January 9, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 5 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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TRIBUTE TO CARTER HENDRICKS; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 5
(Senate - January 09, 2020)
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[Pages S119-S121] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] TRIBUTE TO CARTER HENDRICKS Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, as my good friend Carter Hendricks prepares to end his service as the mayor of Hopkinsville, he certainly has a lot to show for his years of leadership in Southwestern Kentucky. He has helped the region take full advantage of its great potential, and I know I join his friends and constituents in expressing our gratitude. Today, I would like to honor this remarkable Kentuckian and wish him well as he embarks on his next chapter. When he was first elected in 2014, Carter made headlines for becoming the second youngest mayor in Hopkinsville's two centuries of history. The local newspaper, the highly regarded Kentucky New Era, also reported that Carter was only the city's second Republican mayor. He quickly mobilized the city's administration with a bold strategy to make Hopkinsville an attractive destination for economic development. His flagship initiative, called ``Hoptown WINS,'' was a nearly $15 million capital campaign involving downtown improvements, as well as new parks, a sports complex, and a visitors center. These state-of-the- art amenities are meant to help draw investment and good jobs into Hopkinsville and the surrounding areas. Now halfway through his second term, Carter and his constituents are beginning to see the positive results of his leadership. His vision of Hopkinsville's bright future is helping to create the conditions for growth and prosperity. Carter had been encouraging economic growth in the region long before he first stepped foot into the mayor's office. For nearly a decade, Carter worked in senior positions at the Christian County Chamber of Commerce, including 4 years as its president and CEO. With local leaders and the business community, he helped develop creative solutions to the county's challenges. I have had the great privilege to work with Carter in both of these capacities. When I heard the area's lack of access to a Federal interstate was obstructing business investment, Carter and I teamed up to find a solution. In 2017, Senator Rand Paul and I secured the designation of a nearby section of the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway as Interstate 169. When President Trump signed our provision into law, he helped connect Christian County to the Federal interstate system and bolstered Carter's efforts to encourage growth in the area. We also partnered to support the brave men and women stationed at Fort Campbell in Christian County. The installation is part of Kentucky's critical role in our national defense structure, and the local community takes seriously its responsibility to support Fort Campbell's mission and the servicemembers stationed there. During his time with the chamber, Carter led the business community's efforts to be strong and supportive neighbors. Together, we wanted to welcome [[Page S120]] all members of the military and their families to Kentucky, make them feel at home, and help them prosper in this community. Carter said he didn't take the decision to leave the mayor's office lightly. When the chance to lead the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council became available, however, he leapt at the opportunity. Formed in 2012, the organization represents Christian, Todd, and Trigg Counties and engages with job creators looking for their new home. Carter admits the job will present new challenges, but I am confident he will bring the same knowledge, determination, and high energy that has led to so much success. Although the city will certainly miss Carter's daily leadership, he said, ``I'm not leaving the team--if anything I'm just in a slightly different position.'' At the economic development council, Carter will continue supporting the city's efforts and continue working toward the same goal. He is certainly lucky to have a proud cheering section in his wife Faye and their two children. I would like to thank Carter for his constant dedication to creating opportunities for families in West Kentucky and to congratulate him on his great achievements. I hope my Senate colleagues will join me in commending this talented Kentuckian for his leadership and service and in extending our best wishes as he steps into a new role. Mr. President, the Kentucky New Era in Hopkinsville recently published a profile of Carter's distinguished service. I ask unanimous consent that the article be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: [From the Kentucky New Era, Jan. 7, 2020] Hendricks Shares Why He Pursued Position With EDC (By Zirconia Alleyne) Hopkinsville Mayor Carter Hendricks announced Monday afternoon that he will resign in order to accept the executive director position with the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council. His official resignation letter and date were not released as of press time Monday. Hendricks, who is in his second term as mayor, called a meeting with city staff at the same time the SWKEDC met across town Monday to determine he was the best candidate for the role left vacant in November when Mark Lindsey resigned. The Kentucky New Era broke the news shortly after the EDC came out of closed session. Hendricks had just wrapped his meeting with staff telling them he was a candidate and would accept the position if offered. He said he didn't know going into the meeting knowing that he was selected, although there had been chatter on social media throughout the weekend. ``I went out on a limb by having that meeting, knowing that I could have had egg on my face if it didn't go the way I was praying for it to go,'' he said. ``But, that's the risk you take sometimes.'' Why he applied? Hendricks, who served as the executive director of the Christian County Chamber of Commerce from 2010 to 2013, said he has always been interested in economic development and thought about pursuing the position with the regional EDC in 2017 when Lindsey was ultimately named the director. ``There's been a couple other times I was interested in that position, but the timing never felt right,'' Hendricks said. ``The reason I was willing to step forward now and show interest is because I have a passion for it, I believe I have a skillset for it and I know I have experience in it. It was inevitable that I would be looking for something different in the next two to two and a half years, and I cannot afford to wait until the next opportunity arises.'' Hendricks said he expected Lindsey to be in the position for five to seven years like national trends show, and he hoped to apply once his second term in office was done. However, when the opportunity arose again in November, Hendricks said he expressed interest. He went on to say he had no contact with the EDC board members after his interview in December, except the board chair to ask about the hiring process. The South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council was formed in 2012 through a merger of the Todd County Industrial Foundation with the Christian County Economic Development Council, according to New Era archives. In May 2014, the Cadiz-Trigg County Economic Development Commission joined forces with the two. The executive director works to recruit businesses and industry to the tri-county region. Hendricks said the new job will be a challenge, but he's up for it. ``A lot of my dad's family is from Trigg County . . . and I've got great working relationships with the mayors and judge executives, and I've worked hard to maintain those relationships,'' Hendricks said. ``I'm still going to have to learn more about Todd County and Trigg County, but I'm eager to do that.'' Steps to appointing a new mayor According to KRS 83A.040, Hendricks must submit a formal resignation letter with his final date before the process to appoint an interim mayor can begin. The statute explains that his resignation shall be effective at the next regular or special meeting of city council after the date specified in his letter of resignation. City council will then have 30 days to fill the vacancy with an interim mayor. The statute goes on to explain that the interim mayor can serve until the next succeeding annual election, at which time the vacancy will be filled by election for the remainder of the term. The next general election is in November. The mayor's assistant, Idalia Luna, is leaving at the end of January for her new role with the city as executive director of the Human Rights Commission. The mayor said he didn't look for her replacement because the next mayor should choose the person for that role. ``I intentionally didn't fill that role until I knew how this would turn out,'' Hendricks said. Of the empty mayor's office that will be left, Hendricks said the staff is equipped to keep the city afloat. ``People like to believe that the mayor is the one running the city, but if you're doing your job correctly, the credit is to these city employees,'' he said. ``I care a lot about this team,'' he continued. ``I spent five years with them and had a heart attack with them--and I don't say that lightly. This team rallied around me and they showed up--they showed up in the hospital, they sent cards and notes. They'll be my family no matter what role I'm in as long as I'm in this community. They're good people.'' Hendricks' time in office Hendricks was elected for his first term as mayor of Hopkinsville in November 2014. According to New Era archives, Hendricks became only the second Republican mayor in the city's history. Herb Hays was the first when he was elected in 1985 and died in office in 1987. Hendricks said he wouldn't trade his time as mayor for anything, but he acknowledged that it was a tough job. When asked about the stress of being mayor, Hendricks said he believes a variety of things contributed to his heart attack on Christmas Eve 2016. ``When I first had the health scare, I was running on the greenway, so it's not that I wasn't a healthy person,'' he said. ``. . . More than anything it was genetic. My dad passed away at 64 from heart disease and had his first heart attack at 46. ``Sure, I have to believe that some of the pressure and stress of this job contributed to (my heart attack),'' he recalled. ``At the time, we were really working on the WINS initiative to get it approved, and I'm a pretty Type A personality when I believe in something . . . those types of characteristics combined with genetics and too many Dr. Peppers contributed to a heart attack when I was 43.'' Hendricks' Hoptown WINS initiative, an acronym for Wellness, Infrastructure and Neighborhood, was a major part of his first term. The $14.8 million in capital projects came to fruition through a tax increase voted on by city council. The result? The construction of the Planters Bank-Jennie Stuart Health Sportsplex, a series of downtown improvements, extensions to the Hopkinsville Rail Trail greenway system, two neighborhood parks, the completion of the visitor's center on East Ninth Street and more sidewalks around town. ``Everything we did in the Hoptown WINS initiative had economic development in mind,'' he said. ``If you look at what economic developers and site planners will tell you, there's about five things that are the most important criteria for communities to be successful. One of those is quality of place--walkability, performing arts facilities like the Alhambra theatre, youth activities . . . those types of things matter. ``You have to be a desirable community for industries to want to invest in you,'' he continued. ``Those are the types of projects that industries and workers are looking for, so nearly everything we've done has been to try to position our self to take better advantage of economic development opportunities.'' Hendricks said he had the support of his wife, Faye, and their two children, Chase and Lily, when he pursued the position. He also said he prayed. ``I know that sounds cliche, but as a result of prayer and speaking with the family, I decided to pursue this opportunity knowing that it wasn't an ideal time,'' he said. ``There isn't an ideal timeline when you're serving in an elected position and thinking about what you're going to do next.'' Hendricks said he has no plans to leave his hometown anytime soon and he doesn't plan to run for any other elected positions. For now, Hendricks said he hopes to make positive change in the community through his new role at the EDC. ``What I hope people will see after it's all said and done is . . . I'm not leaving the team--if anything I'm just in a slightly different position of the team,'' he said. ``If you think I've been the quarterback, I'm now the wide receiver, and my job as this wide receiver is to go deep and score touchdowns and recruit business and industries that will help this community grow and provide more opportunities for families.'' [[Page S121]] ____________________
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