ADOPTED - AUGUST 25, 2009

Agenda Item No. 14

Introduced by the County Services Committee of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE INGHAM COUNTY WOMEN’S

COMMISSION’S LUCILE E. BELEN AWARD

RESOLUTION #09-257

WHEREAS, Lucile E. Belen was born in 1912 and contributed to the political and civic life of Lansing and Ingham County since the age of 22; at an early age of 12, she collected signatures on a petition for a gubernatorial candidate and in 1934 she began learning the inner workings of government as an employee of the newly formed Liquor Commission, of the National Youth Administration, and of the State Public Utilities Commission; and

WHEREAS, she came from a family that was active in politics; her mother was elected to the State Legislature in 1936 and was the third woman to be elected in Michigan’s history; later, her mother was vice chair of the Michigan’s Democratic Party, was a gubernatorial appointee to the state’s Workman’s Compensation Commission, and sought federal legislative office; and

WHEREAS, Lucile developed her business acumen by working for the family's business at Belen’s Flowers and helped in the growth of the store, eventually, she owned the business and also found time to follow in her mother’s political footsteps as an elected official in Lansing; and

WHEREAS, Lucile provided great public leadership and was a role model for women by serving on the Health Committee of the Ingham County Board of Supervisors, the Ingham County Board of Health, the Ingham Regional Medical Center Board as trustee for 23 years, the Lansing City Council for 37 years, the Capital Area Transit Authority Board for 14 years, the Capital Region Community Foundation, and Ingham County Jury Board; and

WHEREAS, She is known for her politics of integrity and her no-nonsense manner, her business background was responsible for her conservative approaches; although she had partisan affiliations, she was non-partisan in policy-making and deliberations; and

WHEREAS, Lucile played a pivotal role in the ascension of women to public leadership, local politics, and government, she was also an advocate for human rights and racial justice and always exhibited the qualities of openness, humility; and respect.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners hereby supports the Women’s Commission recommendation to name their award that recognizes heroic actions of and on behalf of women the “Lucile E. Belen Award” in recognition of Lucile’s contributions to quality of life in Ingham County.

COUNTY SERVICES:  Yeas:  Celentino, Copedge, Grebner, Vickers

  Nays:        None             Absent:  Koenig, Holman          Approved 8/18/09