HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-15-2024; 8-k - Proclamation Recognizing and Honoring Dr. Harold Russell 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 15, 2024
Action Agenda
Item No. 8-k
SUBJECT: Proclamation Recognizing and Honoring Dr. Harold Russell
DEPARTMENT: Board of Commissioners
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Proclamation Thomas C. Jepsen, Treasurer, Chapel
Hill Historical Society, 919-929-1793
PURPOSE: To approve a proclamation recognizing and honoring Dr. Harold Russell as an
"Orange County Community Treasure".
BACKGROUND: Dr. Harold Russell was born in Hillsborough in 1934 and lived in Orange County
until 1960. While in high school, Dr. Russell developed a passion for science and carried that
interest with him to North Carolina Central University and subsequently on to the United States
Health Department office located in Chapel Hill. Dr. Russell was subsequently transferred to the
Center for Disease Control (CDC) office in Atlanta, Georgia where he worked for nine years before
attending Cornell University and securing a Master's degree in immunochemistry as well as a
doctorate.
Dr. Russell returned to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta and developed the first diagnostic
test for Lyme disease, and also worked on a vaccine for Pneumococcal pneumonia, including
inventing a specific component of the vaccine. Dr. Russell ultimately secured two patents as an
inventor and three other patents as a co-inventor while at the CDC.
After retirement, Dr. Russell returned to Orange County with his wife, Margaret Martin Russell,
and they live in Efland on property that has been in his family since 1871. Dr. Russell has served
as a member of the Orange County Board of Social Services, and currently serves as a board
member for the Friends of the Passmore Center.
The Chapel Hill Historical Society has requested a Board proclamation recognizing and honoring
Dr. Russell as an "Orange County Community Treasure". Commissioner Jean Hamilton is
scheduled to present the proclamation to Dr. Russell at the Historical Society's annual Community
Treasures celebration on Saturday, November 9, 2024 from 2:00-4:00 pm at the Seymour Center
on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the
proclamation.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PLAN: There are no Orange County Strategic Plan Goals
applicable to this item.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the
Chair to sign the proclamation recognizing and honoring Dr. Harold Russell as an "Orange County
Community Treasure".
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING AND HONORING
DR. HAROLD RUSSELL
AS AN ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY TREASURE
WHEREAS, Dr. Harold Russell was born in Hillsborough in 1934 and lived in Orange
County until 1960; and
WHEREAS, in high school, Dr. Russell developed a passion for science and carried that
interest with him to North Carolina Central University and subsequently on to the United
States Health Department office located in Chapel Hill; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Russell was subsequently transferred to the Center for Disease Control
(CDC) office in Atlanta, Georgia where he worked for nine years; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Russell and his wife, Margaret Martin Russell, left Atlanta and moved to
Ithaca, New York where Dr. Russell furthered his education at Cornell University with a
Master's degree in immunochemistry as well as a doctorate; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Russell returned to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta and invested
an illustrious career of 37 total years with the CDC; and
WHEREAS, while at the CDC, Dr. Russell specialized, among many things, on antibody
tests to determine if a person had developed antibodies against a specific antigen as a
component of a virus, and developed the first diagnostic test for Lyme disease, and also
worked on a vaccine for Pneumococcal pneumonia, including inventing a specific
component of the vaccine; and
WHEREAS, during his career at the CDC, Dr. Russell secured two patents as the inventor
and three other patents as a co-inventor; and
WHEREAS, after retirement, Dr. Russell returned to Orange County with Margaret and
they live in Efland on property that has been in his family since 1871;
NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby
recognize and honor Dr. Harold Russell as an
Orange County Community Treasure
and encourage the residents of Orange County to join with us in expressing gratitude to
Dr. Russell for his work in science and for his dedicated service to the health and well-
being of people worldwide.
This the 15' Day of October, 2024.
Jamezetta Bedford, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners