Proclamation
WHEREAS, Gail G. Smith was appointed as Deputy City Clerk on June 7, 1971 and appointed as City Clerk and Treasurer on January 7, 1974, serving the City through 26 City Councils, 12 Mayors, and more than 1,660 City Council meetings; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Smith has been a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, as well as President, and a committee member of the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks, working to ensure standards and training for all members; and,
WHEREAS, the population of the City of Raleigh has grown from 125,572 in 1971 to 510,175 today, it is rumored that Ms. Smith still knows most residents as evidenced by the fact that she runs into a “friend” every time she ventures outdoors; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Smith owes Ms. Brenda Hunt, Deputy City Clerk for much of Ms. Smith’s career – and the person who taught her everything she knows about the City of Raleigh – for being instrumental in her career success, thus enabling the Clerk to remain gainfully employed all these years; and,
WHEREAS, it is not uncommon for the City Attorney’s office to remind Ms. Smith that she can’t practice law without a license, even though they often are the ones calling her for advice; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Smith rarely takes a break and is never fully off-duty, responding to e-mails even while vacationing in Mexico; and has been known to spend the night in her office since inclement weather is no excuse to miss work; and,
WHEREAS, given the immeasurable amount of institutional knowledge held by Ms. Smith and the countless projects she has been involved in throughout the last 50 years, the City dreads the day Ms. Smith decides to “actually” retire; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Smith’s 50 years of service is worthy of recognition, appreciation, and celebration.
NOW, THEREFORE, do I, Mary-Ann Baldwin, Mayor of the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, do hereby proclaim July 6, 2021 in the City of Raleigh as,
A DAY OF APPRECIATION FOR
CITY CLERK GAIL SMITH
IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, to be affixed this 6th day of July 2021.
Mary-Ann Baldwin
Mayor