[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 99 (Thursday, June 13, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E774-E775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING ALDERMAN MARGARET LAURINO ON HER RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE QUIGLEY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 13, 2019

  Mr. QUIGLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Alderman 
Margaret Laurino on her retirement from her position as Alderman of the 
39th Ward of the City of Chicago.
  Born and raised in the very ward that she served as Alderman, 
Margaret Laurino has dedicated her life to providing the strong, 
community-minded administration that our city deserves. She is an 
accomplished public servant who has demonstrated exemplary leadership 
in the City Council and worked hard to improve the lives of her 
constituents in Chicago's 39th Ward for 25 years.
  Margaret ``Marge'' Laurino was elected by her colleagues to serve as 
President Pro Tempore of the Chicago City Council, bestowing upon her 
the responsibility to preside over City Council meetings in the Mayor's 
absence. She served as Chairman of the City Council Committee on 
Pedestrian and Traffic Safety as well as the Committee on Economic, 
Capital and Technology Development, and was a member of the Committees 
on Budget and Government Operations; Committees, Rules and Ethics; 
Finance; Workforce Development and Audit; and Zoning, Landmarks, and 
Building Standards.
  Alderman Laurino has been a champion for Chicago's youth and an 
advocate for quality education throughout her career. During her time 
in the ward, she successfully advocated for the building of new annexes 
in five existing schools, in addition to the construction of two new 
public schools. She also expanded healthcare access for students in the 
ward by opening new health centers in both the Albany Park 
Multicultural Academy and Roosevelt High School.
  Alderman Laurino also oversaw numerous infrastructure improvements to 
benefit senior citizens in her ward. She worked in conjunction with the 
City's Department of Housing to fund the construction of a 97-unit 
senior building, secured funding for senior citizen home improvement 
grants, and played an instrumental role in the renovation of an 
outdated building on North Park Village's grounds, which will soon 
serve as a wellness center for seniors.
  The improvement of the 39th Ward under Alderman Laurino's leadership 
did not just reach youth and seniors, but the entire community as well. 
In 2014 she oversaw the construction of the new Albany Park Library, 
which was built to the highest current environmental standards, and 
features more space and nearly four times as many free public computers 
as the neighborhood's previous library. Alderman Laurino also addressed 
public safety concerns within the ward by replacing the outdated 17th 
District Police station with new facilities that are home to state-of-
the-art technology and community-oriented meeting spaces.
  The City of Chicago is lucky to have been served by Margaret Laurino, 
who improved access to fresh, nutritious foods for Chicagoans by 
creating the Food Desert Task Force, championed government transparency 
by video streaming all City Council meetings and fought unethical 
practices in government by mandating ethics trainings for all City 
employees. Furthermore, Alderman Laurino made our roads safer and more 
accessible by banning texting while bicycling and advancing the first-
ever Pedestrian Plan. Finally, Alderman Laurino created new 
opportunities for young Chicago residents to learn about City 
government operations and to follow in her footsteps by cultivating 
careers dedicated to serving the public through the Aldermanic intern 
program.
  Marge would be the first to tell you that her family is her first 
priority and they have provided support during her entire career; her

[[Page E775]]

husband Randy Barnette, her son John Hundrieser and his wife Maria, and 
their children, Oliver and Emma.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding Alderman 
Laurino's years of service to the City of Chicago. I hope that her 
dedication and hard work inspire us all to see the difference we can 
make by serving our local communities. I wish her a happy and 
successful retirement and all the best in her future endeavors.

                          ____________________