Thomas H. Powers, P.E. officially retired from the City of Chicago as the Commissioner of the Department of Water Management on May 1,2016; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed this event by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Aldermen Edward M. Burke and Margaret Laurino; and
WHEREAS, Thomas H. Powers, P.E. began his career with the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) in 1996 as a Resident Engineer; and
WHEREAS, In 2005 Thomas H. Powers, P.E. was promoted to First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Engineer for CDOT where he was responsible for overseeing bridge reconstruction, roadway reconstruction, traffic signals and engineering, alley repairs and bridge emergency repairs; and
WHEREAS, In 2009 Thomas H. Powers, P.E. was named Acting Commissioner of Transportation and assumed responsibility for the overall management of operations, planning, and productivity; and
WHEREAS, Thomas H. Powers, P.E. while at CDOT took a personal role in projects to rehabilitate, repair and rebuild bridges including the North Avenue Bridge, Taylor Street Bascule Bridge, Wabash Avenue Bascule Bridge, Monroe Street Bridge, Chicago Avenue Bridge, Kinzie Street Bridge, Jackson Boulevard Bascule Bridge, Normal & Eggelston Bridge and Cortland Street Bascule Bridge; and
WHEREAS, Thomas H. Powers, P.E. distinguished himself by saving millions of dollars through reorganization of systems and resources; and
WHEREAS, In 2010 Thomas H. Powers, P.E. was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Water Management and vowed "to leave the department better than I found it"; and
WHEREAS, In his role as commissioner, Thomas H. Powers, P.E. has overseen the purification and delivery of drinking water through 4,300 miles of water main to the City of Chicago and 125 suburban communities as well as the delivery of waste water through 4,400 miles of sewers to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Thomas H. Powers, P.E. was the point-person for the administration as Mayor Rahm Emanuel launched the most ambitious renewal of Chicago's water infrastructure with a 10-year goal of replacing or lining more than 1,000 miles of water main and 750 miles of sewer main, converting from steam power to electric power three pumping stations and installing more than 200,000 water meters; and
WHEREAS, For the past twenty years, Thomas H. Powers, P.E. worked diligently to uphold the finest and most noble traditions of public service; and
WHEREAS, The vision, hard work and dedication of Thomas H. Powers, P.E. serve as an example to all; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this eighteenth day of May, 2016, do hereby express our gratitude to Thomas H. Powers, P.E. on his many years of dedicated service; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Thomas H. Powers, P.E.
