Full Text of HR0531 102nd General Assembly
HR0531 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to congratulate Rocky Donahue on the | 4 | | occasion of his retirement as executive director of Pace | 5 | | Suburban Bus; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue was born in Calumet City; he | 7 | | graduated from Illinois State University and began his career | 8 | | in public transportation in 1983 at the Regional | 9 | | Transportation Authority; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue served as legislative analyst for | 11 | | Pace Suburban Bus starting at the agency's inception in 1984; | 12 | | he acquired additional responsibilities over a decades-long | 13 | | career and, in 2018, became the agency's executive director; | 14 | | and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue continuously worked to improve | 16 | | access to transportation for Illinoisans with disabilities, | 17 | | working with lawmakers to make Pace the sole provider of ADA | 18 | | Paratransit service to all of Northeastern Illinois and | 19 | | working with the disability community to implement continuous | 20 | | improvements to the agency's ADA paratransit service, | 21 | | technology, and infrastructure; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue advocated tirelessly for Pace | 2 | | riders, working to ensure sufficient funding for the service | 3 | | on which so many depend; his efforts to create a full, | 4 | | dedicated funding source for ADA paratransit service proved | 5 | | fruitful, as did his contributions to the establishment of the | 6 | | Suburban Community Mobility Fund and the South Suburban Job | 7 | | Access Fund, which provide millions of dollars for suburban | 8 | | transit service; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue worked with lawmakers and the | 10 | | Illinois Department of Transportation to create Pace's Bus on | 11 | | Shoulders program along the Stevenson Expressway, the first | 12 | | such service in the State of Illinois and the fastest-growing | 13 | | transportation service in the region since the agency's | 14 | | inception; the success of this program led to its expansion | 15 | | and the implementation of similar service on the Edens | 16 | | Expressway and the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway; and | 17 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue worked with lawmakers to finance | 18 | | the largest investment in suburban transit infrastructure in | 19 | | the State's history through the Rebuild Illinois program; when | 20 | | the projects are complete, new garages in Plainfield and | 21 | | Wheeling, expanded garages in Bridgeview and Elgin, improved | 22 | | passenger facilities in Joliet, Harvey, and along the | 23 | | Tri-State Tollway, and improved ADA paratransit technology | 24 | | will serve generations of Illinoisans thanks to his vision; |
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| 1 | | and | 2 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue led Pace through the outbreak of | 3 | | the COVID-19 pandemic, taking unprecedented steps to protect | 4 | | riders and employees while maintaining essential public | 5 | | transportation service to Northeastern Illinois; his fiscal | 6 | | responsibility and his commitment to safety, transparency, and | 7 | | service helped the people of this State weather a historic | 8 | | crisis; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, As Executive Director, Rocky Donahue oversaw the | 10 | | creation of Driving Innovation, Pace's first strategic vision | 11 | | plan in 17 years, setting the agency's trajectory toward zero | 12 | | emissions and helping to envision a more equitable future for | 13 | | the State; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue was appointed to the Board of | 15 | | Illinois State University in 2011, where for over 10 years he | 16 | | has served his alma mater as trustee and as that body's chair; | 17 | | during his tenure as chair, he presided over increased | 18 | | enrollment, graduation, and student retention, as well as | 19 | | record fundraising; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue served on the Board of the Illinois | 21 | | Public Transportation Association, including two terms as its | 22 | | president, and has been active with groups serving Illinoisans |
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| 1 | | with intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as Good | 2 | | Shepherd and Arc of Illinois; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Rocky Donahue's 38 years of public service have | 4 | | benefited bus riders, people with disabilities, students, | 5 | | taxpayers, and all Illinoisans; therefore, be it
| 6 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 7 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 8 | | we congratulate Rocky Donahue on his retirement as executive | 9 | | director of Pace Suburban Bus and wish him a long, happy, and | 10 | | healthy retirement; and be it further
| 11 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 12 | | presented to Rocky Donahue as a symbol of our esteem and | 13 | | respect.
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