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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Tom J. Vandergriff, whose name has |
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become a byword in North Texas for outstanding public service and |
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vigorous, visionary leadership, is retiring from the post of |
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Tarrant County judge in January 2007; and |
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WHEREAS, This distinguished Texan has held elective office |
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for the better part of six decades; his career in government began |
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with a highly regarded, 26-year tenure as mayor of Arlington, a |
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tenure that coincided with one of the most transformative periods |
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in that city's history; between 1951, when he was first sworn in, |
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and 1977, when he concluded his final term as mayor, the population |
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of Arlington soared from fewer than 8,000 inhabitants to |
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approximately 120,000; and |
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WHEREAS, During those years, Judge Vandergriff helped to |
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facilitate the construction of the Dallas/Fort Worth International |
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Airport and the elevation of Arlington State College, now The |
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University of Texas at Arlington, to senior college status; he also |
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worked to stimulate the region's tourism industry, notably through |
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the instrumental role he played in bringing major-league baseball |
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to North Texas; Judge Vandergriff persuaded the owner of the |
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Washington Senators to move his club to Arlington, where the team |
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took the field as the Texas Rangers; for a time after the club |
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relocated, Judge Vandergriff even served as a broadcaster for the |
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Rangers' games; and |
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WHEREAS, Six years after retiring as mayor, Judge Vandergriff |
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became the first person to represent the newly created 26th |
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Congressional District in the United States House of |
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Representatives, an office he held until 1985; and |
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WHEREAS, Since returning to public service in 1991, Judge |
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Vandergriff has continued to use his formidable skills and |
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experience to help address the challenges and opportunities facing |
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his community; the scope of efforts undertaken by the county |
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commissioners court under his guidance is reflected in several |
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recent achievements; in December 2005, Tarrant County implemented |
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an expanded, online tax-payment system that subsequently won the |
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county an Excellence Award from the Texas Association of |
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Governmental Information Technology Managers; the year 2005 also |
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saw the opening of a $41 million Family Law Center and the |
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commencement of work to clear the site for the new Dallas Cowboys |
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stadium; and |
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WHEREAS, Widely respected both in and out of government |
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circles, Judge Vandergriff served as founding president of the |
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North Central Texas Council of Governments, as the first chair of |
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the Texas Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, and |
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as a member of a White House Commission on Urban Problems; he has |
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also been named Citizen of the Year in Arlington, Dallas, and Fort |
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Worth; and |
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WHEREAS, Born and raised in Carrollton, Tom Vandergriff holds |
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a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California; in |
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addition to his achievements as a public servant, he has enjoyed |
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notable success as a businessman in the private sector, where his |
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interests have included a car dealership and an insurance agency; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout his long and illustrious career, Tom |
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Vandergriff has worked tirelessly to advance the common good, and |
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the tremendous dedication and energy he has brought to his offices |
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of public trust have justly made him a Tarrant County legend; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize the Honorable Tom J. Vandergriff on |
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the occasion of his retirement as Tarrant County judge and extend to |
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him deepest appreciation for the example and legacy of his |
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outstanding public service; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Judge Vandergriff as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |
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Smith of Tarrant |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 18 was adopted by the House on May 4, |
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2007, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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