HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-081
RESOLUTION NO. 08-081
A RESOLUTION HONORING MRS. GERTRUDE WALKER
WHO HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS "HISTORY MAKER" IN ST.
LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA, FOR EXEMPLIFYING
OUTSTANDING CITIZENSHIP THROUGH HER MAJOR
CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY IN THE FIELD OF
GOVERNMENT
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida, has made
the following determinations:
1. Gertrude Walker has been a resident of St. Lucie County for forty-six (46)
years. In 1962, Gertrude's family moved from Hollywood, Florida to Fort Pierce, Florida
where her grandparents lived.
2. In 1968, Mrs. Walker was hired by Glenn S. Huff, Sr. in the County Election's
Office where she served twelve (12) years advancing to Chief Deputy Clerk Supervisor. Due
to the unexpected death of James P. Brooks, just before the November 1980 General
Election, Governor Bob Graham appointed Mrs. Walker the Supervisor of Elections to fill Mr.
Brook's unexpired term which was to end in January 1981. Because Mr. Brooks did not have
any opposition for the General Election, the Democratic Executive Committee named Mrs.
Walker as their nominee to replace Mr. Brooks. She was unopposed for her first four (4)
year term.
3. Mrs. Walker used the first four (4) years in office to establish a reputation
for fair, efficient, and courteous service to the public. She was reelected in 1984, 1988, and
1992, facing strong opposition each time. In 1996, 2000, and 2004, she was unopposed and
is now serving her 7th term.
4. Mrs. Walker's election made her the first African/American supervisor in the
state, and for 20 years she was the only African/American in such an office. It also gave her
high visibility, which propelled her onto the national and international scene.
5. Over the past twenty-eight (28) years, Mrs. Walker's leadership has improved
the voting process in St. Lucie County from lever voting machines to the latest electronic
technology. St. Lucie County is always the first in the state to report final election results.
6. In the aftermath of the 2000 Elections, Mrs. Walker was appointed by
Governor Jeb Bush to the Governor's Select Task Force on Election Procedures, Standards
and Technology. She was also appointed to the Federal Elections Commission Advisory Panel
in 2001. Gertrude is a Certified Public Administrator from the University of Missouri at St.
Louis.
7. Mrs. Walker has also been a member of the Florida State Association of
Supervisor of Elections (FSASE) for twenty-eight (28) years and has served the organization
in many capacities, which includes serving on the Board of Directors for six (6) terms. She
has served on the Board of Directors of a number of organizations locally and throughout
the state.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of St.
Lucie County:
1. This Board does hereby honor Mrs. Gertrude Walker who has been chosen as
"HISTORY MAKER" in St. Lucie County, Florida, for exemplifying outstanding citizenship
through her major contributions to our community in the field of government.
2. This Board encourages the citizens of St. Lucie County to participate in
honoring Mrs. Gertrude Walker at a dinner celebration to be held in conjunction with the
National Celebration of Black History Month at the Pelican Yacht Club in Fort Pierce, Florida,
on Tuesday evening, February 26, 2008, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this 26th day of February, 2007.
ATTEST:
B,QARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
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