RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Members of this Chamber are proud to congratulate our friend and colleague, Alderman Patrick O'Connor, on his thirty-six years of dedicated service to the people of the 40th Ward and the City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of the Northwest Side of Chicago, Alderman O'Connor graduated from St. Hilary School, where he met his future wife Barbara, and Mather High School. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree and Juris Doctor Degree at Loyola University of Chicago. A true family man, who deeply loved the neighborhood where he was raised, Alderman O'Connor and Barbara raised their family there. Today, their five children and seven grandchildren, as well as three of Alderman O'Connor's five siblings, reside within a few blocks of one another in the 40th Ward; and
WHEREAS, First elected as Alderman ofthe 40th Ward in 1983, at age 28, Alderman O'Connor served nine consecutive terms in office. In 1984, Alderman O'Connor was elected as 40'1 Ward Democratic Committeeman, a position he holds today; and
- WHEREAS, In Alderman O'Connor's words: "The job of an alderman has two parts. The first is to serve as the steward ofthe City's services for the community ... The second is to help inform and pass on public policy that relates to the entire City ... ." Guided by this belief, Alderman O'Connor applied priorities and a vision for the 40lh Ward that emphasized economic development, fiscal responsibility, worker protection, education, ethics and transparency, and ensuring that day-to-day core city functions, such as trash collection, public safety and public transportation, are performed consistently and well; and
WHEREAS, A strong proponent of quality education, Alderman O'Connor understood the importance of modernizing schools, creating high-performance schools, and adequately compensating teachers and school administrators. Nationally recognized as a leader in public education, Alderman O'Connor received numerous awards recognizing his effor...
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