RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing MarySue Barrett’s twenty-five years of service with the Metropolitan Planning Council
Body
WHEREAS, MarySue Barrett is a forceful, visionary problem-solver whose talent for civic advocacy on topics ranging from education, transportation, housing, and natural resources has transformed the Chicago region; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) was founded in 1934 to improve housing standards in the City of Chicago, and has since expanded its mission to shape a bolder, better, and more equitable Chicago region; and
WHEREAS, since becoming President of the MPC in 1996, Ms. Barrett has steered the agency to make positive changes in the greater Chicago region by convening diverse stakeholders and championing collaborative strategies to address regional challenges; and
WHEREAS, in 2016, the MPC partnered with the City of Chicago, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and Friends of the Chicago River to launch Great Rivers Chicago, to reenvision the future of the Chicago, Des Plaines, and Calumet rivers; and
WHEREAS, the MPC has developed and piloted many stormwater-related programs, including the Calumet Stormwater Collaborative, Steady Streams, and StormStore; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Barrett earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Northwestern University. Before joining MPC, she was employed with the City of Chicago for seven years, including serving as Chief of Policy to Mayor Richard M. Daley for three years; and
WHEREAS, in addition to her dedication to the MPC, Ms. Barrett is a committed member of numerous organizations including being a steering committee member of the City of Chicago’s Recovery Task Force, serving on the board of Current, and on the Board of Directors of IFF; and
WHEREAS, after twenty-five years of service, she has decided to leave her position as President of Metropolitan Planning Council. Ms. Barrett has been a thoughtful, energetic leader and a valued partner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago; 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, do hereby recognize MarySue Barrett’s twenty-five years of service with the Metropolitan Planning Council and thank her for her work on behalf of the people of Chicago and Cook County; 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: September 2, 2021