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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Members of the Texas Midwest Community Network are |
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visiting the State Capitol on February 4, 2019; and |
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WHEREAS, Founded in 1994, TMCN grew out of a business forum |
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sponsored by Abilene Reporter-News, the Abilene Chamber of |
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Commerce, and West Texas Utilities; participants recognized that |
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they could better address the economic challenges of the day by |
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uniting the efforts of small towns and rural communities across the |
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region; demonstrating a strong spirit of cooperation, they formed a |
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network of 28 community members in a 20-county area surrounding |
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Abilene and began to share ideas and resources; and |
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WHEREAS, The organization received early financial support |
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from Texas Rural Communities; today, it is supported by membership |
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dues, programming, partnerships, and the publication of an annual |
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travel guide; it has grown to include 51 communities in 31 |
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contiguous counties and focuses on community development, |
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marketing for economic development and tourism, events for |
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leadership development and resource connections, and communication |
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with public officials on issues confronting the region; fostering |
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greater civic engagement among area citizens, it encourages |
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community-wide participation in its networking events; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of a quarter century, the Texas |
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Midwest Community Network has provided a dynamic venue for regional |
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cooperation, and in so doing, it has amplified the important |
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concerns of small towns and contributed significantly to their |
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prosperity and cohesion; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize the members of the Texas Midwest |
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Community Network on the occasion of their visit to the State |
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Capitol and extend to them sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |