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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1550]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE HONORING MAYOR SAMUEL EUGENE MURRAY
______
HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN
of south carolina
in the house of representatives
Friday, December 6, 2019
Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an
outstanding South Carolinian, leader, public servant, and personal
friend. Samuel Eugene Murray has ably served as Mayor of Port Royal,
South Carolina for the past 24 years, and will be leaving office at the
end of 2019.
Mr. Murray is a native of Dorchester County and received his
Bachelor's and Master's degrees from South Carolina State University.
He continued his graduate studies at The Citadel, University of South
Carolina, Appalachian State and Harvard University.
Mr. Murray is an educator at heart and served 16 years as a teacher
in the Beaufort Country School System. He rose to become an elementary
school principal for another 20 years. During his tenure as principal,
Mr. Murray was the recipient of a $50,000 Science Foundation Grant and
was the only Principal from South Carolina chosen to attend that
Summer's Principal Institute at Harvard University.
He has always had a passion for public service. Mr. Murray served on
the Port Royal Town Council for 17 years before becoming mayor. During
his tenure as mayor, he worked to improve his city's infrastructure
with a new town hall, police station, and fire station. He also oversaw
the city's growth with the construction of new health care centers,
several commercial buildings, numerous businesses, apartment complexes,
single family homes, and fast food facilities. During his time in
office, Port Royal's population increased from 1,500 to approximately
13,600.
In addition, Mr. Murray has been a servant leader in his community by
mentoring a young man with special needs for thirty years, serving as
coach for the Neighborhood Youth Core Baseball Team, and volunteering
as a homebuilder for Habitat for Humanity. He is involved in many
organizations and has served in leadership roles in several of them.
He is currently a board member of the Low Country Blood Alliance and
a member of the South Carolina Black Mayors Association. He has served
on the Beaufort County Board of Special Needs, the Board of the
Municipal Association and the Reconstruction Era Committee that laid
the foundation for what is now the Reconstruction Era National Park.
Because of his tremendous service, Mr. Murray has received numerous
awards and special recognitions. He was awarded the Lifetime
Achievement CIVITAS Award for Business excellence presented by the
Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, Congressman Joe Wilson Second
Congressional District Minority Advisory Committee Award, and the
Special President's Award by the Montford Point Marine Association.
Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in offering
congratulations and sincere gratitude to Mayor Samuel Eugene Murray for
his unwavering service to his community. His extraordinary work has
made a great impact in the lives of the citizens of Port Royal and I
honor him for his selfless deeds throughout his career.
____________________
