WHEREAS, David A. Kaechele, a longtime member of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors who helped guide the county through periods of significant growth during his 35-year tenure, retired from public office in 2015; and WHEREAS, a native of Michigan, David "Dave" A. Kaechele holds a civil engineering degree from Michigan State University and honorably served his country as a member of the United States Army during the Korean War; he settled in Henrico County in the 1960s and enjoyed a 30-year career with the Reynolds Metals Company; and WHEREAS, Dave Kaechele served as chair of the Henrico County Republican Committee and president of the Ridge Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association, then ran for election to the Henrico County Board of Supervisors; he took office as the representative for the Three Chopt District in 1980; and WHEREAS, during the course of his 35-year career on the Henrico County Board of Supervisors, Dave Kaechele was elected chair nine times and vice-chair eight times, and he ably represented the county before other local, regional, and state boards and commissions, including the Virginia Association of Counties and the National Association of Counties; and WHEREAS, Dave Kaechele was the only member of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors to have won election to nine consecutive terms, and in 2004, he became the longest-serving member of the board on record; and WHEREAS, between 1980 and 2015, the population of Henrico County has nearly doubled, and Dave Kaechele and the Henrico County Board of Supervisors oversaw responsible growth and development to ensure a high quality of life for all county residents; and WHEREAS, Dave Kaechele oversaw groundbreaking commercial and residential development in Henrico County, including the creation of Wyndham, Innsbrook, West Broad Village, and Short Pump; the county is now home to nationally recognized schools, thriving businesses, state-of-the-art libraries, beautiful parks, and top-rated restaurants, in addition to being a wonderful place to live and raise a family; and WHEREAS, Dave Kaechele's background as an engineer helped him advise his fellow members of county government on the infrastructure necessary to help Henrico County thrive and prosper; he also worked to keep tax rates low while maintaining high levels of service and helped Henrico County earn an AAA bond rating from all three national bond-rating agencies; and WHEREAS, a man who lives his faith through his actions, Dave Kaechele enjoys fellowship and worship with Tuckahoe Presbyterian Church, where he has served as an elder, deacon, and treasurer; and WHEREAS, Dave Kaechele earned numerous awards and accolades for his leadership and service; he was inducted into the Richmond Times Dispatch Hall of Fame with the hall's inaugural class in 2015; and WHEREAS, after his well-earned retirement, Dave Kaechele plans to seek new opportunities to serve the community and spend more time with family and friends; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That David A. Kaechele hereby be commended on the occasion of his retirement as a member of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to David A. Kaechele as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his service to the Henrico County community and the Commonwealth. |