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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to honor David Owen for his many
4accomplishments as Mayor of the Village of South Chicago
5Heights; and
 
6    WHEREAS, David Owen was born on April 15, 1940, to Oral and
7Irene Owen; he married June Owen on June 23, 1961 and has
8resided in South Chicago Heights for 53 years; and
 
9    WHEREAS, David Owen attended Ledford Elementary School,
10graduated from Harrisburg High School and Prairie State
11College, and was honorably discharged from the United States
12Army; and
 
13    WHEREAS, David Owen and his wife are the proud parents of
14April, Scott, Erika, and Yvette, and the devoted grandparents
15of Allison, Charles, Benjamin, Katelyn, Micah, Lucas, and
16Dominic; and
 
17    WHEREAS, David Owen retired after 30 years of service from
18National Chemsearch, four years of service with the Village of
19Brookfield, and 42 years of service with the Village of South
20Chicago Heights; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, David Owen began his political career by serving
2on the Bloom Township Youth Committee Advisory Board from 1973
3to 1979; on January 6, 1975, he was appointed to serve as a
4South Chicago Heights Trustee to fill an unexpired term; after
5serving as a Trustee for 14 years, he ran for Mayor and was
6elected on April 4, 1989; and
 
7    WHEREAS, David Owen served as the 12th Village President
8and was elected to an unprecedented seven terms as Village
9President; under his guidance, many committees and programs
10were formed to enhance the standard of living of the residents
11of South Chicago Heights, including the construction of the
12Public Safety Center, the Veterans Memorial Mound, and the
13Senior Center Pavilion, the connection of the Village to a Lake
14Michigan water supply, and the establishment of the Courtesy
15Car Program for Seniors; and
 
16    WHEREAS, In 1991, David Owen was named a member of "Who's
17Who in Local Government"; he was voted "Best Mayor" for two
18consecutive years; he was also the recipient of the 2008
19Excellence in Government Award from the Illinois Crime
20Commission; and
 
21    WHEREAS, In 1997, David Owen was appointed to serve as the
22Vice President of the Illinois Municipal League; he served as
23president of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association

 

 

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1and on the Executive Council of the Mayors of the Chicago Area
2Transportation Study; and
 
3    WHEREAS, In September 2013, the South Chicago Heights
4Village Board voted unanimously to rename the Village Hall the
5"David L. Owen Municipal Building" in honor of his service; on
6September 6, 2016, he celebrated the dedication of the new
7Public Safety Center; and
 
8    WHEREAS, David Owen will retire from public office on
9October 3, 2016; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
12designate September 30, 2016 as "David L. Owen Day" in the
13State of Illinois in honor of David Owen in recognition of his
14dedicated service; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16presented to David Owen as a symbol of our esteem and respect.