HR0176 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0176 LRB100 11579 MST 22249 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Thomas J. Weisner on the occasion of his retirement as Mayor of the City of Aurora on October 31, 2016; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner served in various positions in administration for the City of Aurora for 20 years before becoming one of just three mayors elected to three terms; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner focused on downtown riverfront renewal, enhanced public safety, and the development of a top-notch telecommunications infrastructure; in 2014, Aurora was recognized as one of the top 10 safest mid-size cities in the nation, and in the summer of 2016, it was recognized by WalletHub as one of the top 20 best-run cities; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner worked to attract new jobs and bring in economic development to Aurora; in August of 2016, the unemployment rate in Aurora stood at 5.3%, well below the State average; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner oversaw major projects during his years of service, including the new Aurora Police Station, which opened in 2010; the new Waubonsee College downtown campus complex, which opened in 2011; the RiverEdge Park, which opened in 2013; and the new downtown Aurora Public Library, which opened in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner was aggressive in modernizing Aurora's aging road and bridges; in 12 years, 12 major bridges were reconstructed; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner prioritized fixing Aurora's aging underground infrastructure, completing millions of dollars in water and sewer improvements, using green methods whenever possible; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner has been a leader on the regional, State, and national level; he served as the Chairman of the Chicago Metropolitan Mayors Caucus; in recognition of his leadership on regional issues, The DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference, selected him as the Governmental Leader of the Year in 2014; he is the founding Chairman of the Northwest Water Planning Alliance, one of only two regional water planning organizations in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Prior to his time in office, Mayor Weisner served Aurora for 17 years in a variety of capacities; he is a former board member of the Illinois Toll Highway Authority, where he served as Co-Chair of the Strategic Planning and Customer Service Committee; he served as the Kane/Kendall counties representative to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; he was an Executive Board member of the Illinois Municipal League, a member of the Pension Fairness for Illinois Communities Coalition, and past President of Metro West Council of Governments; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner served as an officer or board member with the Quad County Urban League, Family Counseling Services, the Boy Scouts of America, Study Circles, and the United Way; he is the founding Chair of the Aurora East Educational Foundation, and a founding member of Aurora Cares; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner has had the distinction of being the first Aurora mayor in a century to wear a beard throughout his tenure; and

WHEREAS, Prior to joining the City of Aurora staff in 1986, Mayor Weisner and his wife, Marilyn, served in the Peace Corps, assisting Melanesian rainforest dwellers in the highlands of Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner attended Marmion Academy and Marquette University; he holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management, Summa Cum Laude, from Aurora University; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Weisner was born and raised in Batavia; he and his wife moved to Aurora in 1973; he was employed by Western Electric; and

WHEREAS, In honor of their son, Thaddeus, who passed away at the age of 21, The Weisner Family Trust was established to support children and families challenged by the effects of disease or disability; their foster son, Tony, joined their family at the age of 14; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we wish to congratulate Thomas J. Weisner on his retirement as Mayor of the City of Aurora, and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Mayor Weisner as an expression of our esteem and respect.