The Mokena Village Board and staff, on behalf of the Village and its residents took time on Tuesday, May 29, to honor retiring fire chief Ted Golden with a village-wide proclamation.

The proclamation expressed thanks and gratitude to Golden for his 32 years of service to the Mokena Fire Protection District and the village.

In part, the proclamation read: “I, Mayor Joseph W. Werner, on behalf of Clerk Patricia Patt, the Mokena Village Board, Staff and all Citizens, do hereby proclaim our heartfelt respect and gratitude to Fire Chief Ted Golden for an exemplary 32-year public service career..."

Afterwards, Golden was presented with a plaque which held the official proclamation and he spoke briefly to those in attendance.

"I couldn't have gotten this done without some great fire district boards, past and present," Golden said. "Some great firemen, some great officers who are here today, who are going to take over the reins. Everything here, I couldn't have gotten it done without those guys."

Check back with Patch later this week, for a one-on-one interview with Golden, about his 32 years of service in Mokena, including what the longtime Mokena resident plans to do with his free time in retirement.