ADOPTED - MAY 12, 2009

Agenda Item No. 19

Introduced by the Human Services Committee of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION HONORING RONALD UKEN

RESOLUTION #09-144

WHEREAS, Ron Uken has spent 40 years as a human services program administrator and director; and

WHEREAS, Ron Uken worked as a State of Michigan employee for 30 years, holding executive positions in planning, budgeting, finance, program management and evaluation within several functional areas of state government, including, welfare/safety nets, child welfare, mental health/deinstitutionalization, public health and service coordination/integration; and

WHEREAS, Ron Uken brought his skills to serve Ingham County in 1999 as the Coordinator of the Human Services Advisory Committee, originally as an employee of Clinton-Eaton-Ingham Community Mental Health Board, and beginning in 2002 as an employee of the Ingham County Health Department; and

WHEREAS, Ron led the evolution of the Human Services Advisory Committee into the “Power of We Consortium” and in the process greatly expanded the involvement of private sector non-profit organizations and faith based organizations in community strategy development and problem solving around the challenges of human services programs in the Capital Area; and

WHEREAS, Ron has led the community effort to measure the health status of the Capital Area Community, which has resulted in the publication of three editions of “Well-being of the Capital Area Community”; and 

WHEREAS, Ron Uken’s efforts to support collaborative, inclusive processes to measure health status, identify the major barriers to higher levels of health and to implement community based initiatives to address those barriers have made Ingham County and the Capital Area a healthier place to live; and

WHEREAS, Ron Uken has decided to retire from County employment, thereby leaving paid status to the Capital Area Community (but committed to remaining involved in efforts to improve the quality of life).

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners acknowledges the many contributions that Ron Uken has made to improving the quality and efficiency of human services in Ingham County and the State of Michigan and his significant contributions to improving the quality of life in the Capital Area.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners expresses its desire for a long, healthy and happy retirement for Ron Uken, and expresses its hope that he will remain involved in efforts to improve the health and well-being of Ingham County residents.

HUMAN SERVICES:  Yeas:  Davis, McGrain, Schor, Dougan, Vickers

    Nays:  None         Absent:  Tennis      Approved  5/04/09