[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17014]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING DAVE ROBERTSON ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE METROPOLITAN 
                   WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 12, 2012

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and 
commend David J. Robertson on the occasion of his retirement from the 
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, where he has served 
with distinction for the past 26 years, culminating in his appointment 
as executive director a decade ago.
   The Council of Governments functions as the Metropolitan Planning 
Organization for the National Capital Region, and it is comprised of 21 
regional governments representing Virginia, Maryland and the District 
of Columbia. COG and its leadership play a key role in coordinating the 
regional response on issues ranging from Chesapeake Bay preservation to 
affordable housing and from homeland security to transportation 
planning. Those activities are financed by the member jurisdictions, 
federal and state grants, and private sector funds.
   Dave has been a mainstay at COG, where he began as a regional 
planner in 1986. Throughout his tenure, Dave has held a series of 
roles, both technical and managerial, and prior to being named 
executive director, he was head of COG's Department of Human Services, 
Planning and Public Safety. In a region with overlapping local, state, 
and federal interests and competition, Dave has proven adept at keeping 
the organization's staff and membership focused on the mission of 
addressing our shared challenges to improve the lives of our collective 
constituents.
   It was my great pleasure to serve on the GOC board of directors 
while I was a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. I also 
chaired the COG board in 2000 and collaborated with Dave on a number of 
projects, including my initiative to increase telework among the 
regional governments. In addition, I chaired COG's Emergency 
Preparedness Council, where Dave was instrumental in coordinating 
response and preparedness efforts not only among the local governments, 
but also with the states and the federal government, which is no small 
task as each major weather incident or natural disaster reminds us.
   In addition to his role at COG, Dave also served on a number of 
regional organizations, including the American Red Cross of the 
National Capital Region, the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the 
American Planning Association, the International City/County Management 
Association, and the Washington Region for Justice and Inclusion.
   Prior to his tenure with COG, Dave worked for the National 
Association of Home Builders and former member of Congress David Bonior 
of Michigan. He received a Master of Urban Planning degree from George 
Washington University, and also holds a Bachelor's degree from Wayne 
State University in Detroit, Michigan.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dave 
Robertson on his many accomplishments and thanking him for his 
tremendous service to the Council of Governments and the National 
Capital Region. Thanks to Dave's leadership, we spent more time 
focusing on those challenges that unite, rather than divide us, and 
that continues to serve as a lesson for us all to follow. We wish Dave 
the best of luck in his future endeavors.

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