Fiscal Note
No fiscal impact.
Title
Congratulating Richard Beadles on his retirement and thanking him for 38 years of exemplary service to the City of Madison.
Body
WHEREAS, Rich Beadles began his career with the City of Madison Data Processing Department on July 31, 1978 as a Computer Operator and progressed through the years to IT Technical Services Division Manager; and
WHEREAS, he has worked through the evolution of computing technology including Mainframe computers, Client/Server computing and Web based technology; and
WHEREAS, Rich has refined and enhanced the Technical Services Division so that it is comprised of industry leading technologists in Network Operations, Help Desk and the Media Team (City Channel), where customer service is the primary focus and drives planning, decision making and day to day operations; and
WHEREAS, Rich has been a leader in implementing network technologies from small internal networks through high speed wide area fiber optic networks and significant use of the Internet; and
WHEREAS, he has moved the city forward in wireless technologies, including city buildings, community centers, parks and other locations; and
WHEREAS, Rich achieved a major milestone by participating together with the University of Wisconsin and the Madison Metropolitan School District in the application for a federal BTOP grant that ultimately awarded a total of $5.1 Million to expand the high speed fiber optic backbone network; and
WHEREAS, this collaboration across units of government lead to the creation of the Metropolitan Unified Fiber Network (MUFN) consortium; and
WHEREAS, Rich was elected as the first Chairperson of the MUFN Oversight Committee; and
WHEREAS, the MUFN consortium has grown to over twenty units of government and other organizations; and
WHEREAS, MUFN has provided a way for its members to leverage network investments and provide capabilities well beyond what the city could do alone; and
WHEREAS, this capability has been a major factor in the city’s efforts to begin a Digital Divide Pilot Project to bring low cost internet service to challenged neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Rich has served as project manager and lead the efforts to complete new and innovative procurements and contracts in order to initiate this project; and
WHEREAS, the creation of the MUFN network is serving as a foundational piece of the Fiber to the Premise initiative and possible future implementation for all city residents.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and the Common Council of the City of Madison thank Richard Beadles for his dedicated service to the city and its residents and wish him well in his retirement.