[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 13 (Friday, January 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E109-E110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO TOM KALKOFEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 29, 2010

  Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a leader in the 
field of public health, Tom Kalkofen, who has been instrumental in 
water quality, pollution reduction, and individualized healthcare 
initiatives in Macomb County.

[[Page E110]]

  Mr. Kalkofen graduated from Ferris State University in 1971 and began 
working as a sanitarian for the Macomb County Health Department. He 
earned his Masters of Public Health from the University of Michigan 
School of Public Health in 1977 and continued to rise through the ranks 
of the Health Department, holding various positions, until he became 
director in February of 1996.
  Under Mr. Kalkofen's leadership the Health Department established 
effective community coalitions, such as the Tobacco Prevention 
Coalition and Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures Coalition and a minority 
health outreach office. Mr. Kalkofen also fought for the continuation 
of one of the few remaining public health dental programs in the State 
of Michigan. He worked successfully to leverage Emergency Preparedness 
funds making it possible for the county to build a new Medical Examiner 
Office and Morgue, both of which were sorely outdated.
  In addition to his many accomplishments in the public health sector, 
he was passionate about fighting to ensure that recreational and 
drinking water quality was safe for the residents of the County. 
Fifteen years ago, Macomb County's beaches and lakeshore waters were 
closed by the Health Department due to the rapid seaweed growth and 
excessive E. coli levels. The Blue Ribbon Commission was founded to 
address the aforementioned concerns of Lake St. Clair, and Mr. Kalkofen 
acted to provide full administrative support for its activities.
  Mr. Kalkofen has also been an advocate for an array of county- and 
grant-funded pollution prevention activities over the years. In 2004 
and 2005, he secured $2.5 million from the Department of Environmental 
Quality to perform an unprecedented comprehensive water quality 
assessment of watersheds of Lakes St. Clair, and Belle, Pine, and Black 
Rivers which stretch across four counties. Most recently, he worked as 
a member of the Macomb Water Quality Board to spearhead the acquisition 
of State and Federal funds to build a system of real-time water quality 
monitors at the intakes of all water treatment plants on the United 
States side of Lake Huron to Lake Erie Corridor.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Tom 
Kalkofen, who has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of living 
for the people of Macomb County for nearly 40 years. I am confident he 
will continue to play an important role in the community where he is 
highly thought of, in addition to enjoying a bit of retirement with his 
wife Marge, their twin sons and five grandchildren.

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