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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING COMMISSIONER JOHN A. FRITCHEY
WHEREAS, Commissioner John A. Fritchey (12th District) will vacate his seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners on November 30, 2018 after eight exemplary years of public service to the residents of Cook County and the 12th District; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Fritchey attended both grammar and high school in Chicago, after which, he received a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Michigan, then a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University Law School; and
WHEREAS, following law school, Commissioner Fritchey began his public service work as an Illinois Assistant Attorney General, where he represented the state in both state and federal courts, advocating for victims and their families and representing the state in civil rights claims; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Fritchey was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1996, and during his 14 years as a state legislator, was an unwavering reform leader and served as the Chairman of the House Civil Judiciary Committee and Consumer Protection Committee as well as a member of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules; and
WHEREAS, in the General Assembly, Commissioner Fritchey spearheaded legislation on a wide range of topics, such as animal rights, civil law, consumer protection, criminal justice, healthcare, human rights and ethics, including passing the most sweeping ethics reforms in Illinois history; and
WHEREAS, in 2010, Commissioner Fritchey was elected as Cook County Commissioner for the 12th District, which encompasses most of the north and northwest sides of the City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Fritchey served as the Chairman of the Technology & Innovation Committee, as well as the Vice-Chair of both the Litigation Committee and the Legislation & Intergovernmental Relations Committee; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Fritchey continued to fight for good government and progressive values on the County Board, championing landmark legislation including: the Open Data ordinance, Information Security ordinance, Animal & Consumer Protection ordinance, Animal Abuser Registry ordinance, Violence Prevention, Intervention and Reduction ordinance, Recorder/Clerk Merger referendum as well as legislation for Zero-Based Budgeting, Indigent Burial reforms, Sweat-shop Free procurement, Automated Criminal Justice, Marijuana legalization referendum, Tax Predictability ordinance among many others; and
WHEREAS, throughout his career Commissioner Fritchey has been the recipient of numerous awards including: The Animal Welfare Leadership Award-PAWS Chicago, Kindness to Animals Award - Puppy Mill Project, Illinois State Crime Commission-Humane Legislator Award, Outstanding Public Servant Award, Friend of Agriculture Award-Illinois Farm Bureau, Distinguished Service Award-Illinois Committee for Honest Government, Legislator of the Year-Delta Kappa Gamma Society of Women Educators, Outstanding Public Servant-Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, Democratic Leadership Council’s-Democratic Leader of the Year Award, Senior Citizens Legislative Advocacy Award among many others; and
WHEREAS, throughout his distinguished career in public service, Commissioner Fritchey has been dedicated to the needs and values of the residents of Cook County and Illinois and a stalwart advocate for open and honest government;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby extend our sincere and grateful appreciation to Commissioner John A. Fritchey for his exemplary career in public service and on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and our best wishes to him for continued success, happiness, and good health in the years to come; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and a suitable copy of same be tendered to Commissioner John A. Fritchey.
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