[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[Senate]
[Page 26772]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING MIKE KURLE

 Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I want to pay tribute to 
Mike Kurle, who retired earlier this year as the longtime manager of 
the West River/Lyman-Jones Rural Water System. I have worked with Mike 
for nearly my entire congressional career and value his friendship, 
professionalism, and typical South Dakota steadfastness. I know that 
Mike and his wife Marlene are looking forward to being able to travel a 
little more and spend some time with their children who are scattered 
across the country. However, I want to take a few minutes and explain 
to the Senate the role Mike played in bringing reliable supplies of 
drinking water to the towns and ranches of western South Dakota.
  As manager of West River/Lyman-Jones, Mike guided one of the four 
local project sponsors that constitute the Mni Wiconi Rural Water 
System--one of the largest Federal drinking water projects constructed 
in the last 30 years. Mike managed the project practically from the 
beginning and over the past 16 years has always put first the interests 
of the communities, ranches, and farms served by the system. On Mike's 
watch, 2,200 rural customers now receive reliable drinking water piped 
hundreds of miles from the Missouri River. The towns of Philip, Presho, 
Kennebec, Murdo, White River and, very soon, Kadoka benefit from the 
Mni Wiconi project. Mike has overseen Federal transfers in excess of 
$55 million and constantly delivered good value and on-time performance 
from contractors. Most importantly, Mike is someone that could be 
trusted and he worked well with the system's three other sponsors--the 
Oglala Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, and Rosebud Sioux Tribe. 
The project is a collaboration between the area's American Indian 
tribes, the Federal Government, and the western South Dakota 
communities in Lyman, Stanley, Jones, Mellette, Jackson, Haakon, and 
Pennington counties. Mike spent countless hours on the road traveling 
from one project sponsor meeting to another and on the phone and in 
Washington, DC, meeting with Bureau of Reclamation officials and the 
South Dakota congressional delegation to keep the project on track. 
Because of Mike's good work, the project is close to the finish line 
with about 70 percent of the system in the ground and delivering water 
to thousands of residents. These are all great goals and 
accomplishments.
  So, in closing, I want to thank Mike Kurle for his service and 
professionalism and most of all friendship and guidance over these many 
years. I know that Mike can't stay away from the West River/Lyman-Jones 
office forever but hope that he can enjoy moving at a slower pace 
knowing that future generations will be well served by his 
efforts.

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