[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 199 (Tuesday, November 24, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO DURHAM COUNTY COMMISSIONER ELLEN RECKHOW

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                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 24, 2020

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Ellen Reckhow, Durham County Commissioner, who is retiring this year 
after over 30 years of distinguished service. Ellen was first elected 
to the Durham County Board of Commissioners in 1988. She served as 
Board Chairman from 2002 to 2008 and as Vice Chairman during two 
additional periods. My own term of service is largely coextensive with 
hers, which has made me fully appreciative of Ellen's impact on the 
county and our region and grateful for the many ways we have found to 
collaborate.
  Commissioner Reckhow's tenure on the Durham County Board of 
Commissioners has been marked by immense transformation in Durham, 
challenging her and the Board to balance growth with the needs of 
existing residents and a diverse community. Early in her tenure, the 
Board led in the merger of the city and county school systems, to 
address financial inequities and equalize opportunities for all the 
county's children. Ellen takes special pride in her role as a founder 
of the East Durham Children's Initiative: ``Helping all our children 
succeed in life is a passion for me,'' she recently affirmed.
  As a Board member, Commissioner Reckhow championed public-private 
partnerships, exemplified by the development of the Treyburn Corporate 
Park and Research Triangle Park, which have attracted business 
opportunities and economic growth across the region. She also worked 
with counterparts in neighboring counties to establish the Triangle 
Transit Authority, now GoTriangle, a bedrock of the region's transit 
operations, as well as of planning for the future. During Durham's 
significant economic transformation, Commissioner Reckhow has remained 
steadfast in her dedication to expanding opportunity and improving the 
wellbeing of her entire community. She has prioritized environmental 
protections and access to education, including funding for Pre-K 
expansion and scholarships to Durham Technical Community College for 
every high school graduate in Durham County.
  Ellen has offered leadership to local governing boards ranging from 
the Carolina Theatre to the Lincoln Community Health Center. She has 
worked for years with our regional Metropolitan Planning Organization 
and has taken important assignments with the North Carolina and 
national associations of county governments. She has received numerous 
accolades for her dedication to public service, including the Goodmon 
Award for Exemplary Regional Leadership by an Elected Official, the 
North Carolina Planning Association's Elected Official of the Year, the 
Sierra Club Environmental Leadership Award, and the Partnership for 
Children Champion for Children Award.
  While Commissioner Reckhow may be retiring from public service, I 
know she will remain engaged in strengthening and improving our Durham 
community. She has said as much, and I take her at her word. She and I 
have always had ideas to share and mutual support to offer, 
particularly in the areas of transportation and housing, and I am 
counting on that continuing. In the meantime, Madam Speaker, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in recognizing Commissioner Ellen Reckhow for her 
long service on the Durham County Board of Commissioners and her 
tireless dedication to children and families across Durham and North 
Carolina.

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