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Commending and Recognizing Kay Hellenbrand Rutledge, PE, Assistant Parks Superintendent with the City of Madison Parks Division, upon her retirement after 11 years of dedicated service.
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WHEREAS, on June 1, 2009, Kay began work for Madison Parks as Planning and Development Manager after years of quality service in both the public and private sectors as a Professional Engineer; and,
WHEREAS, in 2014 Kay took on additional responsibilities as the Interim Assistant Parks Superintendent during a particularly challenging transition for Madison Parks; and,
WHEREAS, in April 2015, Kay was recognized for her professional accomplishments and leadership by promotion to Assistant Parks Superintendent responsible for Planning and Development, Finance and Administration and Public Information; and,
WHEREAS, for the past 11 years, Kay has provided outstanding service to Madison Parks, the Board of Park Commissioners and the City of Madison; and,
WHEREAS, over those years, Kay was a detail-oriented, hard-working, creative, and conscientious leader of Madison Parks who took great pride in her professional work; and,
WHEREAS, during her career Kay worked quietly behind the scenes to leave Madison Parks in a better place than she found it, through developing a robust Capital Improvement Program, hiring many talented staff members, two significant updates to the Park and Open Space Plan, and leading significant improvements to the Park Impact Fee regulations that ensured dozens of new parks are added to the system to meet future demands; and,
WHEREAS, Kay worked tirelessly on many land purchase acquisitions to provide additional public parkland to be enjoyed by generations to come including expansions to Penn Park, Hill Creek Park, O.B. Sherry Park, McPike Park, Merrill Springs Park, Esther Beach Park, Apple Ridge Park; and,
WHEREAS, these land acquisitions included multiple once in a generation type acquisitions, such as the Wisconsin Medical Society at Olin Park, Moraine Woods and the Bitzer Family Preserve (Ice Age Trail connections), and multiple expansions of Cherokee Marsh; and,
WHEREAS, Kay shall retire from Madison Parks on July 10, 2020; and,
WHEREAS, Kay’s ability to successfully work through complex and challenging situations to get them right shall be missed.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Park Commissioners and Parks Superintendent commend Kay Rutledge, Assistant Parks Superintendent, on her retirement from the City of Madison after 11 years of exemplary City service; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Park Commissioners and Parks Superintendent express their deepest gratitude to Kay for her dedicated service to the City of Madison, its residents, visitors, and partners, and wish her all the best in her future endeavors; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the Board of Park Commissioners, Parks Superintendent, and the entire Parks Division wish Kay a healthy and enjoyable retirement with her children, friends, family, AND sweet canine and feline companions.