On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Municipal League, our staff, and our members from cities across the State of Illinois, I would like to express our deep appreciation to our immediate Past President, Mayor James E. Kingston, of Paxton, for his outstanding leadership as our President. He has been a model for all future Presidents.

One of Jim's paramount goals was to improve communications among our membership and between our membership and the General Assembly. That goal has been accomplished.

Whether testifying before Legislative Committees in Springfield, or speaking on our behalf with the Governor and legislative leaders, especially in regards to the surcharge and property tax cap, Jim has always represented our interests in an outstanding manner.

Likewise, we extend our appreciation to Jim's wife, Jeannie, who has been his constant companion and supporter of the Illinois Municipal League and Jim's involvement.

On behalf of municipal officials throughout the State of Illinois, Mayor Kingston, thank you for being truly a leader of leaders.

Let me take this occasion to express my appreciation for the opportunity to serve as President of the Illinois Municipal League. I will always strive to carry out my responsibilities in a manner that justifies your support.

Let us take a few brief moments to view the past, present, and future of the Illinois Municipal League.

Let us begin with the past. The success of the Illinois Municipal League has been built on a strong foundation. As we enter our 80th year, our success has been built on no one person, and that is its strength. It has been built upon by our Executive Directors, Staff, Board of Directors, Member Municipalities, both large and small, urban, suburban, and rural; and Past Presidents of the League such as Bob Anstine, Mike Houston, Harold Gouwens, Jack Williams, Tony Vacco, Rolland Lewis, Joseph Sinkiawic, and most currently James Kingston. It is a success built by each of you.

In terms of the present, we can be proud. The Illinois Municipal League has moved forward during the past years and has enhanced its reputation for progressive, cooperative, and committed leadership on behalf of municipalities.

And that brings us to the future. The Illinois Municipal League will continue to grow this year under the leadership of a new Board of Directors, close to one-third of which will be new.

This Board of Directors will contribute to the future. The future of the Illinois Municipal League will to some small degree be measured by what goals are accomplished during this year. The goals we will pursue with the help of the Board of Directors and staff are founded on the premise that the Illinois Municipal League is an excellent organization with competent staff, and so our goals reflect a desire to build on past leadership.

Some of those goals briefly are:

(1) Continue to provide the leadership as provided by our Past Presidents to implement the Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan, developed under

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the leadership of Past President Verna Clayton, is a reaffirmation of the excellent services the Illinois Municipal League currently provides, but yet charts some suggestions for new direction. To facilitate that, the Board of Directors will prioritize and identify two or three of the nine goals in the Strategic Plan to focus on for the coming year.

(2) Continue to encourage the Illinois Municipal League's involvement and cooperative working relationships with Local Councils of Governments. We need to strengthen our partnerships with these allies so as to pursue our mutual interests and endeavors. We need each other. We are not in competition with one another. To facilitate that goal, regularly scheduled meetings with the Presidents and/or Executive Directors of these respective organizations will be convened by the League staff. The continued strength of municipalities in Illinois lies within the Illinois Municipal League and Local Councils of Governments working together.

(3) Continue to promote the increased involvement of the members of the Board of Directors in Illinois Municipal League matters. Three such opportunities are:

• A National League of Cities Congressional Cities Conference Planning Committee to plan and coordinate joint Illinois Municipal League and Local Councils of Governments activities at this annual spring meeting. President Sonya Crawshaw of Hanover Park and Mayor John Guzzardo of Lincoln have agreed to serve as Co-Chairs of this Committee that would include an Illinois Municipal League staff member and selected Local Councils of Government staff.

• An Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference Planning Committee to provide recommendations that would enhance the Annual Conference and ensure its continued success, and recommend workshops and general session speakers for consideration. President Sheila Schultz of Wheeling and Mayor Neil Dillard of Carbondale have agreed to serve as Co-Chairs of this Committee that would include an Illinois Municipal League staff member and selected Local Councils of Government staff.

• Increased direct involvement of the Executive Board in the legislative lobbying process by establishing annual meetings with the Governor and four legislative leaders to present our legislative agenda and priorities.

(4) The final goal is for all of us to promote the value and importance of the Illinois Municipal League. We need look no further back than the past two years to see our successes. Our success with the surcharge clearly demonstrates how important our League is for us. Whether one is from Waukegan, Freeport, Quincy, Mound City, Shawneetown, Rossville, Danville, Dolton, LaSalle, Peru, Schiller Park, Elmhurst, or anyone of the other wonderful towns in the State of Illinois, we can take pride in our mutual membership in the Illinois Municipal League and what the League accomplishes for cities and towns across the State.

On this occasion, the 80th Annual Conference, it is appropriate to conclude our visit with the past, present, and future by revisiting the words of William Waldmeier, the former Mayor of Pekin and President of the Illinois Municipal League. He wrote the "Chronical of Progress" in 1988 which was a history of the Illinois Municipal League commemorating 75 years, and the words continue to be appropriate today commemorating our 80th year. His last paragraph read:

"A philosopher once wrote the 'Past is Prologue.' No words of wisdom can better describe the historic accomplishments of the past 75 years and the leadership and capability of the Illinois Municipal League to meet the challenges of the future."

Likewise, today it can be said the "Past is Prologue" and no words of wisdom can better describe the historic accomplishments of the past 80 years and the leadership and capability of the Illinois Municipal League to meet the challenges of the future.

In conclusion, we are men and women with a mission to make our communities the very best they can possibly be. The Illinois Municipal League, as an organization, has as its goal to help us make our towns the very best they can be. As your President, I look forward to the opportunity to work with you to help us make our towns the very best they can be. Thank you! •

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