[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10199]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING ELAINE WALKER MAYOR OF LOVETTSVILLE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 27, 2012

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Loudoun 
County's longest-serving mayor, Elaine Walker of Lovettsville. At the 
end of the month, Mayor Walker will step down after serving as mayor of 
Lovettsville for nearly 22 years.
  Mayor Walker's accomplishments during her tenure as mayor include 
acquiring land for a 92-acre county park, helping develop the 
Lovettsville bike and pedestrian path and most recently making the 
town's veterans memorial a reality. I have had the privilege of knowing 
and working with Elaine for many years. She has been an outstanding 
mayor and her leadership and steady hand will be missed.
  Public service is one of our nation's highest callings and I extend 
my deepest gratitude for her service to our community. I wish her all 
the best in her future endeavors.
  I also submit the following article from Leesburg Today on Mayor 
Walker's final council meeting.

                  Loudoun Mayors Pay Tribute To Walker

                  [From Leesburg Today, June 22, 2012]

       It was all hugs and tributes in Lovettsville Thursday night 
     as Mayor Elaine Walker received flowers and praise from a 
     bevy of well wishers, including four of her fellow mayors, in 
     what was her final council meeting.
       Walker, who did not seek reelection in May, steps down June 
     30 after 10 years on the Lovettsville Town Council and almost 
     22 as the town's mayor--a governance record that is unlikely 
     to be matched any time soon.
       The mayors of four other Loudoun towns attended the meeting 
     as well. ``It was a complete surprise, I had no idea,'' 
     Walker said of the appearance of Purcellville Mayor Bob 
     Lazaro, Leesburg Mayor Kristen Umstattd, Middleburg Mayor 
     Betsy Davis and Hamilton Mayor Greg Wilmoth. Hillsboro Mayor 
     Roger Vance and Round Hill Mayor Scott Ramsey were unable to 
     be present.
       Davis said Walker's first reaction was to say to the group 
     ``What are you doing here?''
       Lazaro led the delegation, presenting Walker with a plaque 
     honoring her service. ``We knew this was your last meeting 
     and we wanted to say thank you for those 30 years,'' and for 
     being a good friend and colleague to local government.
       Davis told Walker ``how much I will miss you as a friend, 
     seeing you at all our [Coalition of Loudoun Towns] meetings. 
     Thank you for all you've done for the county.''
       ``But, we'll still have lunch,'' Umstattd said to her 
     longtime colleague, also expressing her appreciation of 
     Walker's service. Umstattd, who has been Leesburg's mayor for 
     10 years following service on the Town Council, will take 
     over as the most tenured Loudoun mayor.
       Wilmoth, the newest mayor in the group, said he appreciated 
     all the help Walker has given him. ``You have set the bar 
     high for the rest of us,'' he said.
       Walker's husband Cliff Walker, who served on the council in 
     the 1970s, was present as was Lazaro's wife Carolyn--who both 
     would get together during Virginia Municipal League 
     conferences. ``They're VML soulmates,'' Lazaro teased.
       Walker said she did not plan to go away into the sunset. 
     ``I hope to still do some conferences, including the VML 
     meetings. I love the camaraderie,'' she said.
       Vice Mayor Bob Zoldos, who will become Lovettsville's mayor 
     July 1, invited everyone to share some sweet-toothed goodies 
     in recognition of the occasion.
       The tributes went on with more flowers being presented--by 
     the Lovettsville Fire-Rescue Squad in appreciation for 
     Walker's long support, while Bob Zoldos' fifth grade son 
     Bobby also presented a bouquet of flowers and read aloud a 
     poem he had written in Walker's honor.
       The last tribute came from Lovettsville's Community Police 
     Officer, Sheriff's Office Deputy Bryan Wacker, who is being 
     transferred to a new assignment. He thanked Walker for her 
     assistance and said she had been ``a great ally.'' He said 
     his time with the mayor had been ``one of the best working 
     relationships'' he'd ever had.

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