[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 148 (Thursday, September 21, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13993-S13994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               FORMER HOMEWOOD, AL, MAYOR ROBERT WALDROP

  Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, I rise with great sadness to announce that 
former Homewood, AL, Mayor Robert Waldrop passed away on September 9. 
Mayor Waldrop spent 24 years at the Birmingham suburb's helm of city 
government and was an outstanding, progressive leader who moved his 
community forward in countless ways during his long tenure. One of his 
crowning achievements was the establishment of Homewood's excellent 
school system, widely recognized as one of the State's best systems.
  To Bob Waldrop, being mayor came naturally. His father had served as 
mayor of the Walker County, AL, town of Parrish, serving until he was 
86 years of age. Bob was a native of Parrish, an Army veteran, a Mason, 
and a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and Zamora Shrine.
  Since Bob had already retired from his career with the Liberty 
National Insurance Co. by the time he was first elected mayor in 1968 
at the age of 55, he was known as being a full-time mayor for part-time 
pay. Truly, the city of Homewood was his life.
  When Bob Waldrop left the Homewood mayor's office 3 years ago, I did 
a tribute to him on the floor of the Senate. This was on October 3, 
1992. The Homewood City Council had just recently passed a resolution 
in his honor, and I wanted to have it inserted into the Congressional 
Record. I ask unanimous consent that a copy of my statement and the 
accompanying resolution from 1992 be printed in the Record. It 
describes his many accomplishments and explains why he was so beloved 
by so many for so long.
  I extend my sincerest condolences to Bob's wife, Louise, and their 
entire family in the wake of this tremendous loss.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

             [From the Congressional Record, Oct. 3, 1992]

                   Tribute to Mayor Robert G. Waldrop

       Mr. Heflin. Mr. President, we all know of those local 
     elected leaders from our States who, because of their long 
     tenures in office, accomplishments, dedication, and hard 
     work, seem to define the term ``public servant.'' These are 
     the ones who do not necessarily seek headlines, but whose 
     satisfaction comes from doing good things for their 
     communities. I know of no other leader who fits this 
     definition and style of public service more aptly than 
     Homewood, AL, Mayor Robert G. Waldrop. Mayor Waldrop, one of 
     the longest serving mayors in the State, will be leaving his 
     post on October 5, after 24 years of service. More than 
     anyone else, he deserves credit for the success and growth of 
     this Birmingham suburb over the last 24 years.
       Mayor Waldrop originally entered the political arena after 
     completing two other full careers: for 15 years, he was a 
     pharmacist and for the 18 after that was a successful 
     insurance agent for Liberty National Insurance Co. He has 
     worked virtually his entire 

[[Page S 13994]]
     life. As if to portend his career as a pharmacist, his first job was at 
     a drugstore when he was only 12 years of age in the small 
     coal-mining town of Parrish, in Walker County. His own father 
     was once mayor of Parrish.
       Bob graduated high school in 1932, attended Auburn 
     University for 1 year, then went to Birmingham to study at 
     Howard College, now Samford University. In 1941, he and his 
     wife Louise moved to Homewood. He left school a couple of 
     years later to join the U.S. Army. After the war, he 
     reentered Howard and completed his bachelor's degree in 
     pharmacy.
       By the 1960's, Bob had become well known in Homewood as 
     president of the Lions Club and as a member of the library 
     board. In 1968, several concerned citizens prompted him to 
     consider running for mayor. There was a concern among Waldrop 
     and local merchants about the number of small companies which 
     had left the town. Since Homewood was his hometown and its 
     concerns were his, he decided to run, and, if elected, serve 
     one 4-year term. The rest, as they say, is history: he has 
     been mayor ever since, remaining in office a little longer 
     than he had anticipated.
       Mayor Waldrop has been in the unique position of watching 
     his city grow and expand from a budget of $1 million to over 
     $7 million. He watched as the library doubled its number of 
     books and services and moved to a new location. He watched 
     Homewood break away from the county school system and 
     establish its own, now recognized as one of the best in the 
     State. He has seen Brookwood Hospital grow into one of the 
     leading health care institutions in the State. He has served 
     on the board of directors of Lakeshore Rehabilitation 
     Complex, helping to make decisions that have resulted in a $7 
     million renovation of the facility.
       During his six terms as mayor, over 100 acres of park land 
     have been added to the city and three swimming pools built. 
     Mayor Waldrop initiated assessment-free street paving and 
     waste pickup. Brookwood Village was constructed, and the 
     Green Springs area annexed into the city during his tenure. 
     In appreciation for his many years of service, Homewood's 
     high school stadium was named in his honor.
       At the State level, Bob Waldrop was effective in addressing 
     issues of importance to local officials. He served for a term 
     as president of the Alabama League of Municipalities, which 
     he recounts as a very exciting time for him. As its 
     president, Mayor Waldrop was instrumental in getting the 
     League's Workers' Compensation Fund established in 1976. He 
     has served on the board of the fund since its inception, and 
     as its president in recent years. He was also on the 
     committee that created the Alabama Municipal Insurance Corp., 
     a mutual insurance company offering liability, property, and 
     casualty insurance to cities and towns. The mayor served on 
     the first board of this company. He presided over the 
     spouses' breakfast at the annual League of Municipalities 
     convention for over a decade.
       It is evident to all who know him that Mayor Robert Waldrop 
     has served his community with a tremendous spirit and very 
     apparent that he is a part of Homewood and Homewood a part of 
     him. Although the voters in Homewood, like those in thousands 
     of communities and jurisdictions across the country, opted 
     for change this year, Mayor Waldrop can take pride in the 
     fact that he did an outstanding job in looking after their 
     interests and ensuring the progress of their city. He will 
     long be remembered for his unique role in Homewood's history, 
     and his legacy is one that mayors all over the State and 
     country can look to as one to emulate.
       It is my pleasure to commend Bob Waldrop for being the 
     quintessential public servant. I am confident that his 
     community has not seen the last of his tireless devotion. I 
     wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
       Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a resolution 
     adopted September 14 by the Homewood City Council in honor of 
     Mayor Waldrop be printed in the Record immediately following 
     my remarks.
       There being no objection, the resolution was ordered to be 
     printed in the Record, as follows:

                          Resolution No. 92-21

       Whereas, Robert G. Waldrop has served as Mayor of the City 
     of Homewood, Alabama, since his election to that office in 
     1968 continuously to the present; and
       Whereas, since Mayor Waldrop's election to office in 1968, 
     the City of Homewood has enjoyed tremendous growth, expansion 
     and success in business and opportunity for its residents; 
     and
       Whereas, during Mayor Waldrop's tenure as Mayor, he has 
     received numerous awards and commendations, and has expended 
     great energies to the benefit of the residents of the City of 
     Homewood, Jefferson County, and the State of Alabama, which 
     accomplishments include, but are not limited to, the 
     following: (1) original organizer of the Jefferson County 
     Mayor's Association in 1969 and served as its President from 
     1972 through 1974; (2) a motivating force and promoter of the 
     Homewood School System; (3) honored by the Shades Valley 
     Civitans as the Outstanding Citizen in Homewood in 1970; (4) 
     elected the Boss of the Year in 1971 by the Alabama Business 
     Women's Association; (5) honored by the Homewood Board of 
     Education, by naming the football stadium the ``Robert G. 
     Waldrop Stadium'' in 1976; (6) was elected President of the 
     Alabama Workmen's Compensation Insurance Corporation for the 
     State of Alabama; and (7) was elected President of the 
     Alabama Legal Municipalities in 1976, and has served for the 
     last fifteen (15) years on the Executive Board of the League; 
     and
       Whereas, Mayor Waldrop has provided the excellent 
     leadership necessary for the development and growth of the 
     City which accomplishments include development and expansion 
     of a fine school system, development and expansion of 
     Brookwood Hospital as a premier hospital in the southern 
     portion of Jefferson County, annexation of numerous acres of 
     property for residential and commercial development providing 
     an excellent tax base and residential setting for Homewood 
     residents, all of which growth and developments will be well 
     chronicled in the history of the development of the City of 
     Homewood, Alabama; and
       Whereas, the members of the City Council of the City of 
     Homewood desire to express officially, as well as 
     individually, their appreciation for the outstanding services 
     which Robert G. Waldrop has rendered to the City of Homewood 
     and its residents during his twenty-four (24) years of 
     service as Mayor of the City of Homewood; and
       Now, Therefore, be it Resolved by the City Council of the 
     City of Homewood, Alabama, at a regular meeting duly 
     assembled, a quorum being present, as follows:
       1. That the City Council of the City of Homewood, by the 
     adoption of this Resolution, does publicly commend, thank and 
     state as an expression of appreciation to Mayor Waldrop for 
     the long and dedicated service which he has rendered to the 
     citizens of Homewood as Mayor of the City of Homewood.
       2. That the City Council of the City of Homewood desires to 
     make a public statement of their thanks and gratitude to 
     Robert G. Waldrop for his long and dedicated service to the 
     City of Homewood and do by the adoption of this Resolution 
     make such statement.
       3. That the City Council of the City of Homewood does 
     direct that a copy of this resolution, after its adoption by 
     the City Council, be distributed to Robert G. Waldrop, 
     members of his family and that appropriate certified copies 
     thereof be forwarded by the City Clerk to such other persons 
     or organizations as she deems appropriate in the premises.
       4. That this resolution shall be made a part of the 
     official minutes of the meeting of the Homewood City Council.

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