Bill Text: VA HJR276 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending Phillip Duncan.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-03-06 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ276ER) [HJR276 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HJR276-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, Phillip Duncan, a longtime journalist and community activist who worked diligently to nurture a more informed and engaged electorate in the Commonwealth and the United States, provided outstanding local leadership as a member of the Falls Church City Council for three terms; and
WHEREAS, Phillip "Phil" Duncan began his journalistic career as a student at the Webb School of Knoxville, where he was the editor of the school newspaper and the sports editor of the yearbook; and
WHEREAS, Phil Duncan further honed his abilities as an editor for the weekly campus newspaper at Davidson College and spent summers covering local politics and human interest stories for the Halls-Fountain City Shopper and a chain of community newspapers; he completed internships at the Charlotte Observer and the Knoxville News Sentinel; and
WHEREAS, in 1979, Phil Duncan relocated to the Washington, D.C., area and began working for Congressional Quarterly (CQ), a nonpartisan publishing company focused on national politics and legislative action; and
WHEREAS, Phil Duncan served as a politics reporter and politics editor of CQ's weekly magazine and spent 10 years editing CQ's Politics in America, a print and online resource that analyzes the work of each member of the United States Congress; and
WHEREAS, after retiring from CQ, Phil Duncan founded Civicatalyst Communications to promote civic education, and he pursued other initiatives to improve understanding of the legislative process and help members of the public advocate for themselves in government; he is the founder of the Duncan Educational Fund and a longtime board member of the National Conference on Citizenship, a nonprofit organization that strives to develop a more active and engaged citizenry; and
WHEREAS, Phil Duncan also became deeply involved in civic life in Falls Church, serving as chair of the Economic Development Authority, the Falls Church City Public Schools Business in Education Partnership, and the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Transportation, as well as a board member of the Falls Church Education Foundation, Falls Church Chamber of Commerce, and Falls Church Kiwanis Little League, among many others; and
WHEREAS, desirous to be of further service, Phil Duncan ran for and was elected to the Falls Church City Council in 2012 and won competitive reelection campaigns in 2015 and 2019; he fostered constructive dialogue and provided his leadership and expertise to the Economic Development Committee, Government Operations Committee, and Legislative Committee; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure in local government, Phil Duncan supported existing business while welcoming new investments, overseeing unprecedented growth and development, including new stores, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment and recreational facilities; and
WHEREAS, Phil Duncan advocated for the modernization of civic infrastructure, including the construction of a new high school, the renovation and expansion of three elementary schools, improvements to stormwater management, new sidewalks and bicycle amenities, and enhancements to government buildings, libraries, and parks; and
WHEREAS, after the completion of his third term on the Falls Church City Council, Phil Duncan was appointed to the Falls Church Planning Commission, where he continues to use his vast expertise to enhance the quality of life in the city; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Phillip Duncan for more than a decade of service as a member of the Falls Church City Council; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Phillip Duncan as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his personal and professional achievements.
