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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Don Ward is retiring as founding executive director |
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of the One-Call Board of Texas following 26 years of distinguished |
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service in that role; and |
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WHEREAS, The One-Call Board of Texas, formally known as the |
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Texas Underground Facility Notification Corporation, was created |
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to implement and oversee the statewide "One-Call" excavation |
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notification system, established in 1997 through passage of the |
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Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act; also known |
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as the 811 Call Before You Dig Act, this legislation protects Texans |
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when excavations are done near utility lines by requiring utilities |
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to mark their facilities and obliging excavators to call 811 before |
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they begin their work; and |
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WHEREAS, Don Ward has served as executive director since the |
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inception of the One-Call Board; throughout his tenure, he has |
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worked diligently and effectively with its governor-appointed |
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members, utilities, and notification centers to ensure the safety |
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of the public; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Bryan, Mr. Ward grew up in Houston and |
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graduated from Lamar High School; he transferred from Texas A&M |
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University to Sam Houston State University to pursue his rodeo |
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career in bull riding, and he was eventually inducted into the Texas |
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Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame; for his graduate studies, he returned to |
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Texas A&M; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1980, Mr. Ward was recruited by the Brazos County |
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district judge to serve as an aide and driver for Senator Bill |
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Moore's campaign; the following year, he joined the Legislative |
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Budget Board as a budget examiner; he went on to work in public |
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policy advocacy for a number of associations, among them the Texas |
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Good Roads Association, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, |
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and the Texas Pest Control Association; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Ward benefits from the |
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love and support of his wife, Leslie Ward; they are the proud |
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parents of three children, and he plans to spend his retirement on |
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their ranch enjoying the company of his 10 grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his longstanding commitment to the vital |
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mission of the One-Call Board, Don Ward has contributed |
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significantly to the safety and well-being of his fellow Texans, |
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and as he embarks on the next exciting chapter of his life, he may |
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indeed reflect with pride on his accomplishments; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby congratulate Don Ward on his retirement as executive |
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director of the One-Call Board of Texas and extend to him sincere |
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best wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Ward as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives and Senate. |