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Proclamations recognizing and commending departing Allegheny County Council Members Amanda Green Hawkins, Heather S. Heidelbaugh, Terri R. Klein, Jan Rea, William Russell Robinson and in memoriam, Barbara Daly Danko, for their contributions to the cause of good government and their dedication and service to the residents of Allegheny County.
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WHEREAS, throughout the history of Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, talented officials who possess great knowledge and determination exhibit exemplary leadership in elected positions and contribute invaluably to our communities, our country and our world; and
WHEREAS, Amanda Green Hawkins was appointed on March 18, 2008 to serve as a member of Allegheny County Council, representing 100,000 Pittsburgh residents and the residents of Bellevue. Because of her leadership, confidence and community presence she was elected on November 3, 2009 by the residents of District 13 to serve as their representative; and
WHEREAS, during her tenure on Council, Ms. Green Hawkins worked tirelessly to promote equality and justice for women and minorities. She authored legislation that established the County’s first Human Relations Commission and prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression. Since 2011, she has served on the Port Authority of Allegheny County Board of Directors, advocating for a viable and reliable public transportation system. She has served as a member of the appointment review, budget and finance, government reform and marketing committees and as chairwoman of the economic development and housing committee; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Green Hawkins is the Director of Civil and Human Rights and assistant general counsel for the United Steelworkers, and has represented the union throughout the United States federal court system. She is a member of the Democratic National Committee and its Rules and Bylaws Committee, as well as the AFL-CIO’s Lawyers Coordinating Committee and its Minority Caucus. Additionally, she sits on the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics Board of Fellows and is co-chair of its Workforce Development Policy Committee; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Green Hawkins has received numerous awards for her leadership in local politics and in the community, and is an alumna of Duke University and the Northeastern University School of Law;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council, on behalf of the citizens of Allegheny County, hereby recognizes The Honorable Amanda Green Hawkins for her contributions to Allegheny County Council and to the enhancement of the wellbeing of the County’s citizens. Ms. Green Hawkins acted always in the best interests of the constituents of Allegheny County and her unwavering commitment to Council serves as an exemplary model of leadership. This Council thanks Amanda for her years of service and wishes her well as she moves into the future.
WHEREAS, throughout the history of Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, talented officials who possess great knowledge and determination exhibit exemplary leadership in elected positions and contribute invaluably to our communities, our country and our world; and
WHEREAS, Heather S. Heidelbaugh was elected on November 8, 2011 to serve a six-week term as an Allegheny County Republican At-Large Council Member, representing the 1.3 million citizens of Allegheny County. On November 29, 2011, Heather was sworn into office by The Honorable Maureen P. Kelly, and on January 3, 2012, Heather was re-elected by the people of Allegheny County to serve a full four-year term; and
WHEREAS, during her tenure on Council, Heather served as a member of the appointment review, budget and finance, marketing, parks, public works, and public safety committees. She authored numerous pieces of legislation, advocated for changes to the form of government in order to establish a stronger legislative body, and meticulously monitored county finances to assure a strong financial future. In her role as an At-Large Member of Council, Heather served as a Public Trustee on the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees and as a member of the Allegheny County Board of Elections; and
WHEREAS, Heather has been nationally and locally recognized for her excellence in the practice of law, for her significant contributions to the betterment of the community and for outstanding accomplishments for the advancement of women;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council, on behalf of the citizens of Allegheny County, hereby recognizes The Honorable Heather S. Heidelbaugh for her contributions to Allegheny County Council and to the enhancement of the wellbeing of the County’s citizens. Ms. Heidelbaugh acted always in the best interests of the constituents of Allegheny County and her unwavering commitment to Council serves as an exemplary model of leadership. This Council thanks her for her years of service and wishes her well as she moves into the future.
WHEREAS, throughout the history of Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, talented officials who possess great knowledge and determination exhibit exemplary leadership in elected positions and contribute invaluably to our communities, our country and our world; and
WHEREAS, on June 2, 2015, Terri R. Klein was appointed to Allegheny County Council District 11 to fill the vacancy left by the death of the Honorable Barbara Daly Danko. On November 3, 2015, Terri was elected by the residents of District 11 to serve a term ending December 31, 2015; and
WHEREAS, during her tenure on Council, Ms. Klein served on the appointment review, budget and finance, health and human services, and marketing committees. Terri authored legislation which would establish a policy within the Office of County Council regarding posting job vacancy announcements in local publications and in other locations in order to maintain a diverse workforce; and
WHEREAS, a tireless advocate on issues of social justice, Ms. Klein serves on the board of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Terri, who holds a master’s in public health from St. Louis University, is the recipient of the Marjorie H. Matson Award for Civil Liberties and Civil Rights from the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania for her work with the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ health curriculum;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council, on behalf of the citizens of Allegheny County, hereby recognizes The Honorable Terri R. Klein for her contributions to Allegheny County Council and to the enhancement of the wellbeing of the County’s citizens. Ms. Klein honorably upheld the legacy of the late Barbara Daly Danko, always acting in the best interests of the constituents of Allegheny County. Her unwavering commitment to Council serves as an exemplary model of leadership, and we thank Ms. Klein for her service and wish her well as she moves into the future.
WHEREAS, throughout the history of Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, talented officials who possess great knowledge and determination exhibit exemplary leadership in elected positions and contribute invaluably to our communities, our country and our world; and
WHEREAS, Jan Rea was elected in 1999 to be one of the founding members of the first Allegheny County Council, a landmark in government history after 212 years of the three commissioner form of government; and
WHEREAS, chosen by the members of Allegheny County Council District 2 for this task, her election and subsequent re-elections reflected great respect and confidence in her abilities as a leader and community champion; and
WHEREAS, during her tenure on Council, Ms. Rea has worked on property tax reform, economic development initiatives, and public health and welfare matters. She has been instrumental in promoting good government policies and fiscal responsibility. She has served as a member of several standing and special committees, most recently serving as chairwoman of the appointment review committee; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Rea is a member of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, and is a former board member of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund, the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program, the Pittsburgh Film Office and the Allegheny County Board of Health;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council, on behalf of the citizens of Allegheny County, hereby recognizes The Honorable Jan Rea for her contributions to Allegheny County Council and to the enhancement of the wellbeing of the County’s citizens. Ms. Rea acted always in the best interests of the constituents of Allegheny County and her unwavering commitment to Council serves as an exemplary model of leadership. This Council thanks her for her 16 years of dedicated public service and wishes her well as she moves into the future.
WHEREAS, throughout the history of Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, talented officials who possess great knowledge and determination exhibit exemplary leadership in elected positions and contribute invaluably to our communities, our country and our world; and
WHEREAS, William Russell Robinson (Bill) was appointed by County Council to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Louis “Hop” Kendrick, and was sworn into office on September 23, 2003. He was elected on November 4, 2003 to complete the unexpired term of the Honorable James Simms, who resigned to run for County Controller. Councilman Kendrick replaced Councilman Simms as the interim representative of District 10. Mr. Robinson was duly sworn into office on December 29, 2003. On January 2, 2004, Mr. Robinson was sworn into office for a four-year term, and in 2007, he was re-elected by the citizens of District 10; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson, who previously served fourteen (14) years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1988-2002) and eight (8) years on Pittsburgh City Council (1978-1985), is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Duquesne University with degrees in political science. Mr. Robinson taught history, political science and public administration at Carlow University, the University of Pittsburgh and the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). Mr. Robinson served on the Board of Trustees for CCAC for twenty-one (21) years; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure on County Council, Mr. Robinson was appointed chairman of the budget and finance committee and also served as a member of the appointment review, health and human services, marketing, public safety and public works committees, as well as the County’s professional services review and vacant property review committees. He authored numerous pieces of legislation and demonstrated a strong interest in the county’s financial health, the role of community colleges in post-secondary education and workforce development, minority participation in public projects and economic development; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson has received numerous awards for his leadership in politics and in the community. He was recognized by the New Pittsburgh Courier as one of its “50 Men of Excellence” and he has served on the POISE Foundation, the Board of Fellows of the Institute of Politics (University of Pittsburgh), as the first Emeritus Trustee at CCAC, and as a life member of the Pittsburgh NAACP;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Allegheny County Council, on behalf of the citizens of Allegheny County, hereby recognizes The Honorable William Russell Robinson (Bill) for his contributions to Allegheny County Council and to the enhancement of the wellbeing of the County’s citizens. Mr. Robinson acted always in the best interests of the constituents of Allegheny County and his unwavering commitment to Council serves as an exemplary model of leadership. This Council thanks him for his more than 40 years of dedicated public service and wishes him well as he moves into the future.
WHEREAS, throughout the history of Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, talented officials who possess great knowledge and determination exhibit exemplary leadership in elected positions and contribute invaluably to our communities, our country and our world; and
WHEREAS, Barbara Daly Danko was a fixture in the Democratic Party in Pittsburgh’s East End, serving as a committee member and chair of the 14th Ward until April 5, 2011, when she was appointed to the Allegheny County Council, representing District 11. In November 2011, the residents of Allegheny County Council District 11 elected Barbara to serve a full four-year term; and
WHEREAS, on May 6, 2015, Barbara passed away from a cancer-related illness in her Regent Square home, surrounded by family. Her name remained on the May 19, 2015 primary ballot and, although faced with opposition, she was reelected in memoriam by the residents of District 11; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Daly Danko was a passionate and respected politician who championed many causes, including environmental protection and women and minority-owned businesses. Ms. Daly Danko served on several of Council’s standing committees and was chairwoman of the special committee on reapportionment. She was one of the original appointed members to serve on the Allegheny County Human Relations Commission, and she served on the Local Government Academy Board of Directors. Ms. Daly Danko brought a much-needed knowledge of finance and budgeting to the Council, along with strong ideals of how best to serve and protect the community; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Daly Danko, who held a master’s degree in public affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at The University of Texas in Austin, taught political science as an adjunct faculty member at the Community College of Allegheny County and the University of Pittsburgh;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Allegheny County Council, on behalf of the citizens of Allegheny County, hereby recognizes in memoriam The Honorable Barbara Daly Danko for her tremendous contributions to the cause of good government, representing the citizens of District 11 with the utmost integrity; Barbara will be remembered as an exceptional community leader, always acting in the best interests of the citizens of Allegheny County, and her legacy will serve as an inspiration to all.