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Recognizing and congratulating Richard Schuettler upon the occasion of his retirement from the Pennsylvania Municipal League after 20 years, and even longer dedication to efficient, effective, decent governance across the Commonwealth.
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WHEREAS, A lifelong Pennsylvanian, Richard “Rick” Schuettler obtained a B.S. Degree in Business Administration from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA and has received numerous certificates in local government and public administration from the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs, National League of Cities, International City/County Management Association and the Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Management; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Schuettler began his distinguished career in 1992 as the first City Administrator in the history of the City of Pottsville, where he was responsible for direction of five City departments with over sixty full- and fifty part-time employees, negotiation of all City contracts, compliance with all City ordinances, development of a central purchasing system and grant administration, and preparation of annual budgets, collective bargaining negotiations, and pension plan administration; and
WHEREAS, Before returning for another three-year stint in that position, Mr. Schuettler served for two years as Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Pottsville, responsible for the overall planning, directing, and coordinating of all phases of the Housing Authority’s operations and programs including management, development, construction, modernization, maintenance and financing; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Schuettler started at the Pennsylvania Municipal League (“The League”) which he would come to lead for the next two decades in June of 2001 as Deputy Director, in which position he successfully advocated for adoption of the Local Services Tax which is Act 7 of 2007 amending the Local Tax Enabling Act, Act 511 of 1965, to make major changes to the Emergency and Municipal Service Tax (EMST); and
WHEREAS, In 2013, Mr. Schuettler transitioned to Executive Director of The League, the making him responsible for a staff that has grown to 23 people under his aegis and the operations of all League programs and services, including trust & benefit services, municipal programs, finance & administration, governmental affairs, and communications, as well as eventually serving as a member trustee of the League’s PennPRIME Municipal Insurance and Workers’ Compensation Trusts, as well as other League committees; and
WHEREAS, As Executive Director, Mr. Schuettler won adoption in the Commonwealth of the Small Cell Wireless Facilities Deployment as Act 50 of 2021, considered the gold standard for most municipal-friendly small cellphone legislation in the country, a win for local governments in the Commonwealth, and worked with the National League of Cities in support of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill; and
WHEREAS, Also in his capacity as League Executive Director, Mr. Schuettler serves as Secretary/Treasurer/Managing Director of the Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Management (APMM) and as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners (PSATC), as well as serving on the Board of the National League of Cities Mutual Insurance Company; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of his career, Mr. Schuettler has also served as President of the Economic Opportunity Cabinet and the Pottsville Area Development Corporation and as a board member of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation; and
WHEREAS, Rick plans to retire to his home in Orwigsburg, PA and spend more time with his children, Brendan and Rachael, and his two grandsons; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Schuettler has served well not just the League or the City of Pottsville - or Philadelphia for that matter - but residents and municipalities all across Pennsylvania through his passionate personal advocacy and the organizational prowess he has brought to bear on behalf of state support for robust local decision-making and community self-determination, the hallmark of his many professional achievements; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Philadelphia, Does hereby recognize and congratulate Richard Schuettler upon the occasion of his retirement from the Pennsylvania Municipal League after 20 years, and even longer dedication to efficient, effective, decent governance across the Commonwealth.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Rick Schuettler as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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