20, 2004; he was elected to serve a
10four-year term in April 2005; he was reelected to a second term
11in April 2009, a third term in April 2013, and a fourth term in
12April 2017; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert was instrumental in the improvement
14of several city buildings, including the Belleville Firehouse
15#4 in 2009, the Sanitation Department in 2009, the Parks and
16Recreation building in 2009, the Wastewater Treatment Plant
17expansion in 2013, the Belleville Public Library renovation in
182015, the new Belleville Police Department dedicated in 2016,
19and the Belleville City Hall renovations, including ADA and
20security improvements, in 2017; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert led 30 delegates from the City of

 

 

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1Belleville to compete for the National Civic League's
2All-America City Award in Kansas City in 2011, where
3Belleville was one of the ten finalists; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert served on a number of local
5committees and organizations during his tenure, including the
6Belle-Scott Committee as honorary chairman, the Belleville
7Sister Cities Organization as honorary chairman, the Board of
8Directors of the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce, the
9Lindenwood University Board of Directors, the Belleville
10Cultural Enrichment Organization as president, the
11Southwestern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission, the
12Belleville Exchange Club, Racial Harmony, the Homeless
13Backbone Committee, and the Leadership Council Military
14Affairs Committee; he also served on the Belleville 200th
15Committee in 2014, where he worked tirelessly with staff and
16countless volunteers to organize the Bicentennial Weekend
17Celebration; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert served in leadership roles in several
19organizations; he belonged to the Board of Directors of the
20East-West Gateway Council of Governments from 2013 to 2017; he
21served on the Illinois Municipal League Board of Directors
22from 2013 to 2021, where he served as president from 2017 until
232018; he served on the Southwestern Illinois Council of
24Mayors, where he was president from 2015 to 2017; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert earned many awards in the course of
2his mayoral career, including the Belleville Jaycees
3Distinguished Service Award, the Belleville News-Democrat SIUE
4Carol Kimmel Community Service Award, the Catholic Social
5Service Award, the Scoutmaster Award of Merit, the George
6Meany Award, the Belleville Sister Cities Herman Award, the
7Racial Harmony Outstanding Community Service Award, the NAACP
8Metro East Branch Partners Justice Award, and the SILEC George
9A. Lanxon Award; he was also inducted into the BTHS West Hall
10of Fame in 2009 and honored by the Metro Area Professional
11Organization in 2012; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert married Rita on April 5, 1986;
13together, they have four children, Matthew Joseph (Carly
14Miller), Kate Ann (Jacob Kotler), Luke Joseph (Erika), and
15Lucy Ann; they also have three grandsons, Jackson, Patrick,
16and Noah; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Mark Eckert is known for his unconditional love
18for his family, his strong character, his devout leadership,
19and his volunteerism; he is a true public servant who built
20relationships and promoted the vision and growth of the City
21of Belleville; therefore, be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE

 

 

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1HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
2we congratulate Mark William Eckert on the occasion of his
3retirement as the mayor of the City of Belleville, recognize
4his commitment to the citizens of Belleville, and wish him
5many more happy, productive years; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to Mark Eckert as an expression of our esteem and
8respect.