HR0417 LRB094 12219 CSA 45792 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Waldon O. Degner, who served on the board of
3 commissioners of the Palatine Park District from 1969 to 2005,
4 has recently retired; while a commissioner, he served several
5 terms as the board's president, vice-president, and treasurer;
6 and
 
7     WHEREAS, During his tenure on the Palatine Park Board, park
8 properties increased from 170 acres to 665 acres, recreation
9 programs expanded from 40 to 1,200, and the annual budget grew
10 from $500,000 to $14 million; among his many accomplishments,
11 he was instrumental in the acquisition of property for, and the
12 $250,000 renovation of, the George Clayson House Museum, and he
13 negotiated the acquisition by the Park District and the Village
14 of Palatine of the former Palatine High School, which is now
15 the Palatine Community Center and the site of Cutting Hall; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Mr. Degner served on the board of the Illinois
17 Association of Park Districts (IAPD) from 1977 to 1983, was
18 vice-president from 1976 to 1978, served on several committees,
19 and was a speaker on numerous state conference and national
20 congress educational session panels; he received the Allen A.
21 Weissburg Award for his long-term service to Palatine and to
22 the Illinois Association of Park Districts; he was
23 instrumentally involved in hiring two IAPD executive
24 directors, helped guide the IAPD through tumultuous times of
25 change, and was one of the principal authors of the Memorandum
26 of Understanding which led to the effective cooperation on
27 several fronts between IAPD and the Illinois Park and
28 Recreation Association; and
 
29     WHEREAS, He was raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and graduated
30 from Oshkosh High School in 1954; he actively served in the
31 U.S. Marine Corps from 1954 to 1956 and attended the University
32 of Wisconsin from 1956 to 1961; he was a career employee as a

 

 

HR0417 - 2 - LRB094 12219 CSA 45792 r

1 revenue officer with the Internal Revenue Service; and
 
2     WHEREAS, He and his wife, Janet, have three children, Carl,
3 Curt, and Amy, and six grandchildren; he was a volunteer leader
4 with Boy Scouts of America Troop 69; he also served on the
5 Board of Trustees and as Treasurer of St. Paul United Church of
6 Christ from 1977 to 1981; and
 
7     WHEREAS, His enthusiasm for his commissioner's role, his
8 example to other commissioners, his support of staff, and his
9 loyalty to the residents of Palatine Park District have been
10 extremely positive and demonstrated excellent community
11 service and leadership skills; therefore, be it
 
12     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14 we offer our sincere appreciation to Waldon O. Degner for his
15 many years of exemplary service to the Palatine Park District
16 and wish him well in his retirement and his future endeavors;
17 and be it further
 
18     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19 presented to Waldon O. Degner as an expression of our
20 admiration and esteem.