RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 20, 2017
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RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing Dr. Tom Granato’s twenty-nine years of service to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and congratulating him on his well-earned retirement
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WHEREAS, after twenty-nine years of dedicated service to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Dr. Tom Granato has announced his retirement; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Granato holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Science and a Master of Science degree in Soil Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1987, Dr. Granato earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Soil Science at North Carolina State University; and
WHEREAS, in 1988, Dr. Granato joined the District as a Soil Scientist II, which entailed managing research projects and the Stickney Soils Laboratory; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Granato was promoted to Soil Scientist III in 1998 and began managing the Land Reclamation and Soil Science Section of the Research and Development Department; and
WHEREAS, from 2005 to 2009, Dr. Granato served as Assistant Director of Monitoring and Research, where he headed the Environmental Monitoring and Research Division; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Granato was appointed Director of Monitoring and Research in 2011, where he supervised over 300 employees. The Department conducts environmental monitoring to assess regulatory compliance and impacts of District operations, applied research to provide technical support for operations, administers the District’s Industrial Pretreatment and User Charge programs, leads long-term process facility capital planning, supports biosolids management, evaluates new wastewater treatment technologies, and assesses effectiveness of green infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, during the promulgation of the USEPA Rule 503 standards for biosolids, Dr. Granato was instrumental in the regulatory review and subsequent implementation of the rule at the District; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Granato currently serves on the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation Research Council, the United States Department of Agriculture W3170 Workgroup and the National Biosolids Partnership steering committee. He is a past managing editor of Water Environment Research and is a member of the Water Environment Federation, the American Chemical Society, the Soil Science Society of America, the Illinois Water Environment Association and the American Society of Agronomy; and
WHEREAS, a member of the Industrial Waste, Water & Sewage Group, Dr. Granato will be presented with the 2017 E. Ted Erickson “Distinguished Environmental Professional” Award; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Granato has written numerous technical papers and research articles which have been published in scientific journals and has presented his research at conferences and meetings all over the world; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Granato is an important member of his church and community, and has served as coach for several baseball and soccer teams for his children; and
WHEREAS, retirement will allow Dr. Granato to spend more time with his wife, Nancy and their children: Peter, Elizabeth and Victoria; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and staff, do hereby recognize Dr. Tom Granato’s twenty-nine years of service to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and that a copy of same, suitably engrossed, be presented to Dr. Tom Granato.
Dated: April 20, 2017
Approved: MARIYANA T. SPYROPOULOS, President; BARBARA J. MCGOWAN, Vice President; FRANK AVILA, Chairman, Committee on Finance; TIMOTHY BRADFORD; MARTIN J. DURKAN; JOSINA MORITA; DEBRA SHORE; KARI K. STEELE; DAVID J. WALSH; Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Approved as to Form and Legality: Ronald M. Hill, General Counsel