Month-Long Farewell for Chicago’s Longest Serving Mayor

In his final month in office, Chicago’s longest-serving mayor is taking the time to say goodbye to the city one neighborhood at a time.
Month-Long Farewell for Chicago’s Longest Serving Mayor
Outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago signs an autograph before the home opener between the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at U.S. Cellular Field on April 7, in Chicago, Illinois. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Conan Milner
4/11/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/111842601.jpg" alt="Outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago signs an autograph before the home opener between the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at U.S. Cellular Field on April 7, in Chicago, Illinois.   (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)" title="Outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago signs an autograph before the home opener between the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at U.S. Cellular Field on April 7, in Chicago, Illinois.   (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1805720"/></a>
Outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago signs an autograph before the home opener between the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at U.S. Cellular Field on April 7, in Chicago, Illinois.   (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO—In his final month in office, Chicago’s longest-serving mayor is taking the time to say goodbye to the city one neighborhood at a time.

Mayor Richard M. Daley kicked off his farewell neighborhood tour last week at a ribbon cutting ceremony for a drug treatment center for women in the city’s West Town neighborhood. The facility recently underwent a $1 million renovation.

“I think the greatest job in America is to be the mayor of the city of Chicago,” said the mayor at the ceremony. “That’s why everybody comes back from Washington, everybody else wants to come, you know? They all want to come to Chicago.”

On Friday, the mayor attended another ribbon-cutting at Adam Clayton Powell Elementary School—the 12th new school opened in the past two and a half years under the city’s “Modern Schools Across Chicago” program. Since Mayor Daley assumed responsibility for city’s school system in 1995, 47 new schools have been opened.

“Today I want to thank the residents of the 7th Ward for their hard work and dedication,” Daley said at the school.

“Working together, we’ve brought Chicago into the 21st century, and given it a bright future,” he added, sharing a sentiment he’s sure to repeat as he takes on the task of personally thanking Chicagoans in each of the city’s 50 wards for their collaboration in helping the city move forward.

In office for over 22 years, Mayor Daley will be succeeded next month by incoming Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Conan Milner is a health reporter for the Epoch Times. He graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and is a member of the American Herbalist Guild.
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