[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 190 (Wednesday, November 15, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1109]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





     SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF MAYOR GREGORY ZILKA UPON HIS RETIREMENT

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                          HON. ROBERT E. LATTA

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 15, 2023

  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate a 
dedicated educator and public servant, Mayor Gregory J. Zilka, who will 
be retiring after twelve years as Mayor of the City of Avon Lake. Over 
the course of his career, Mayor Zilka's commitment and leadership to 
Avon Lake has shaped it into the city it is today.
  Prior to serving as Mayor of Avon Lake, Mayor Zilka worked as a 
social studies teacher at Avon Lake High School for thirty-five years. 
In 1985, he was appointed to the Avon Lake City Council where he served 
for twenty-six years, fourteen of which he served as President.
  Mayor Zilka was first elected mayor in 2012. Since then, he has 
performed over 200 weddings, applied for and received $4,000,000 in 
grants on behalf of the city, oversaw the construction of 600 new 
single-family dwellings, and saw the population of Avon Lake grow by 
over 3,000 people. Mayor Zilka also saw Avon Lake through many 
complicated issues, including the potential closing of the Ford Ohio 
Assembly Plant. In the end, the company remained open and announced a 
$1.5 billion expansion. To help Avon Lake gain more access to Lake 
Erie, the Mayor oversaw the closing of Avon Lake Power Plant which had 
dominated the shoreline and skyline for 100 years. Mayor Zilka has also 
helped organize and participated in Avon Lake's year-long Bicentennial 
celebrations which brought about the first beer festival as well as 
other events for Avon Lake's citizens.
  Mayor Zilka has also been an active volunteer throughout his entire 
life. In his early 20's, he served in the Peace Corps, where he met his 
wife of forty-five years. For the past fourteen years, he has been 
active within the Lorain County Office on Aging's Home Delivered Meals 
program. Additionally, he volunteers weekly for Big Brothers/Big 
Sisters of Lorain County and has served on the board of trustees for 
organizations including the Lorain County Alcohol and Drug Addiction 
Services (ADAS), Cleveland State Leadership Academy, and the Cleveland 
Clinic Avon Hospital Advisory Council, among many others.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute 
to Mayor Gregory J. Zilka of Avon Lake, Ohio. On behalf of the people 
of the Fifth Congressional District of Ohio, I recognize the dedication 
and leadership that Mayor Zilka has shown through his service to his 
community. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

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