Hundreds of State and Local Leaders Honor NC Rep Julia Howard

The N.C. League of Municipalities (NCLM ) last week awarded Representative Julia Howard its Community Champion Award for her work on behalf of cities and towns. Representative Howard was on hand at the league’s annual conference in Hickory to accept the award.

front l-r Amy Vaughan-Jones, Julia Howard, Cherie Berry, Christine Bralley, back row l-r Lee Rollins, Terry Bralley, Lash Sanford, Will Marklin, Richard Broadway

In addition to the hundreds of League officials in attendance at the conference, also present to see Rep. Howard accept her award were her former House colleague and current Commissioner of Labor Cherie Berry, current N.C. Representative Andy Wells, former N.C. Representative and current Senior Advisor to the Office of the Secretary of the N.C. Department of Health & Human Services Pearl Burris-Floyd, and current and former members of the Town of Mocksville Town Council, including Rep. Howard’s daughter, Amy Vaughan-Jones. Other local attendees included, Mocksville Mayor Pro-Tem, Will Marklin, Commissioners Richard Broadway and Lash Sanford, Mocksville Town Manager Christine Bralley, Davie County Economic Development President Terry Bralley and previous Town Commissioner Lee Rollins, Bermuda Run Town Manager.

Representative Julia Howard ~ Effective and Tireless Advocate
Rep. Howard is a former member of the Mocksville Town Council who is now her in her 13th term in the N.C. House of Representatives. As the Senior Chairman of the House Finance Committee this year, Rep. Howard saw a number of issues of importance to cities and towns come through her committee. On tax reform, Rep. Howard was instrumental in ensuring that the House did not accept a Senate proposal that would have eventually cost municipalities nearly $165 million in revenue annually. Instead, the final tax reform package actually provides increased revenues for cities and towns.

Ronnie Wall, Mayor of the City of Burlington and the League’s 1st Vice President, presented Rep. Howard with her award. In doing so, Wall said, “Rep. Howard has been a tireless advocate on behalf of cities and towns, especially on three vital issues this year: the tax reform issues, our transitional hold harmless issues, and the municipal impact of the unemployment insurance and benefits changes. She is always very open to discussing the issues at hand. As the only organization representing all of North Carolina’s cities and towns, the League membership wishes to thank Rep. Howard for her work on behalf of municipalities.”

In accepting her award, Rep. Howard told the hundreds of municipal officials in attendance that her service at the local level continues to inform her work as a State Representative.  “This really touches my heart,” Rep. Howard said, “because I never forget where I came from and I never forget who sent me here.”

The League’s Community Champion Award is presented to legislators who go out of their way to work with municipal officials and the League to ensure that municipal interests are represented and respected in the legislative process. This year, the League’s Executive Committee voted unanimously to present the award to Rep. Howard.

About the North Carolina League of Municipalities
For more than 100 years, the North Carolina League of Municipalities has promoted – and continues to promote – good government by offering non-partisan advocacy, insurance and other services — as directed by its membership.