CONGRATULATIONS EXTENDED TO BARBARA POPOVIC ON HER RETIREMENT AFTER 29 YEARS OF DEDICATED LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE AT CHICAGO ACCESS NETWORK TELEVISION (CAN TV).
WHEREAS, for nearly 30 years Barbara Popovic has served as Executive Director of Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV), which protects the public's right to speak and be heard and invests them with the power of technology; and
WHEREAS, In June 6, 2016, Barbara Popovic announced her retirement as Executive Director of CAN TV at the end of 2016; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this great honor by The Honorable Margaret Laurino, Alderman ofthe 39th Ward
WHEREAS, during this period more than 18,000 residents and 5,000 nonprofit members have participated in training at CAN TV and thousands more use its channels; and
WHEREAS, Popovic is a proud recipient of the national Dirk Koning-George Stoney Leadership Award by the Alliance for Community Media, for her outstanding contributions to championing the growth and experience of humanistic community communications; and
WHEREAS, Popovic is recognized as a leader in protecting and defending educational and governmental (PEG) access channels at the local, state and federal level; and
WHEREAS, Popovic was president ofthe Alliance for Communications Democracy, a national organization formed to defend public, educational, and governmental access channels through legal action; and on behalf of the Alliance for Communications Democracy testified in front of a U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government; and
WHEREAS, Popovic was instrumental in negotiating at the state level for protections for PEG access funding and channels in what is widely seen as the strongest state video franchise law for PEG access; now, therefore
Be It Resolved, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this fourteenth day of December, 2016, do hereby offer our heartiest congratulations to Barbara Popovic on her retirement after nearly 30 years of leadership at CAN TV and extend our best wishes for continued success and fulfillment; and
Be It Further Resolved, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Barbara Popovic.