[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 138 (Thursday, November 13, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING MAYOR RICHARD J. NOTTE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 13, 2014

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and 
accomplishments of Mayor Richard J. Notte, who passed away on Tuesday, 
October 28, 2014 following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. 
Richard Notte was a good friend and colleague in public service, and I 
am honored to pay tribute to him.
  Mayor Notte was at the heart and soul of the City of Sterling 
Heights. He served his community with such active and vibrant devotion, 
and was considered to be a ``working man's mayor.'' He was highly 
recognizable in his trademark fedora but he was less interested in the 
spotlight than representing the residents of Sterling Heights and 
improving the community he cherished.
  Mayor Notte was first elected to city council in 1983 where he served 
for ten years before he was elected Mayor in 1993. He also enjoyed a 
lengthy and successful career working at Ford Motor Company for 45 
years before retiring in 2004. He held several elected UAW positions 
including plant chairman, recording and financial secretary.
  Mayor Notte's love for his city and the automotive industry combined 
when we needed the most. As a founding Mayor of the Mayors Automotive 
Caucus he was an articulate spokesperson nationally for the domestic 
auto industry and the U.S. manufacturing base. Locally his tenacious 
efforts helped to keep the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) open 
and when Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy, the company invested over $1 
billion to construct a new assembly facility and paint shop at SHAP. He 
was deeply proud of that effort and the resurgence of the auto industry 
in our state.
  Mayor Notte's accomplishments did not go unnoticed. Through the years 
he was honored with dozens of prestigious awards. In October 2013 he 
was inducted into the Macomb Hall of Fame and was recognized for his 
outstanding contributions to improving the economic, family, and 
community life of Macomb County. He was also a strong advocate for the 
Sterling Heights Community Foundation and its mission to enhance 
cultural, educational and recreational opportunities for Sterling 
Heights residents. In 2010, he funded the ``Richard J. Notte 
Scholarship for Public Service Endowment.'' Through this permanent 
endowment, impact on the community will live on in perpetuity, as the 
Foundation will annually present a college scholarship to a deserving 
student in his name.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I am honored to have worked with Richard 
Notte during his career and to see up close how rooted he was in his 
community. I am pleased to join with his family, friends and the larger 
Macomb County community in mourning his loss, celebrating his life and 
honoring his accomplishments.

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