RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 6, 2017
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the career of Charles Thomas
Body
WHEREAS, Charles Thomas, veteran broadcast journalist, is retiring after more than 25 years at ABC 7; and
WHEREAS, born and raised near St. Louis, Missouri, Charles’ first job in journalism was delivering Ebony and Jet magazines to his neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Charles published his own newspaper in high school and after graduation became one of the first African-Americans to attend and earn a bachelor's degree from the prestigious University of Missouri School of Journalism; and
WHEREAS, after graduation, Charles began his career in 1973 as a radio reporter at KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri; and
WHEREAS, in 1978, Charles began work for KGO-TV in San Francisco, where he stayed until a move to CBS in Philadelphia in 1982; and
WHEREAS, after three years as a Midwest correspondent for ABC News, Charles joined ABC 7 in Chicago in 1991; and
WHEREAS, Charles was named chief political reporter in 1991 and has provided on-the-scene coverage at many historical events, including the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, the Mount St. Helens volcano eruption, the 1985 MOVE confrontation/bombing in Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Rodney King riots, both O.J. Simpson trials, the Oklahoma City bombing and national political conventions since 1976; and
WHEREAS, Charles plans to pursue new opportunities in digital media focusing on changing the narrative for the Chicago region's African-American community; and
WHEREAS, retirement will provide Charles more time to spend with his wife, Maria, their sons, daughter and six grandchildren; 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 Charles Thomas for his storied career in broadcast journalism; 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 Charles Thomas.
Dated: April 6, 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, RMH:aw