[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1167-E1168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO MAYOR ROBERT D. COBLE
______
HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN
of south carolina
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear
friend and outstanding public servant, the Honorrlble Robert D. Coble.
Mayor Coble is retiring from public life after 25 years of service, the
last two decades as Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina. He has served as
a tireless advocate for the city and its residents, and his tremendous
leadership will be missed.
Mayor Bob, as he is affectionately known, is a native of
Chesterfield, South Carolina, but came to live in the city he now leads
as a child. He is a graduate of Dreher High School, and went on to earn
a bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina. At USC's
School of Law, Mayor Bob distinguished himself as a member of the Order
of the Wig and Robe and graduated with a Juris Doctor cum laude.
Today he is a partner in the law firm of Nexsen Pruet. He has
dedicated his legal career to practicing in the areas of economic
development, health care, regulatory law and governmental
representation. This expertise is a reflection of the issues he is
passionate about in his public service.
In 1985, Bob Coble won a seat on Richland County Council where he
served for 5 years before being elected Mayor of Columbia in 1990.
During his 20 years at the helm of the city, Mayor Bob has focused on
revitalizing downtown and the neighborhoods that surround it. Today,
the city that Mayor Coble manages is almost unrecognizable from the one
he inherited. The once gritty industrial corridor, just blocks from the
State Capitol, has been transformed into a vibrant commercial
thoroughfare known as the Vista. A riverfront that was once dominated
by the state's largest correctional facility is now home to a park, new
residential developments and two popular museums. Former barrack-style
public housing developments have been razed and replaced with
affordable housing that families are proud
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to call home. These are just a few examples of the tremendous changes
that have taken place in Columbia under Mayor Bob leadership.
The name Mayor Bob exemplifies the affable way he approaches the
office and the people he serves. No issue is too small and no person is
too insignificant for this humble public servant. He has met Presidents
and Popes, but has never lost the common touch. He treats everyone with
respect and dignity no matter their status in life.
His style of governing is one I can appreciate--consensus-building.
This style was born in part because of his natural disposition, but
also because of his role as a who held no more voting power than any
other member of City Council. Despite this weak mayor form of
government, Mayor Bob was anything but weak. He led the way in setting
the agenda for the city and ensuring that his vision was carried out.
And his influence went beyond the City of Columbia.
Mayor Bob was a vocal opponent of the Confederate flag flying over
the State Capitol. He was also an integral player in the fight to save
Fort Jackson from closure during two rounds of the base realignment
process. I feel certain that it was because of his and other community
leaders making such a strong case for Fort Jackson that its mission
grew as other facilities were being closed.
Personally, I will never forget being rocked by images of the
suffering and chaos after Hurricane Katrina and picking up the phone to
ask Mayor Bob to help me bring survivors of that disaster to Columbia.
He didn't hesitate, and worked throughout the Labor Day weekend to set
up a one-of-a-kind center to provide all the services evacuees would
need. The City of Columbia ultimately became the destination for more
than 2,000 New Orleans residents who had no place to call home, and
thanks to Mayor Bob they found a community that welcomed them with open
arms.
Outside of his work on the city's behalf, Mayor Bob has also been
personally committed to improving the community in which he lives. He
has served on numerous boards and commissions and volunteered countless
hours of his time. He started the City of Columbia's Lunch Buddy
program and has been a lunch buddy for 12 years. Mayor Bob and his
wife, Beth, founded the ``First Ladies Walk for Life'' to raise funds
for breast cancer research.
He has served as the President of the Municipal Association of South
Carolina and Chairman of the Fighting Back Task Force for Alcohol and
Drug Abuse. He was instrumental in creating the Central Midlands
Regional Transit Authority and has been the fundraising chairman of the
United Negro College Fund. Mayor Bob is also a former member of the
advisory board for the Medical University of South Carolina, the
Council on Aging, the South Carolina Special Olympics and the Bethlehem
Community Center. He is currently a board member with the River
Alliance, Ingenuity, and the Central Carolina Economic Development
Alliance.
Mayor Bob has received numerous awards during his 25 years of public
service including the Chamber of Commerce's Ambassador of the Year
(2004), Central Midlands Council of Governments Regional Leadership
Award (2007), induction into Richland School District One's Hall of
Fame (2007) and the Global Vision Award from the World Affairs Council
(2008).
He is married to the former Beth McLeod and they are the proud
parents of six children and two grandsons. They are members of Trenholm
Road United Methodist Church, where he has taught Sunday school and was
a Boy Scout leader for a number of years.
Madam Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in thanking
Bob Coble for his tremendous record of public service. Even though he
is stepping aside to let a new leader take over the helm in Columbia,
the city will forever reflect the many positive contributions Mayor Bob
has made. He is a true leader and great example for anyone entering
public service today to follow.