[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 189 (Tuesday, November 26, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PALMDALE CITY MANAGER JAMES PURTEE RECIPIENT OF 2019 LARRY CHIMBOLE 
                          PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. PAUL COOK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 26, 2019

  Mr. COOK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Palmdale City Manager 
James ``Jim'' Purtee, who will be presented with the Larry Chimbole 
Public Service Award by the California League of Cities Desert/Mountain 
Division. Jim has announced that he will also retire at the end of 
2019, after 31 years of public service.
   Jim began his diverse public service career with the City of Simi 
Valley in 1988, where he worked in multiple department and on issues 
including community services, affordable housing, planning, economic 
development, and city administration. He was named Simi Valley's 
Assistant City Manager in July 2012 and was formally appointed to be 
Palmdale's City Manager on October 5, 2015. Under his leadership, 
Palmdale's Part I crime rate has decreased to its lowest in a quarter 
century. Palmdale has also maintained a strong general fund reserve and 
credit ratings from both of the leading ratings agencies, which is a 
credit to Jim's strong and strategic management skills. Jim has been 
very involved with the League of California Cities, where he has served 
as the Desert/Mountain Division's representative to the League's 
Administrative Services Policy Committee and Revenue and Taxation 
Policy Committee.
  As a former city councilmember, I know that replacing Jim will be an 
incredibly tough task for the City of Palmdale, and I wish their 
councilmembers the best of luck in finding a successor. Jim Puttee 
embodies all of the qualities of the Larry Chimbole Award, and I 
congratulate him on this prestigious honor as well as a well-deserved 
retirement.

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