HR0480 LRB094 12459 CSA 46896 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Richard "Dick" Lusardi, currently superintendent
3 at Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, has
4 announced his retirement on June 3, 2005, following a 41-year
5 federal career; and
 
6     WHEREAS, His strong experience dealing with historic
7 structures and his fine record of building community support
8 for park resources have been great assets throughout his
9 38-year career with the National Park Service; and
 
10     WHEREAS, He has served as superintendent at Lincoln Home
11 since April of 2003; he was chief of maintenance at the park
12 from 1981 to 1988; the last major restoration of the Lincoln
13 Home was during the years of 1987 and 1988; he served on the
14 committee to select the contractor and worked closely with the
15 NPS Denver Service Center to complete the extensive restoration
16 project of the park's primary resource; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Under his direction as superintendent, Mr.
18 Lusardi began the development of a new comprehensive general
19 management plan and EIS for the site to replace the previous
20 35-year-old master plan; his continued efforts for the overall
21 restoration of the site have lead to the research development
22 of a historic structures report for the reconstruction of the
23 Burch and Carrigan Houses, ca. 1860, homes of two of Lincoln's
24 closest neighbors; in July of 2004, he orchestrated the visit
25 of the national flag exhibit to Springfield in which three
26 American flags measuring 45 feet by 90 feet were placed on
27 display at the site, with the official World War II flag being
28 raised over the home; and
 
29     WHEREAS, Immediately preceding his return to Lincoln Home
30 in 2003, he was superintendent at Wilson's Creek National
31 Battlefield in Republic, Missouri; during his tenure at the

 

 

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1 Civil War battle site, he provided guidance, direction, and
2 leadership to the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
3 Foundation, which resulted in completing a $1.2 million
4 fundraising campaign for the construction of a new
5 8,235-square-foot Civil War research library and educational
6 facility; he also led the park through the development of a new
7 draft GMP and EIS; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Mr. Lusardi served as superintendent at Fort Scott
9 National Historic Site in Fort Scott, Kansas, for three years
10 following an eight-year stint as superintendent of Perry's
11 Victory and International Peace Memorial in Put-in-Bay, Ohio;
12 during his tenure at Fort Scott, he directed the development of
13 an interpretive program with 16 wayside exhibits depicting the
14 history of the fort, including the role of black education on
15 the site; he was instrumental in bringing new events to the
16 fort through collaboration and partnerships with community and
17 business leaders; the park's first Armed Forces Day celebration
18 recognizing all branches of the service and the appearance of
19 the traveling Viet Nam Wall exhibit brought significant
20 increases in visitation and visibility for the park; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Prior experience in maintenance and visitor
22 protection activities included assignments at six other park
23 sites: Martin Van Buren National Historic Site,
24 Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Site, Statue of Liberty
25 National Monument, Fire Island National Seashore, Taconic
26 State Park, and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area;
27 and
 
28     WHEREAS, He and his wife, Diane, have four grown children
29 and six grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
30     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
31 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
32 we commend Richard "Dick" Lusardi on his exemplary 41-year

 

 

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1 federal career and wish him all the best in his retirement; and
2 be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4 presented to Richard "Dick" Lusardi as an expression of our
5 admiration and esteem.