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OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
LORI E. LIGHTFOOT
MAYOR
March 24. 2021
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1 transmit herewith, together with Aldermen Hairston, Curtis, Thompson, Waguespack, King, Moore, Sawyer, Dowell, Austin, Silverstein, Napolitano, Cappleman, Osterman, Mitts, Ervin, Vasquez, Hopkins, Cardenas, Garza, Harris, Hadden, Smith, Lopez, Rodriguez, Quinn, Reilly, Nugent and Maldonado, a resolution congratulating Lisa Morrison Butler.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Very truly yours.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, In recognition of her leadership and appreciation for her service to Chicago's most vulnerable residents, the Members of this Chamber are pleased to congratulate Lisa Morrison Butler, Commissioner of the Department of Family and Support Services, on the occasion of her resignation from the Department; and
WHEREAS, As a member of a military family, Ms. Morrison Butler lived in nine cities in three countries before permanently settling in Chicago and adopting her husband's hometown as her own; and
WHEREAS, Supported by her husband, Reginald S. Butler, and daughters, Dawn and Erin, Ms. Morrison Butler was an entrepreneur and attained leadership positions in the private and non-profit sectors before joining the City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Upon learning of Ms. Morrison Butler's success in her leadership of City Year Chicago, a youth service program that unites young adults from diverse backgrounds for a demanding year of full-time community service, in August of 2015 Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed Ms. Morrison Butler as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services; and
WHEREAS, Motivated by her passion for service for Chicago's historically underserved communities, and supported by the deep knowledge and experience ofthe Department of Family and Support Service's staff, Ms. Morrison Butler set about leading the effort, in her words, "to shift the Department's focus from transactional to transformational service delivery;" and
WHEREAS, Determined to recognize and tap into the knowledge of the greater community, Ms. Morrison Butler sought out, cultivated and fully leveraged partnerships with key external stakeholders, including community-based nonprofit organizations, university partners, City and sister agencies, non-partisan civic thought leaders, philanthropic organizations, advocates and the Members of this Chamber, whose insight and perspectives helped advance the Department's work; and
WHEREAS, In 2019, at the start ofthe Lightfoot administration, Ms. Morrison Butler, in recognition of her impressive skills and track record, was asked to remain as Commissioner of the Department. In partnership with the Mayor and her team, Ms. Morrison Butler significantly advanced the City's reputation and credibility for effectively gathering and using data, believing that "local government needs to harness the power of data and evidence to solve Chicago's most long-standing problems;" and
WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Morrison Butler led the Department's effort to support the City's most vulnerable residents, including launching the first Chicago Youth Service Corps, in which over 1,800 young adult leaders came together during the summer of 2020 to serve their neighborhoods and communities during the height of the pandemic; and
WHEREAS, The privilege of learning from, and listening to, individuals with "lived experience" with the Department's core mission informed and shaped Ms. Morrison Butler's vision for the work and remained her inspiration throughout her tenure; and
WHEREAS, Throughout her years of service, Ms. Morrison Butler built on the strengths of the Commissioners who preceded her, and she empowered the Department's staff to embrace a learning culture, focused on achieving outcomes that truly benefit vulnerable people: and
WHEREAS, Ms. Morrison Butler's determination, integrity, focus, sense of. humor and team spirit will be sorely missed by her colleagues and her team; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-fourth day of March, 2021, do hereby congratulate Lisa Morrison Butler on the occasion of her departure from City service; express to her our heartfelt gratitude for her exemplary service to the residents of our great City; and extend to her our best wishes for continued health, happiness, prosperity and success as she turns the page to a new chapter in her life; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Thata suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Lisa Morrison Butler as a sign of our appreciation and esteem.