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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE YEARS OF DEDICATION & SERVICE OF DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY DEBORAH “DEBBIE” STONE
WHEREAS, Debbie has proudly devoted the past 27 years to serving the public sector; and
WHEREAS, Debbie joined Cook County in 1995 and served as Coordinator of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Cook County Board President’s Office where she served until 2002; and
WHEREAS, Debbie returned in 2011 as the Director of the Cook County Department of Environmental Control; and
WHEREAS, Debbie served in roles with the Illinois Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and Illinois Nature Preserves Commission; and
WHEREAS, Debbie began her illustrious career at Beloit College, earning a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Philosophy; and
WHEREAS, Debbie earned a Master’s degree in Public Policy Studies at the Harris School, University of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Debbie has taught environmental economics, waste and materials, as well as environmental planning and policy courses as an Adjunct Faculty member with DePaul University since 2009 and University of Illinois at Chicago-Graduate College of Urban Planning and Policy since 2015; and
WHEREAS, Debbie has proudly served Cook County, her other public sector appointments, and the nonprofit community through her position as Executive Director of the Metropolitan Planning Council; and
WHEREAS, Debbie was recognized by the Illinois Environmental Council with the Environmental Leadership Award in 2017 and by Crain’s Chicago Business as a notable leader in sustainability in 2022; and
WHEREAS, Debbie led the County in working to improve the quality of the environment for all residents of Cook County as Director of the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability and Chief Sustainability Officer; and
WHEREAS, Debbie created Cook County’s first Environmental Sustainability Plan; and
WHEREAS, through Debbie’s leadership, the work of the Department of Environmental Control has expanded to include brownfield remediation, solid waste regulation, renewable energy, sustainability programming and other services and was renamed the Department of Environment and Sustainability (DES); and
WHEREAS, DES regulates approximately 9,000 businesses in Cook County in addition to stewarding asbestos removal, solid waste and recycling facilities throughout Cook County; and
WHEREAS, DES supports the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with air monitoring throughout Cook County; and
WHEREAS, DES champions community initiatives such as lowering the cost for residents to install solar panels, encouraging re-use of materials from demolitions, providing low-cost financing for businesses to make renewable energy and cleaning up contaminated brownfield sites for redevelopment; and
WHEREAS, DES collaborated with the Bureau of Asset Management on development and execution of the Clean Energy Plan which lays out a detailed path to carbon neutrality by 2050 and 100% renewable energy by 2030, and is currently exceeding expected targets; and
WHEREAS, DES has been the recipient of millions of dollars of Federal grant funding to support environmental and sustainability-related initiatives throughout Cook County in the areas of air quality, pollution reduction, green stormwater infrastructure, solid waste management, waste diversion, energy efficiency, climate resiliency planning, renewable energy, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and more; and
WHEREAS, DES leads the Sustainable Communities pillar of President Preckwinkle’s strategic plan, the Policy Roadmap and participates in other pillars; and
WHEREAS, under her leadership, DES and Cook County have been recognized for their environmental work with awards from many organizations, including the Illinois Green Alliance, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, Building Materials Reuse Association, National Association of Counties, among others; and
WHEREAS, Debbie has been deeply appreciated by Cook County’s many employees who have benefitted from her leadership, commitment to environmental justice and collaborative spirit; and
WHEREAS, Debbie has been a tireless advocate and trusted partner for environmental protection and policy creation; and
WHEREAS, Debbie has continued to give back to the community and the planet through numerous volunteer experiences, including stewardship and ecological restoration with the Forest Preserves of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Debbie is retiring from County public service and will embark on a happy and fulfilling next chapter; and
WHEREAS, Debbie will be missed as she has been an indispensable leader who is passionate about serving all of our communities, especially those which have faced disproportionate environmental burdens; and
WHEREAS, Debbie should be proud of her accomplishments and service to Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Debbie leaves an indelible impression amongst her peers and will always be available for coffee or lunch with her former colleagues.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, hereby honor and recognize Deborah “Debbie” Stone for her work on behalf of the residents of Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be rendered to Deborah “Debbie” Stone as a means of communicating our sincere appreciation.
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