CONGRATULATIONS EXTENDED TO THE HONORABLE EARLEAN COLLINS
WHEREAS, Earlean Collins, Cook County Commissioner 1st District, will be celebrating 37 years of public service on October 17, 2014; and
WHEREAS, The City Council has been informed of this special occasion by The Honorable Bob Fioretti, Alderman of the 2nd Ward; and
WHEREAS, Over the past 37 years, Earlean Collins had a long and distinguished career as a public servant. Her career as an elected official began when she was elected to the Illinois State Senate, becoming the first African American female elected to that body. Her hard work and tenacity elevated her to the position of Assistant Minority Leader in the State Senate; and
WHEREAS, While in the State Senate, Earlean Collins sponsored legislation that impacted the lives of not just her constituents, but of all Illinois residents. Her numerous legislative accomplishments include: sponsoring the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act, the Equal Employment Office, the Job Training Partnership Act, the Independent Public Defenders Office, Earn Fare Program, Illinois College Tuition Savings Program, Illinois Housing Trust Program, Boot Camp Program, Women and Business Assistance Program and establishing treatment centers for pregnant women with substance abuse difficulties; and
WHEREAS, Following her career in the Illinois Senate, in 1998, Earlean Collins was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners, representing the County's 1st District, an area that includes the Chicago neighborhoods of Humboldt Park, West Garfield Park, Austin and Montclare, as well as the surrounding suburbs of Oak Park, Forest Park, Maywood, Broadview, Westchester, Bellwood and Hillside; and
WHEREAS, As County Commissioner, Earlean Collins served as Chairman of the Criminal Justice and Workforce Job Development and Training Opportunities Committees. Commissioner Collins conducted the first public hearings on the Burge police torture cases, which lead to the passage of three resolutions: 1) to the US Attorney, which lead to a Burge conviction on perjury charges, 2) called on the Illinois Attorney General to review convicted cases where torture was involved, and 3) to the State of Illinois to eliminate the crime of torture from the Illinois statute of limitation; and
WHEREAS; While serving on the County Board, Commissioner Earlean Collins oversaw the development of a new intake unit at the Cook County Temporary Juvenile Detention Center, a unit for pregnant women at the Cook County jail, conduction a public hearing on violence and is currently developing a comprehensive crime intervention and prevention package; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Earlean Collins honorably served the State of Illinois and Cook County with the utmost of professionalism. May her strong dedication to her job and to her constituents serve as an inspiration to us all; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this eighth day of October 2014, do hereby extend our heartiest congratulations to the Honorable Earlean Collins on the occasion of her retirement and wish her every success in any and all of her future endeavors; and
Be It Further Resolved, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Commissioner Earlean Collins.