| 2 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The Honorable Lee Ann Jones of Carthage is |
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| 3 | 6 | | stepping down as Panola County judge on October 1, 2021, drawing |
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| 4 | 7 | | to a close more than two decades of service to the county; and |
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| 5 | 8 | | WHEREAS, In 2014, Judge Jones became the first woman to be |
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| 6 | 9 | | elected as Panola County judge; over the course of her tenure, |
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| 7 | 10 | | she has ably managed the myriad responsibilities of county |
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| 8 | 11 | | governance while maintaining a low tax rate, and during her |
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| 9 | 12 | | second term she has helped to guide the county's response to a |
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| 10 | 13 | | number of unprecedented challenges, including the COVID-19 |
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| 11 | 14 | | pandemic, as well as natural disasters such as the February 2021 |
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| 12 | 15 | | winter storm, which caused extremely dangerous conditions and |
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| 13 | 16 | | widespread utility outages; and |
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| 14 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Prior to taking office, Judge Jones gained |
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| 15 | 18 | | valuable experience as an administrative assistant in the county |
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| 16 | 19 | | judge's office for 18 years; she holds an associate degree in |
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| 17 | 20 | | business from San Jacinto College; an active member of the |
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| 18 | 21 | | Carthage community since 1982, she is very involved with her |
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| 19 | 22 | | church and several volunteer organizations, and retirement will |
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| 20 | 23 | | afford her the opportunity to spend more time with her |
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| 21 | 24 | | granddaughter; and |
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| 22 | 25 | | WHEREAS, The skill, professionalism, and commitment to |
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| 23 | 26 | | excellence demonstrated by Lee Ann Jones have greatly benefited |
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| 24 | 27 | | the residents of Panola County and earned her the respect and |
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| 25 | 28 | | admiration of her colleagues and fellow citizens, and she may |
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| 26 | 29 | | indeed reflect with pride on her many achievements as she begins |
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| 27 | 30 | | the next exciting chapter of her life; now, therefore, be it |
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| 28 | | - | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th |
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| 29 | | - | Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby congratulate Lee Ann |
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| 30 | | - | Jones on her retirement as Panola County judge and extend to her |
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| 31 | | - | sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 31 | + | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 87th Texas Legislature, |
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| 32 | + | 3rd Called Session, hereby congratulate Lee Ann Jones on her |
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| 33 | + | retirement as Panola County judge and extend to her sincere best |
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| 34 | + | wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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