OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
May 23, 2018
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith, together with his City Council colleagues, a resolution the departure of our friend Alderman Michael Zalewski.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
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^Q\\2\ t jhe Members of this Chamber wish to congratulate Alderman Michael R. Zalewski upon the occasion of his retirement after twenty-three years of unparalleled public service; and
WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of the 23rd Ward, Michael Zalewski graduated from
Nathan Hale Grammar School; John F. Kennedy High School; and Morraine Valley
Community College. An industrious young man, he worked part-time in neighborhood
stores while going to school. Michael Zalewski began his public service career working
for the Department of Streets and Sanitation, loading garbage trucks, plowing snow,
filling potholes and trimming trees. Thanks to his focus, dedication and work ethic, he
rose through the ranks to become Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Sanitation
under Mayor Richard M. Daley; and : .
WHEREAS, Michael Zalewski was elected as Alderman of the 23rd Ward in 1995. In 2005 he was appointed as 23rd Ward Democratic Committeeman, and in -2008 he was elected to that position, which he holds to this day. In 2009,'Alderman Zalewski also served as President Pro Tempore of the Chicago City Council; and
WHEREAS, A man who always took to heart his constituents' problems, Alderman Zalewski counted as his top legislative priorities public safety, city services and education. A strong supporter of the City's Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) program, Alderman Zalewski was committed to hiring more police officers to combat crime and gun violence in Chicago. He worked closely with the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch Group, Clearing Night Force and Archer Heights Civic Association, whose members volunteer to patrol streets, parks, schools and alleys and to notify the Chicago Police Department of suspicious activity; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure, Alderman Zalewski worked to foster economic development along Archer Avenue and to provide a safe and clean environment where residents would want to work and shop; and
WHEREAS, Well respected and well liked for his values of honesty, professionalism and decency, Alderman Zalewski handily won re-election each time he ran for office, receiving in 2015 over 66% of the vote in his now heavily Hispanic ward. Alderman Zalewski attributed his electoral success to a simple guiding principle: "I never lost sight of the fact that it was not my actions on the City Council floor that allowed me to make the greatest impact, but the small things my office did in the community each and every day to assist residents and to make the area a better place for people to live and to support a family"; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of his illustrious political career. Alderman Zalewski served as Chairman of the City Council Committee on Aviation, and, in recent years, as a member of the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations; Committee on Committees, Rules and Ethics; Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development; Committee on Finance; Committee on Health and Environmental Protection; and Committee on Workforce Development and Audit; and
WHEREAS, Appointed in 2011 by Mayor Rahm Emanuel as Chairman of the City Council Committee on Aviation, Alderman Zalewski played a crucial role in modernizing Midway International Airport and O'Hare International Airport, in supporting the City's efforts to overhaul contracting there, and most recently, in shepherding through the City Council the widely acclaimed $8.5 billion O'Hare Airport expansion project to ensure that Chicago is ready to lead the future of aviation; and
WHEREAS, Not one to rest on his laurels, Alderman Zalewski is looking forward in retirement to growing q consulting business, spending quality time with his wife, children and seven grandchildren, end pursuing other interesting ond challenging opportunities that come his way; and
WHEREAS, Alderman Zalewski's wise counsel, political acumen, humble spirit, and kind demeanor will be sorely missed by his colleagues in the Chicago City Council; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this twenty-third day of May, 2018, do hereby extend to Alderman Michael R. Zalewski our deepest gratitude and thanks for his many years of exceptional service to the people of Chicago, and our best wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors; and
BE /T FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Alderman Michael R. Zalewski as a token of our appreciation and esteem.
