Title
Special recognition of employees who made Lake County’s America 250 celebration a success.
Body
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
WHEREAS, the United States is recognizing the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, honoring the ideals of liberty, self-government, and civic responsibility that continue to shape our country; and
WHEREAS, Lake County joined communities across the country in recognizing this historic milestone through its own Lake County America 250 initiative, bringing together residents of all ages to celebrate our shared history and inspire future generations; and
WHEREAS, the success of the Lake County America 250 commemoration required months of planning, coordination, collaboration, and dedication from employees across multiple County departments who worked behind the scenes to organize events, coordinate logistics, develop educational programming, communicate with residents and partners, and create meaningful opportunities for public participation; and
WHEREAS, County staff worked tirelessly to plan and execute a series of events and activities, including the public reading of the Declaration of Independence, the Lake County Independence Academy, Student Art and Essay Contest, and Self-Guided History Tour; and
WHEREAS, many County employees contributed their time, knowledge, and expertise to the success of the Lake County America 250 commemoration while continuing to fulfill their regular responsibilities, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to public service by going above and beyond to create meaningful experiences for residents throughout Lake County; and
WHEREAS, the dedication and teamwork demonstrated by County employees reflect the very spirit being celebrated through America 250, a commitment to collaboration, civic engagement, and strengthening the connection between government and the communities we serve; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RECOGNIZED, that the Lake County Board honors the employees who contributed to the success of the Lake County America 250 commemoration and gratefully extends our sincere appreciation for their outstanding dedication, collaboration, and service to the residents of Lake County, and they are hereby recognized by name in this special recognition.
County Administrator’s Office
Patrice Sutton, Matt Meyers, RuthAnne Hall, Lacey Simpson, Janna Philipp, Betsy Brandon, Kizzy Hayes, Estrella Limon, Ruby Munoz, Christopher Anderson Sell, Alex Carr, Bailey Wyatt, Jennifer Brennan, Justine Gilbert, Kevin Quinn
County Clerk’s Office
Anthony Vega, Cynthia Pruim-Haran, Xareni Reyes, Jeanette Solano
Department of Public Works
Austin McFarlane, Emily Karry, Jamie Kiraly, Brian Sikorski, Dakota Greinke, Jeremy Becker, Juan Cisneros, John Neave, Marc Bourgault
Division of Transportation
Shane Schneider, Jon Nelson, Angel Robles, Matt Pankauskas, Dennis Krahel, Kevin Wilkins, Ted Pfaff, Dan Meyers, Brian Muhs, Jason Walters, Greg Broege, Pedro Montesl, Jose Leguizamo, Jordy Gaytan, Dave Agazzi, Brex Waszak, Rob Mathy, Ryan Rzadzki, Carlos Escamilia, Jeff Gyger, Eric Utech, Tom Harden, Pete Manno, Scott Hill, Ryan Legare, Charles Askar, Mike Martinelli, Zack Day, Linn Garcia, Keely Wells
Enterprise IT
Sean Barber, David Conway, Erik Karlson
Facilities and Construction Services Department
Carl Kirar, Chad Wright, Michael Rice, Mike Cerone, Eddie Gonzalez, Jouse Castillon, Jorge Calderon, Alex Cortez, Trentin Heiny, Antonio Ocampo
GIS Division
Giovanni Dassa, Keith Caldwell
Health Department
Christopher Hoff, Khiabet Mata, Mark Mussachio, Kim Burke, Sara Zamor, Michele Esser, Emily Young, Colleen Santos, Tom Peer, Teresa Del Toro, Renee Genelin
Regional Office of Education
Dr. Michael Karner, Dominica Woodbury
State’s Attorney’s Office
Eric Rinehart
Sheriff’s Office
John Idleburg, Chris Covelli, Keith Kaiser, Sara Balmes-Flores, Bart Fiore, David Puma, Jahaira Lopez, Bill Lee, Michael Mazurkiewicz, Dave Tomasello, Mark Heiny, Lauren Kopis, Chris Schultz, John Jaros and K-9 Brek
Student Art & Essay Contest Judges
Bailey Wyatt, Ashley Watson, Karen Brush, Daniel Thelen, Jessica Swiech, Adam Randall, Greg Boehm, Diane Ruiz, Vivek Iyer, Martin Green, Pryscylla Aponte, Hillary DeBlois, Megan Sacchetti, Christine Kemen, Kristy Cechini, Monica Bofani, Sophia Carreon, Teri Torkelson, Toni Steres, Brookelyn Frisby, Jamie Ehrenpreis, Stephanie Jimenez Chavez, Lea Bacci, Krista Barkley Braun, Danielle White, Gregory Ticsay, Lynn Steffens-Lostumo, Jacqueline Herrera Giron, Brooke Wanzenberg, Jackie Reidy, Alexandra Mitich, Jo Gravitter, Scott Hoffert, Ryen Robinson, Christine Liske
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on July 14, 2026.