RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF JULY 11, 2013
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners honoring Captain J. Jacob and Pollution Control Technicians Robert Chmela and Dave Zintak for rescuing a stranger who had fallen into the Chicago River
Body
WHEREAS, on June 28, 2013, after touring the water intake cribs aboard a MWRD pollution control boat, Commissioners Mariyana Spyropoulos and Kari Steele, along with Captain J. Jacob, Pollution Control Technicians Robert Chmela and Dave Zintak and other staff noticed a person in the water, struggling to get out; and
WHEREAS, observing that the man was unable to climb the river wall, Captain Jacob steered the boat nearer to the man; and
WHEREAS, when the man was reluctant to leave the river wall, Captain Jacob and staff urged him to swim to the boat; and
WHEREAS, the man was pulled safely onto the boat and brought to the Joint Marine Facility for further assistance; and
WHEREAS, in the course of their regular work to protect and beautify our waterways, Captain Jacob and Pollution Control Technicians Robert Chmela and Dave Zintak exemplified the very best type of District employee by bravely and selflessly offering assistance to a stranger in dire need of help; and
WHEREAS, to quote Sally Koch, "Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day"; and
WHEREAS, in seizing the opportunity to help someone in need, Captain Jacob, Robert Chmela and Dave Zintak have made the District proud; 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 honor Captain Jacob, Robert Chmela and Dave Zintak for their quick-thinking and selfless action, recognize their bravery with this proclamation, and hold their actions as an example for others to emulate; 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 copies of same, suitably engrossed, be presented to Captain Jacob, Robert Chmela and Dave Zintak.
Dated: July 11, 2013
Approved: KATHLEEN THERESE MEANY, President; BARBARA J. MCGOWAN, Vice-President; MARIYANA T. SPYROPOULOS, Chairman, Committee on Finance; MICHAEL A. ALVAREZ; FRANK AVILA; CYNTHIA M. SANTOS; DEBRA SHORE; KARI K. STEELE; PATRICK D. THOMPSON, Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Approved as to Form and Legality: Ronald M. Hill, General Counsel