COUNCILMEMBER KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON RELEASES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT CLARKE’S DECISION TO NOT SEEK REELECTION

In Council News, Katherine Gilmore Richardson, News by admin

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PHILADELPHIA – Today, Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson (At-Large) released the following statement in response to Philadelphia City Council President Darrell L. Clarke’s decision to not seek reelection:

“First and foremost, I want to say thank you. Council President Darrell L. Clarke has been a steadfast, dedicated, and thoughtful leader for 11 years, and City Council as an institution is better because of him. Maya Angelou once said, ‘a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people.’ That’s exactly what Darrell L. Clarke has been. Not only in his position of leadership, but also in his service of the residents of the Fifth Council District.

“I remember when Council President Clarke won the 1999 special election. It was the same year that my mentor, Blondell Reynolds Brown, was first elected, and in many ways, the Council President has also served as a mentor to me. We both started as Council staffers, and I have had the privilege of working alongside him my entire City Council career.

“I like to say Council President Clarke has a Ph.D. in Philadelphia City Council. He has taken the time over his many years of service to learn and then shape this body into the institution it is today, and I learn from him every single day. He treats each and every member with the utmost respect and gives us the space needed to learn while still sharing his guidance and wisdom as we grow.

“He has also led us through some tough times: both in 2012 after massive state budget cuts and even more recently after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am extremely grateful for his courage, his integrity, and most importantly his friendship. I look forward to the work we will do for the rest of this term together.”

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