[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 15 (Friday, January 24, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E74-E75]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CELEBRATING RALPH OWENS' 30 YEARS OF SERVICE AS MAYOR OF LAVONIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG COLLINS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 24, 2020

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. 
Ralph Owens for his retirement as Mayor of the City of Lavonia. Mayor 
Owens retired on December 31, 2019, after serving the people of Lavonia 
as Mayor for over 30 years.
  Since first being elected to the Lavonia City Council in 1987 and, 
two years later, being elected Mayor in 1989, Mayor Owens has dedicated 
over 30 years to serving the people of Lavonia. During his tenure as 
mayor, Mr. Owens oversaw dramatic changes to the city's departments and 
emergency services. When Mayor Owens took office, the city's police 
department had only six officers and two police cruisers at their 
disposal. His expansion of the city's police department and their 
capabilities resulted in the construction of a new complex, hiring of 
an additional eight officers, and providing each officer with their own 
vehicle.
  Throughout his 30 years of service, Mr. Owens remained focused on 
Lavonia's economic and industrial growth. As chair of the Franklin 
County Industrial Building Authority, he worked to successfully bring 
new businesses to the community, such as the AutoZone Distribution 
Center and St. Mary's Sacred Heart Hospital, who now employ hundreds of 
people in and around the area.
  In 2012, Owens was honored for his leadership by being named the 
Georgia Mountains Regional Commission's (GMRC) Elected Official of the 
Year Award. The GMRC focuses on advancing economic and administrative 
cooperation amongst the various Northeast Georgia communities. As mayor 
of Lavonia, Mr. Owens made considerable efforts to do his part in 
representing the interests of the people of Lavonia.
  In addition to being named Georgia Mountains Regional Commission's 
Elected Official of the Year 2012, Mayor Owens was also recently named 
Lavonia Chamber of Commerce's Good Citizen of the Year and was honored 
with the Margaret Ayers Award for Civic Health.
  For over three decades, Mayor Owens has made great sacrifices to 
serve the people of Lavonia. I want to congratulate him and his wife, 
Judy, on his retirement. But most of all, I want to thank him for 
dedicating his life to the betterment of the people of Lavonia.

[[Page E75]]

  

                          ____________________