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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING COMMISSIONER DEBORAH SIMS
WHEREAS, Commissioner Deborah Sims will vacate her seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners after twenty-eight (28) years of exceptional service to the residents of the 5th District; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Sims was first elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners in December of 1994, making her the longest serving Black woman; and
WHEREAS, after nearly thirty years of service, Commissioner Sims remained steadfast in her commitment and advocacy on behalf of the residents of the 5th District, which spans parts of the Chicago Far South Side and some south suburbs.
WHEREAS, Commissioner Sims is proud to have led efforts in her district around economic development, equitable healthcare and improved water infrastructure, she lists among her greatest accomplishments securing new public health clinics in Blue Island and Robbins and overseeing the development of Cook County’s domestic violence court; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Sims has served as President Pro Tempore of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, Chair of the Transportation Committee and Finance Subcommittee on Tax Delinquency, and Vice-Chair of Finance and Labor. Thanks to her leadership and nearly 30 years of experience, Commissioner Sims has been instrumental in passing countless resolutions and ordinances that have directly improved the lives of Cook County’s most vulnerable residents; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Sims attended Chicago Public Schools and the City Colleges of Chicago. She has dedicated her professional life serving to public service. First, holding positions with the City of Chicago Department of Human Services as a Youth Intervention Worker and Youth Service Coordinator. Both positions involved working with Chicago Public Schools, Youth Service Agencies and teenagers on the South Side; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Sims has held leadership positions on various Boards, including the National Association of Counties (NACo), the National Association of Black County Officials (NABCO), the Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) and NeighborSpace. She received an Honorary Associate of Arts degree from South Suburban College and is a proud member of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Toni Preckwinkle, President, and Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby extend their sincere and grateful appreciation to Commissioner Deborah Sims for her exemplary career in public service and wish her their best 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 Deborah Sims.
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