Proclamation Honoring John L. Gray, City Manager City of Lexington, NC WHEREAS, John L. Gray was hired May 1, 1987 as Director of Planning, was promoted to Assistant City Manager on March 9, 1992, and was appointed City Manager of the City of Lexington, North Carolina on June 1, 2002; and WHEREAS, John possessed the vision to build the tax base of the City from $425 million in 1987 to $1.47 billion in 2012, and strongly advocated for the retention of the County governmental offices within the corporate limits, thus reaffirming Lexington s presence as the county seat; and
WHEREAS, under his leadership, the Lexington Challenge Strategic Plans of 1990 and 2000 have been implemented with a third strategic plan virtually complete, deriving the most successful citizen-led long range planning efforts in the history of the City of Lexington; and WHEREAS, he was instrumental in the City s acceptance in the NC Main Street Program and establishing Uptown Lexington Incorporated in 1993, which exists to creatively promote and strengthen the historic central business district as the primary economic, cultural and social center of the community, producing 117 façade improvements and revitalization investments valued at over $31 million to date; and
WHEREAS, John s executive foresight brought about the NC General Assembly legislation which enacted a local occupancy tax in 1993 and later increased in 2002, inciting the creation of the Lexington Tourism Authority and the Visitor Center which successfully pursue the tourism industry as a key economic driver; and WHEREAS, he acted as a driving force in the economic development initiative that established the Lexington Business Center industrial park in 1995 which diversified and increased the tax base and employment opportunities for citizens, and most recently expanded in 2011 with the recruitment effort that landed the $24 million Save-A-Lot regional distribution center; and
WHEREAS, due to his determination to propel transparency and to empower citizens through participation, the City s boards and commissions doubled with active involvement of more than 100 volunteers currently serving on over a dozen boards, commissions and committees; and WHEREAS, John navigated the City of Lexington to survive the perfect storm brought on by the closing of 12 major manufacturing plants, the loss of thousands of jobs, adverse weather conditions jeopardizing the financial position of the enterprise funds, and the Great Recession. Despite this unprecedented fiscal challenge resulting in over $9 million annual loss in revenues, his consummate fortitude ensured overall financial strength and stability in the City s tax rate, and sustained competitive utilities while preventing rate shock, despite the loss of 76% of electric industrial load and extraordinary wholesale rate pressures; all of which were achieved by his resolve to rebuild the economy, to find prudent workforce and cost reductions, and to reengineer and consolidate government operations and services; and
WHEREAS, he served as the catalyst to enhance services through the strategic use of debt, drug forfeiture funds and the successful awards of over $12 million in grant revenues, which funded a state-of-the-art law enforcement training center, $4 million in community housing needs, a consolidated utility complex, a fire station, revitalization of the historic freight depot to house the Farmer s Market, 3 additional parks, and an award winning renovation of the 74 year old Lexington Golf Course including a cutting edge green initiative of effluent reuse at the municipal course; and WHEREAS, John s strength to accept calculated risks and seek Federal funding allowed the City to control its destiny through the acquisition of the Lexington Furniture Industries, Inc. Plant 1 property, which presents an economic redevelopment opportunity and ultimately the portal for the restoration of passenger rail service; and
WHEREAS, his commitment to technological efficiencies and advancement spearheaded implementations of a geographic information system, automated meter reading, wireless access by police officers and personnel in the field, and the most recent successful endeavors of a redesigned website and the installation of outdoor public Wi-Fi; and WHEREAS, as a product of his exceptional management decisions and mentoring, the City has evolved into a high caliber workforce dedicated to achieving innovative City government results - the organization is filled with professionals that are inspired by his superior modeling of the City government creed of Public Service is Our Business and his professional conviction of Leave the Organization Better than You Found It ; and
WHEREAS, effective February 1, 2013, after 37 years of public service in local government and nearly 26 years of distinguished service to the City of Lexington, North Carolina, John L. Gray will retire from the City of Lexington; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that we do hereby wish to honor and thank John L. Gray for his brilliant leadership, loyalty and utmost dedication to the City of Lexington. We also pledge that the seeds planted by City Manager John L. Gray, his remarkable work ethic, his calculated risks and rewards, and the tradition of embodying public service he has inspired will persevere as the blueprint for the vision of the City of Lexington into the future. GIVEN this the 28 th day of January, 2013.