Bill Text: IL HR0774 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Congratulates Rita Fletcher on her retirement from the Bartlett Park District. Commends her service to the community for the past 37 years. Wishes her success in her next chapter.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-05-13 - Resolution Adopted [HR0774 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HR0774-Introduced.html

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HR0774 LRB103 40466 LAW 72843 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives wish to congratulate Rita Fletcher on the
occasion of her retirement from the Bartlett Park District
after 37 years of service; and
WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher earned her bachelor's degree in
parks and recreation administration from Eastern Illinois
University and her master's degree in recreation
administration from Aurora University; and
WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher worked in parks and recreation for
over 39 years, during which she built an exceptional
reputation within the community as a standard for how to
perform park district operations efficiently, effectively, and
in a fiscally responsible manner; she initially served the
Bartlett Park District as recreation supervisor before being
promoted to assistant superintendent of recreation in 1996,
superintendent of recreation in 2002, and executive director
in 2005; and
WHEREAS, During her tenure, Rita Fletcher remained attuned
to community feedback in terms of planning activities and
events and developing the Bartlett Park District through
instituting effective community surveys to better guide the

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board and staff, spearheaded an effort to pass a successful
$18 million bond referendum in 2010, organized the Halloween
Boo Drive-Thru event and a mass vaccination site that resulted
in the 3,100 vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and
oversaw the district's use of over $3.2 million dollars in
parks and facility grants to go towards a number of
improvements, including the development of Riley's Run in 2007
and the renovations of Beaver Pond in 2008, Schrade Gym in
2014, and Apple Orchard Community Park in 2022; and
WHEREAS, Under Rita Fletcher's leadership, the Bartlett
Park District received the Certificate of Achievement for
Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance
Officers Association for 20 consecutive years, was named a
finalist for the National Recreation and Parks Association
(NRPA) Gold Medal Award in both 2009 and 2010, and has been
deemed an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency since 1999;
and
WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has belonged to and held leadership
positions in several professional organizations, including
serving the NRPA and its Joint Distinguished Agency Committee,
the Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency Committee, as a
board member of the Northwest Special Recreation Association
(NWSRA), as president and treasurer of the Suburban Park and
Recreation Association (SPRA), and the Illinois Parks and

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Recreation Association (IPRA), where she served on its
facility management board from 2000 to 2005, its certification
board from 2002 to 2007, and its board of directors, serving as
chair in 2017; and
WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has actively participated in the
Bartlett community, including being involved in the Bartlett
Parks Foundation, the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce, Rotary
Club, the Character Counts Coalition, and several youth
athletic organizations; she has also cultivated great working
relationships with the Village of Bartlett, the Bartlett
Police and Fire Departments, the Elgin Area School District
U-46, and the local library district; and
WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has served as a panel speaker on
the subject of girl power at many state conferences, sharing
useful tips on career advancement, leadership, and how to be a
successful, inspiring female leader; and
WHEREAS, Rita Fletcher has received a number of awards for
her work, including the 2002 IPRA Professional of the Year
Award and the 2011 NRPA Great Lakes Network Distinguished
Professional Award; and
WHEREAS, In retirement, Rita Fletcher leaves a fun-loving
legacy of community engagement, partnership, and health;

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therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we congratulate Rita Fletcher on her retirement from the
Bartlett Park District, commend her service to the community
for the past 37 years, and wish her success in her next
chapter; and be it further