SR0911 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0911 LRB103 40253 ECR 72223 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate Rita K. Fletcher on the occasion of her retirement as a public servant in the field of parks and recreation after an illustrious career; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher received a bachelor's degree in parks and recreation administration from Eastern Illinois University and a master's degree in recreation administration from Aurora University; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has more than 39 years of service in parks and recreation, and she has built a stellar reputation within the community as a standard for how to perform park district operations efficiently, effectively, and in a fiscally responsible manner; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher began her career as an athletic coordinator at the Wheaton Park District; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher then worked at the Bartlett Park District for 37 years, where she initially served as recreation supervisor before being promoted to assistant superintendent of recreation in 1996, superintendent of recreation in 2002, and executive director in 2005; and

WHEREAS, Under Rita Fletcher's leadership, the Bartlett Park District received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association for 20 consecutive years, and the park district has been deemed an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency since 1999; and

WHEREAS, For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Rita Fletcher managed a district-wide budget of approximately $16 million; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher served as a certification board member of the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA) from 2002 to 2007 and as chair of the IPRA Board of Directors in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has been active at the state level, attending annual legislative conferences at the Illinois State Capitol and legislative meetings with local legislators to ensure that her community is always represented and its priorities heard; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has been the recipient of several awards in her field, including the IPRA Administration and Finance Section Distinguished Service Award in 2012 and the IPRA Professional Award in 2013; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has served on the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) Joint Distinguished Agency Committee and the NRPA Great Lakes Regional Council Committee and as a board member for the Northwest Suburban Recreation Association (NWSRA), as president and treasurer of the Suburban Park and Recreation Association (SPRA), as a member of the Illinois Park and Recreation Association, as a member of the National Recreation and Park Association, and as a trustee for the Bartlett Parks Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher is also very active in her community; she has been a member of her local Rotary Club since 2005, serving as president from 2007 to 2008; she has also been involved with the Character Counts Coalition, the Bartlett Parks Foundation, the Barlett Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Youth Athletic Organizations for baseball, football, soccer, swimming, cheerleading, and lacrosse; and

WHEREAS, Through this decades-long commitment to her community, Rita Fletcher has cultivated strong working relationships with the Village of Bartlett, the Bartlett Police Department, the Bartlett Fire Department, Elgin Area School District U-46, and the local library district; she has also served as a speaker on the subject of girl power at many state conferences, sharing useful tips on career advancement, leadership, and how to be a successful, inspiring female leader; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Rita K. Fletcher on her retirement from the Bartlett Park District, and we wish her the very best in all of her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rita Fletcher as a symbol of our respect and esteem.