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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Lavergne Schwender is retiring as executive |
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director of the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network in |
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May 2021, drawing to a close an exemplary tenure with the network |
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that has spanned nearly four decades; and |
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WHEREAS, The Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network is |
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the largest 9-1-1 system in Texas and the second largest in the |
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United States, serving 48 cities in Harris and Fort Bend Counties; |
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in the early 1980s, Lavergne Schwender joined the network as its |
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legal counsel, and since May 2005, she has been its executive |
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director, responsible for administering its overall operations as |
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well as guiding the network through the rapid changes in |
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telecommunications technologies over the past 16 years; under her |
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leadership, the network received the Outstanding 9-1-1 Program |
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Award from the NG9-1-1 Institute in 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Schwender has long been a state pioneer in 9-1-1 |
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services; in 1983, she supported legislation that created the |
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Harris County system, which was the model for subsequent 9-1-1 |
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districts, and she has played an equally important role in |
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additional 9-1-1 legislation and amendments, including the passage |
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of the statewide 9-1-1 wireless fee and the creation of tariffs that |
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have helped fund other 9-1-1 systems across the state; she also |
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helped establish the Texas 9-1-1 Alliance; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Houston, Ms. Schwender has been a |
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Dominican nun since 1963; she taught at several Catholic schools |
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while earning a master's degree in business administration at The |
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University of Texas, and she went on to receive a law degree from |
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the University of Houston; she was an attorney for 21 years with the |
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Harris County Attorney's Office, where she first became involved |
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with 9-1-1 legislation; and |
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WHEREAS, Lavergne Schwender's dedication, expertise, and |
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long-term commitment to the mission of the 9-1-1 system have |
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greatly benefited her fellow Texans and earned her the respect and |
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admiration of her peers, and she may indeed reflect with pride on a |
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career well spent as she embarks on the next exciting chapter of her |
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life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Lavergne Schwender on her |
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retirement from the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network |
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and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Schwender as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |