The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE MEMORY OF COUNCIL MEMBER EMERITUS LEONARD PAULITZ
______
HON. NORMA J. TORRES
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Mrs. TORRES of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent from the City of Montclair, Council Member Emeritus Leonard Paul Paulitz. It is with more than a heavy heart that I share that Leonard Paul Paulitz passed away on August 24, 2021.
Leonard committed his life to serving his community. Leonard served his country in the U.S. Army after getting drafted for World War II during his senior year of high school. Shortly after earning his degree in accounting at Gannon College in Erie, Pennsylvania on the GI Bill, Leonard met Constance Marie Howard and married her in August, 1954 in Ohio. Leonard, his wife, and his children shortly after moved to Montclair, California in 1960 and into the home where he lived the rest of his life.
Leonard took an active role in local policymaking soon after moving to Montclair. He served on the Planning Commission starting in 1965, and then was elected in 1978 to sit on the City Council. Leonard served humbly for nearly thirty-seven years on the Montclair Council Chamber and is the longest-serving council person in San Bernardino County, from March 1978 to December 2014. During this time, he also served as Mayor Pro Tem for eight years.
Leonard's leadership and vision resulted in countless projects that bettered Montclair and the region, including the expansion of Montclair Plaza before it became Montclair Place, Holt Boulevard, the Montclair Police facility, the Montclair Youth Center, and the Montclair Senior Center. He also served for 12 years on the South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board, as Montclair's Representative to Omnitrans, the San Bernardino Association of Governments, and the League of California Cities, among many others.
Leonard's passion for local government and the betterment of his Montclair community is just one reason we will miss Leonard. Along with being dedicated to his public servant role, his love for gardening and tending to his citrus trees led Leonard to start the Montclair Community Garden and Orchard.
Montclair would not be the beautiful community it is now if it wasn't for the 49 years of wise leadership Leonard provided. His service and contributions to Montclair will serve as a model for many generations and will be a good example for future leaders.
Today, Madam Speaker, for his decades of commitment to our community and country in so many ways, we honor Leonard Paul Paulitz and thank him for the legacy he left in the City of Montclair and the greater Inland Empire community. May he rest in Peace.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 171
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