[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING H. GRAYSON COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR JONATHAN SWEET

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                        HON. H. MORGAN GRIFFITH

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 2015

  Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks in honor of Grayson 
County Administrator Jonathan Sweet, who was recently named 2015 County 
Leader of the Year by Penton Media's ``American City and County'' 
magazine.
  As is noted in the magazine's story, ``Sweet started his professional 
career as the Director of Economic Development of Carroll County, Va., 
and then served Danville, Va., in their office of economic development. 
Sweet then moved to Bland County, Va., to become County Administrator 
at the age of 24--one of the youngest in the state to hold that 
position. However, he was tied to Grayson [County], where many of his 
friends and family lived. It's where he felt most at home.''
  Jonathan returned to Grayson in 2009 to serve as County Administrator 
and began addressing several difficult challenges, among them returning 
financial stability to the county and encouraging the growth of jobs 
and the economy. ``As the furniture industry shrank and textile jobs 
moved overseas, the county really began to suffer, ultimately hitting 
an unemployment rate of 14.6 percent,'' Derek Prall wrote in the 
magazine. ``By the time Sweet came on board, the county had taken on 
$18.3 million in debt, and was relying on credit to stay afloat.''
  He immediately began working at the tasks at hand. In part because of 
Jonathan's efforts, ``Grayson county went from one of the most 
financially challenged and distressed counties in Virginia, to becoming 
one of the most financially stable and well managed in the region,'' 
David Sexton, Chairman of the Grayson County Board of Supervisors, told 
the magazine. Further, the magazine notes, ``The unemployment rate now 
stands at 6.9 percent, less than half of what it was at its peak.''
  Jonathan Sweet is a hardworking, dedicated, and passionate public 
servant, and I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating him on 
being named the 2015 County Leader of the Year. I commend Jonathan for 
his accomplishments and for his ongoing efforts to make Grayson County 
a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

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