[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 96 (Thursday, June 14, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN RECOGNITION OF CAROLYN LOTT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DENNIS A. CARDOZA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 14, 2007

  Mr. CARDOZA. Madam Speaker, it is with the greatest pleasure that I 
rise today to honor a shepherd of California's Central Valley, Carolyn 
Lott. I can think of no one person who has worked harder for their 
community and on a wider range of issues than Carolyn. As she prepares 
to retire from years of dedicated service, I'd like to share a little 
about my good friend.
  Carolyn Lott has been a guiding light on the valley's path of social 
and economic growth. A champion of the Highway 99 Corridor, Carolyn has 
ensured much needed State capital be directed to this main 
transportation artery through the Central Valley. Her latest position 
as Senior Program Manager for the Great Valley Center in Modesto, 
California has allowed her to continue promoting this agenda, as well 
as incorporate it into a blueprint plan for the region. In addition to 
her responsibilities with this position, she also manages the project 
work within New Valley Connexions, a program that focuses on helping to 
strengthen and diversify the regional economy of the Central Valley by 
advancing the use of new technologies and positioning the region to be 
more competitive in the 21st century.
  Prior to Carolyn's current position, she was affiliated with the 
Great Valley Center as a consultant coordinating a nine-county regional 
effort to organize sectors of the San Joaquin Valley around development 
of voluntary measures to help improve air quality. She successfully 
guided the development of 14 sectors, corresponding working groups, a 
draft air quality improvement plan, and an inaugural summit with more 
than 400 attendees. Additionally, through both local efforts and a trip 
to Washington, DC, congressional assistance for the effort was obtained 
both through endorsement of the project and actual funding commitments.
  Through the Great Valley Center, Carolyn continued her affiliation 
with the Center for Collaborative Policy in Sacramento, California. CCP 
is a joint program of California State University, Sacramento and 
McGeorge School of Law and offers facilitation for public policy 
development. Carolyn has completed the sixth year of contract services 
providing facilitation to the Department of Water Resources for San 
Joaquin County. During her tenure, the county and a joint powers 
authority have moved from a stalemate position to recipients of State 
funding for water supply projects and are currently developing an 
integrated regional water management plan to assure water reliability 
and to help restore the significantly depleted underground aquifer. 
Also with CCP, Carolyn was both project manager and facilitator for the 
Smart Growth Local Elected Officials Roundtables, a joint project of 
the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, the California State 
Association of Counties, the Local Government Commission, and the 
League of California Cities.
  Prior to her work as a facilitator and program manager, Carolyn 
(Ratto) Lott was a councilmember in Turlock, California. During this 
time she was actively involved in numerous policy development 
activities through both the League of California Cities and the 
National League of Cities. She played a leadership role as president of 
the LCC, board of directors member for both organizations, and chair of 
numerous committees and special projects, including chairing the 
National League of Cities Leadership Training Council. She has also 
chaired the California Cities, Counties, and Schools State Partnership 
and still serves on their board of directors, and served as a 
Governor's appointee on the Commission for Local Governance in the 21st 
Century. She has completed a decade of service on the Turlock Chamber 
of Commerce Leadership Steering Committee and has spent more than half 
a decade as an advisory board member for California State University, 
Stanislaus. She also completed three terms as a board member for 
Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock. Currently she serves as an advisory 
committee member of the Collaborative Governance Initiative, part of 
the League of California Cities' Institute for Local Government, as a 
board member for the California Budget Project, and on the Advisory 
Committee for the College of Business Administration, California State 
University, Stanislaus.
  Carolyn's efforts on behalf of the Central Valley have left an 
indelible mark. There is no doubt that future generations will benefit 
greatly because of Carolyn's foresight and commonsense plans of action. 
As she prepares to make more time for herself and her husband, Lonald, 
I trust she will continue to be a great example to all aspiring 
stewards of our community.

                          ____________________