[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 14499]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING COMMISSIONER PAT KLABO

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, it is with great pride that I 
stand today in recognition of the long career of public service had by 
a very special woman, Aberdeen City Commissioner Pat Klabo, who is 
retiring from her position on June 30 after 18 years of dedicated 
service in city government. A tireless advocate for the health and 
well-being of her community, Commissioner Klabo's presence will surely 
be missed by residents of South Dakota's third-largest city.
  Commissioner Klabo's rise to prominence in local government was not 
something preordained. As in most stories of American democracy, her 
call to lead was motivated not by personal ambition or pedigree but by 
the calls of those around her to take up the mantel of leadership. Her 
first foray into public service began when these calls of concerned 
citizens were beckoning her to bid for the Aberdeen mayor's office back 
in 1987. After a spirited campaign, she was defeated by fellow city 
commissioner Tim Rich, but was then appointed to fill out the remainder 
of Mr. Rich's term. Ever since that appointment, Commissioner Klabo has 
become a veritable fixture in Aberdeen politics.
  In her position as commissioner of the water and wastewater 
departments for the last 17 years, Commissioner Klabo has proven to be 
a very capable leader on a number of issues that impact the vitality of 
both Aberdeen and the entirety of northeastern South Dakota. She was 
instrumental in overseeing the improvements made to Aberdeen's water 
treatment plant, an act that will prove key to the city's prospects for 
growth in the new millennium. Commissioner Klabo also oversaw the 
city's expanded use and development of wells on private lands, a 
partnership between public service and private enterprise that has 
proven beneficial to all in the community.
  Even with such dedication to local government, Commissioner Klabo 
still somehow finds the time and energy to engage in other pursuits 
that benefit the community. Her work as a part of the group Persons 
With Disabilities is a prime example of this. Forty years of service 
helping some of society's most vulnerable individuals speaks to the 
highest character of humanity. Commissioner Klabo is also a founding 
member of the Aberdeen Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities, 
a body on which she has now served for more than a decade. In this 
position, she has ensured that people with disabilities have a voice at 
the table when important decisions are made at city hall.
  It is my great pleasure to share a few words about Ms. Klabo's 
accomplishments with my colleagues and to note in the public records 
her contributions to my home State. It will be difficult to lose such a 
committed civil servant, especially one who has proven to be such an 
asset to her community. On the behalf of all South Dakotans, I would 
like to wish her the very best for her retirement.

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