Full Text of HR0811 103rd General Assembly
HR0811 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | | | HR0811 | | LRB103 40815 LAW 73703 r |
|
| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION | 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to congratulate Jim Pilmer on the | 4 | | occasion of his retirement as executive director of the Fox | 5 | | Valley Park District after eight years of service; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Jim Pilmer was appointed the sixth executive | 7 | | director in the Fox Valley Park District's then-68-year | 8 | | history on November 9, 2015, dutifully serving at the helm for | 9 | | the next eight years while remaining visible, approachable, | 10 | | accessible, and accountable throughout his tenure until his | 11 | | retirement on December 31, 2023; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Under Jim Pilmer's guidance, the Fox Valley Park | 13 | | District's residents, guests, and visitors benefited from | 14 | | thoughtful infrastructure and facility development | 15 | | initiatives, including the creation and unveiling of the Fox | 16 | | Fitness center in concert with capital renovation to the | 17 | | Prisco Community Center, the construction and opening of The | 18 | | Barn at Blackberry Farm and The Wilds at Red Oak Nature Center, | 19 | | the construction of outdoor pickleball courts at popular parks | 20 | | on Aurora's east and west sides, the development of six new | 21 | | parks, the significant redevelopment of Jericho Lake, Simmons, | 22 | | and Copley I parks, the sale of the district-owned police | 23 | | station facility in Montgomery, and the inception of the |
| | | HR0811 | - 2 - | LRB103 40815 LAW 73703 r |
|
| 1 | | district's Police and Public Safety division into the Cole | 2 | | Center; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Jim Pilmer was also responsible for administering | 4 | | insightful financial management and sustainability | 5 | | initiatives, including the development of the rolling | 6 | | Five-Year Financial Forecast, the procurement of approximately | 7 | | $14 million in federal, state, and local-level grants to fund | 8 | | programming and initiatives, and the implementation of a | 9 | | district-wide energy performance contracting improvements | 10 | | project, encompassing $2.7 million in energy efficiency | 11 | | upgrades procured by a low-interest lease repaid through | 12 | | utility savings over 15 years; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Jim Pilmer oversaw the Fox Valley Park District's | 14 | | implementation of several outstanding program and service | 15 | | enhancement initiatives, including the replacement of | 16 | | contracted outside services with district-run programming in | 17 | | core areas to align with the district's swimming, golf, | 18 | | tennis, and gymnastics programs, the development and growth of | 19 | | the Information Technology department and initiatives to | 20 | | provide reliable infrastructure and innovative solutions, the | 21 | | completion of comprehensive plans and studies to effectively | 22 | | guide the future of the district, the establishment of a | 23 | | public art walk at Blackhawk Park with new sculptures produced | 24 | | by local artists displayed annually, and the development of |
| | | HR0811 | - 3 - | LRB103 40815 LAW 73703 r |
|
| 1 | | Resilience, Reimagining Recreation, Recovery, an umbrella | 2 | | campaign dedicated to phased reopening strategies in the | 3 | | aftermath of a global pandemic, which included an economic | 4 | | relief plan for all employees in response to financial | 5 | | hardships resulting from the pandemic; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Due to Jim Pilmer's instrumental leadership, the | 7 | | Fox Valley Park District's residents experienced attentive | 8 | | community engagement and a number of expansion initiatives, | 9 | | including the establishment of a five-year partnership with | 10 | | Troon, LLC to revitalize Orchard Valley Golf Course, which | 11 | | included Orchards Restaurant and establishing the property as | 12 | | a premiere destination, significant trail connectivity | 13 | | improvements, such as the widening and paving of the Illinois | 14 | | Prairie Path, the acquisition of key riverfront property, the | 15 | | expansion of territory served by the district through | 16 | | annexations, totaling 497 acres, and the expansion of | 17 | | pollinator habitat by more than 50 acres through the | 18 | | procurement of grant funding; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Throughout his career and while executing his | 20 | | duties as executive director of the Fox Valley Park District, | 21 | | Jim Pilmer has continued to champion inclusion and equality | 22 | | for underserved populations of the community, continually | 23 | | making his hometown of Aurora proud; therefore, be it |
| | | HR0811 | - 4 - | LRB103 40815 LAW 73703 r |
|
| 1 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 2 | | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 3 | | we congratulate Jim Pilmer on his retirement as executive | 4 | | director of the Fox Valley Park District, and we commend his | 5 | | exemplary career, his many accomplishments, and his | 6 | | unquestionable service; and be it further | 7 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 8 | | presented to Jim Pilmer as an expression of our esteem and | 9 | | respect. |
|