RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF OCTOBER 15, 2026
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners honoring the United States Coast Guard and the Great Lakes Region Maritime Community (As Revised)
Body
WHEREAS, for generations, the United States Coast Guard have been an integral part of the history of the Great Lakes, with a longstanding presence dedicated to protecting life, assisting mariners, maintaining navigational safety, enforcing maritime laws, and protecting the marine environment; and
WHEREAS, the United States Coast Guard’s presence on the Great Lakes dates to the nineteenth century, when predecessor agencies including the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the U.S. Lighthouse Service, The Bureau of Navigation and U.S. Life-Saving Service served the region, and the modern Coast Guard was established in 1915 through the merger of those services. To this day, the Coast Guard’s mission resonates deeply with all who care about Chicago’s waterways, our maritime heritage, environmental stewardship, and the safety of everyone who lives, works, travels, or recreates on our waters; and
WHEREAS, Coast Guard personnel routinely stand watch in difficult and unpredictable circumstances, often without recognition, and their service reflects an unwavering commitment to protecting life, safeguarding our waterways, and serving the public. Since 1969, the Coast Guard Foundation has supported the men and women of the United States Coast Guard and their families, providing emergency assistance, scholarships and education grants, morale and wellness programs, and other family-support services designed to strengthen the Coast Guard community; and
WHEREAS, the Coast Guard and its Chicago-area agency partners regularly work together to promote boating safety, address maritime hazards, protect the public, and respond to emerging challenges on Chicago’s waterways. The Great Lakes region maritime community is strengthened by close cooperation among federal, state, and local partners, including Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan; Marine Safety Unit Chicago; Coast Guard Station Chicago; Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw; Coast Guard Airstation Traverse City; the Chicago Harbor Safety Committee; the marine units of the Chicago Fire Department and Chicago Police Department; and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources; and many other federal, state and local agency partners; and
WHEREAS, on Friday, October 16, 2026, members and supporters of the Chicago and Great Lakes maritime community will come together in Chicago for The Great Lakes Region Salutes the Coast Guard, an event benefiting Coast Guard families; 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 our staff, wish to express our gratitude and appreciation to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, their families, and the many federal, state, and local partners who work together to protect Chicago’s waterways and the Great Lakes; 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.
Dated: October 15, 2026