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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, Don Baird retired as mayor of Colmesneil on June 21, |
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| 6 | 7 | | 2021, following 19 years of exemplary service in that office; and |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, First elected by an overwhelming majority in 2002, |
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| 8 | 9 | | Mayor Baird would go on to win reelection nine times; he played a |
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| 9 | 10 | | key role in securing a number of significant grants for |
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| 10 | 11 | | infrastructure, beautification, and initiatives in behalf of |
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| 11 | 12 | | youth, seniors, and others; in addition, he partnered with a Tyler |
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| 12 | 13 | | County commissioner to create Emergency Services District No. 7 to |
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| 13 | 14 | | house the city's volunteer fire department; over the course of his |
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| 14 | 15 | | long tenure, he guided the city through three major hurricanes, |
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| 15 | 16 | | floods, and droughts; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Mayor Baird set an example of calm, thoughtful |
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| 17 | 18 | | leadership, and he has been a friend and mentor to many; among |
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| 18 | 19 | | numerous accolades, he received the 2015 Citizen of the Year award |
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| 19 | 20 | | from the Tyler County Chamber of Commerce, and in 2018, on his 90th |
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| 20 | 21 | | birthday, he received a proclamation from U.S. Congressman Brian |
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| 21 | 22 | | Babin; and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, A veteran of the United States Navy, Mr. Baird |
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| 23 | 24 | | served for two years on the city council before his successful |
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| 24 | 25 | | mayoral campaign; he has long been active in the community and in |
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| 25 | 26 | | his church, and each year, he and his wife, Barbara, delight local |
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| 26 | 27 | | residents with elaborate Christmas displays at their home; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Don Baird greatly benefited his fellow citizens |
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| 28 | 29 | | through nearly two decades of dedicated service, and his |
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| 29 | 30 | | contributions will be remembered and admired for years to come; |
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| 30 | 31 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 31 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 32 | 33 | | Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby honor Don Baird for his |
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| 33 | 34 | | service as mayor of Colmesneil and extend to him sincere best wishes |
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| 34 | 35 | | for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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| 35 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 36 | 37 | | prepared for Mayor Baird as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 37 | 38 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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