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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Former El Paso mayor Larry Francis was honored by |
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| 6 | 7 | | the El Paso County Historical Society with induction into its Hall |
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| 7 | 8 | | of Honor in 2013; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Each year, the society pays homage to men and women |
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| 9 | 10 | | who have made significant contributions to the development and |
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| 10 | 11 | | quality of life in El Paso County throughout its history, and |
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| 11 | 12 | | Mr. Francis is indeed one such individual; and |
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| 12 | 13 | | WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio in 1933, Larry Francis moved |
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| 13 | 14 | | with his family to El Paso in 1941 and went on to graduate from |
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| 14 | 15 | | Austin High School a decade later; he enrolled at Texas A&M |
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| 15 | 16 | | University and earned bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical |
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| 16 | 17 | | engineering, after which he was commissioned as a second lieutenant |
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| 17 | 18 | | in the United States Air Force; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, On completing his enlistment in 1959, Mr. Francis |
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| 19 | 20 | | returned to El Paso and started an electronics business, Francis |
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| 20 | 21 | | Communications, that he would eventually pass on to his son, Rick; |
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| 21 | 22 | | in 1965, he founded the SYT Corporation, which he operated for many |
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| 22 | 23 | | years until selling the company and retiring in the 1980s; the SYT |
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| 23 | 24 | | Corporation specialized in designing and producing governmental |
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| 24 | 25 | | telecommunications equipment and systems and is known for |
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| 25 | 26 | | introducing the first direct telephone interface between mobile |
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| 26 | 27 | | radios and the common carrier telephone system; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, It was during his retirement years that Mr. Francis |
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| 28 | 29 | | decided to venture into public service, holding his first post as |
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| 29 | 30 | | the chair of the Civil Service Commission; in 1993, he became the |
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| 30 | 31 | | 45th mayor of El Paso after defeating the incumbent and 10 other |
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| 31 | 32 | | candidates, and he won a landslide victory for reelection two years |
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| 32 | 33 | | later; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Over the course of his tenure, Mayor Francis guided |
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| 34 | 35 | | the city through a period of growth and modernization; in a short |
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| 35 | 36 | | time, he helped close the budget deficit and create a surplus, and |
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| 36 | 37 | | he was instrumental in resuming stalled expansion efforts for the |
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| 37 | 38 | | local zoo and airport and in moving forward plans for the |
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| 38 | 39 | | redevelopment of the Union Plaza District; drawing on his career |
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| 39 | 40 | | experience, he also led his administration in implementing major |
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| 40 | 41 | | technology upgrades, including new computer servers and a |
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| 41 | 42 | | cutting-edge radio communication system for fire, police, and |
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| 42 | 43 | | emergency medical personnel; and |
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| 43 | 44 | | WHEREAS, In addition to ably meeting the duties of his |
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| 44 | 45 | | office, this esteemed gentleman was a member of a number of boards |
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| 45 | 46 | | and commissions, among them the Sun Bowl Host Committee and the |
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| 46 | 47 | | Joint Legislature Support Committee, as well as advisory bodies for |
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| 47 | 48 | | the Fort Bliss Air Defense Museum and the El Paso A&M Club; he has |
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| 48 | 49 | | further immersed himself in activities with his church and the Boy |
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| 49 | 50 | | Scouts of America and in charitable fund-raising endeavors; and |
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| 50 | 51 | | WHEREAS, Along the way, Mr. Francis has been blessed with a |
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| 51 | 52 | | fine family that includes his wife, Marilyn Francis, their |
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| 52 | 53 | | children, Rick, Linda, Brian, and Carolyn, and their grandchildren; |
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| 53 | 54 | | and |
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| 54 | 55 | | WHEREAS, Through his contributions as a public official, |
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| 55 | 56 | | businessman, and engaged citizen, Larry Francis has greatly |
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| 56 | 57 | | enhanced the community he is proud to call home, and he has earned a |
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| 57 | 58 | | lasting place among the most influential leaders, past and present, |
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| 58 | 59 | | to have lived and served in El Paso; now, therefore, be it |
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| 59 | 60 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 60 | 61 | | Legislature hereby congratulate former mayor Larry Francis on his |
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| 61 | 62 | | induction into the El Paso County Historical Society Hall of Honor |
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| 62 | 63 | | and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it |
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| 63 | 64 | | further |
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| 64 | 65 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 65 | 66 | | prepared for Mr. Francis as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 66 | 67 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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