[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25039]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


RECOGNIZING HOLLAND MAYOR ALBERT ``AL'' McGEEHAN FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF 
                 SERVICE WITH THE HOLLAND CITY COUNCIL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PETER HOEKSTRA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 15, 2009

  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise here today to honor Holland Mayor 
Albert ``Al'' McGeehan for his years of selfless service on the Holland 
City Council.
  Mayor McGeehan was born on Staten Island in New York Harbor in 
October 1944. He first moved to Holland to attend Hope College. He 
graduated from Hope College in June of 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts 
degree in History and a Michigan Secondary Teaching Certificate.
  With his educational preparation and certification, Mayor McGeehan 
began a teaching career in the Holland Public Schools that spanned five 
decades.
  In the summer of 2004, President George W. Bush, while addressing a 
crowd of 15,000 Holland residents, shortened Mayor McGeehan to simply, 
Mayor ``Al.'' The title better suited the Mayor and stuck like glue.
  Mayor ``Al'' was first elected to city council in 1977 where he 
served four ``four-year'' terms as a Councilman-at-Large. He is now in 
his eighth term as mayor of the city.
  As a teacher, Al McGeehan served as Chair of the Social Studies 
Department for Holland Public Schools. Upon his retirement, he worked 
as a morning radio talk show host for WJQ 1260 AM.
  For three years, Al represented the Michigan Municipal League as the 
League's West Michigan Regional Coordinator. He has served on several 
committees of the Michigan Municipal League and the National League of 
Cities. From 2006 to 2008, Mayor ``Al'' served consecutive terms as 
President of the Michigan Association of Mayors.
  The Mayor's passion for studying and collecting artifacts from the 
time of the American Civil War is well-known throughout Michigan and 
beyond. He has taught and lectured on the subject. He has authored a 
book and several magazine articles relating to the Civil War and he has 
been known to often occupy the very best parking spaces at local 
antique shops.
  Mayor Al has been married to his wife Marsha for 45 years.

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