[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 54 (Monday, March 28, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E302-E303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING DR. RICHARD WOODRUFF, CITY MANAGER OF JACKSONVILLE, NORTH 
                                CAROLINA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GREGORY F. MURPHY

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 28, 2022

  Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of 
a devoted public servant in our community who will retire this upcoming 
May, Dr. Richard Woodruff of Jacksonville, North Carolina. A selfless 
and dedicated administrator and City Manager, Dr. Woodruff has been in 
the service of others for over 27 years.
  With over 50,000 marines and sailors stationed at Camp Lejeune and 
New River Air Station, Jacksonville is truly the home of the Marines. 
Jacksonville strives to provide quality services and a safe environment 
in which the marines, sailors and their families can live a peaceful 
life and work in recognition of their dignity. The services of the city 
provide support to the military families as their loved ones are 
deployed.
  Operating under the Council Manager form of City government, the City 
Manager is appointed by the Mayor and City Council and is the chief 
administrative officer of the city. Working with a team of professional 
department directors, the City Manager is responsible for the daily 
operations of city government, the preparation of the annual budget and 
the hiring and, when necessary, the removal of city employees. 
Jacksonville is a full-service city, with an annual operating and 
capital budget of approximately $100 million including general 
government services. Managing the City of Jacksonville is no easy task 
and Dr. Woodruff has shown exemplary leadership ability in his role as 
City Manager.
  After a 27-year career in public and private sector employment, Dr. 
Woodruff accepted the position of City Manager for the City of 
Jacksonville in 2010. Working with the Mayor and Council, the City 
Manager is leading a major renaissance in the historic downtown area of 
Jacksonville, including a new multi-purpose

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downtown waterfront park and the development of the ``Freedom 
Fountain'' located adjacent to City Hall. These projects will have a 
tremendous impact in developing and rejuvenating the downtown area.
  Dr. Woodruff is a graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South 
Carolina and earned a master's degree and Doctorate in Public 
Administration from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He and 
his wife Gwendolyn have three sons and six grandchildren. He served on 
Governor Perdue's Military Land Compatibility Task Force, which 
identified methods of land use to help protect the training mission of 
the military bases throughout North Carolina.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the retirement of this 
incredible and noble man and wishing Dr. Woodruff a happy retirement 
from his life of public service.

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