2025 SESSION

ENROLLED

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 735

Commending Charles H. Harbaugh IV.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 18, 2025

WHEREAS, Charles H. Harbaugh IV, a distinguished public servant and nonprofit executive, is the longest-serving mayor in the history of Middletown; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh is a lifelong resident of Middletown who began his career in public service when he became director of the town's Independence Day celebration in his early twenties; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh was still a student at Shenandoah University when he was elected to the Middletown Town Council at the age of 22, and he was appointed vice mayor and then interim mayor shortly thereafter; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh became the youngest mayor in the history of the Commonwealth when he was elected the mayor of Middletown at the age of 24 in November 2012; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh was motivated to seek public office by a desire to foster community through local activities and events, and he has remained steadfastly committed to this objective throughout his tenure; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh has dedicated himself to supporting the growth and prosperity of Middletown while also preserving its unique and cherished rural character; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree from Shenandoah University, and he currently serves as an adjunct professor of business marketing and management at Laurel Ridge Community College; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh formerly worked for the nonprofit organization NW Works, assisting individuals with disabilities in their efforts to secure meaningful employment, and he now serves as executive director of Access Independence, Inc., in Winchester, helping hundreds of people with disabilities to live independently and thrive; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh's devotion to his community is evident in various facets of his life, including his work as a co-author of a book about Middletown's history, as a host of a daily local sports radio show, and as a member of the board of directors of the organizations Our Health and the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Charles Harbaugh was recently elected to his fourth consecutive term as mayor of Middletown to the great benefit of the town and its community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Charles H. Harbaugh IV hereby be commended for his service and his unwavering commitment to the welfare of others in both his public and professional endeavors; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Charles H. Harbaugh IV as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his contributions to Middletown and the Commonwealth.