2727 RESOLUTION NO. 2727
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING T. M. DICK, D.V.M. , FOR EX-
CEPTIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE WHILE IN THE EMPLOY OF THE
CITY OF LITTLE ROCK; ACKNOWLEDGING AND ACCEPTING THE
RESIGNATION OF T. M. DICK, D.V.M. ; AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, in May, 1922, T. M. Dick, D.V.M. , was employed by
the City of Little Rock as Director of the Meat and Milk Control
Division, City Health Department, in which position T. M. Dick
served until October 15, 1947 ; and
WHEREAS, during said period of time, the accomplishments,
benefits and productivity of the efforts of T. M. Dick were, and
still remain, some of the most notable for any public employee,
regardless of position or length of tenure; and
WHEREAS, a certain letter written by the City Health
Officer upon the resignation of T. M. Dick in October, 1947,
clearly and accurately reflects achievements and accomplishments
of T. M. Dick, which letter is desired to be made public as the
best possible evidence of the accomplishments of this most
capable and energetic person, which letter is set forth herein
as follows:
"Dr. T. M. Dick, D.V.M.
Director of Meat and Milk Division
Little Rock City Health Department
Little Rock, Arkansas
Dear Dr. Dick:
At this time, we wish to commend you for 25 years and
5 months of faithful, untiring and efficient service to
the City government and people of Little Rock. We wish
to share with you the celebration of the anniversary
of 25 unbroken years of accomplishment. Very few men
can boast of working 25 years in one place and position
for any city, county or state. Still fewer accomplish
as much for the good of their community in the same
length of time as you have done for Little Rock.
We have been informed that back in May 22, 1922, when
you started to work here as Director of Milk Control,
that we had little control of the milk sold to feed
our infants and children. During those years, many,
many children were dying of colitis, summer complaint,
or diarrhea. Bovine tuberculosis in cattle and man
was common. Many children had tuberculosis of the
spine and hip. No one will ever know how many people
had undulant fever which was diagnosed as malaria.
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"At that time, only 10 per cent of the milk sold in
Little Rock was pasteurized, while now 95 per cent
is properly pasteurized. There was no control over
the milk brought from the farms to the plants. As
the result, the bacteria count ran from one and one-
half million to two million. The bacteria count of
the pasteurized milk was then one hundred thousand.
You only had one man to assist you in inspecting
135 raw milk dairies. Neither did you have the labora-
tory technicians until 1929, necessitating your doing
all laboratory work and doing cultures on 5,000 samples
each year. There was little control of the meat
slaughtered and sold in Little Rock until about six
years ago when this was added to your duties.
As a result of your long hours, and I do mean long hours,
of untiring work and patient teaching, great changes
have been made in the improvement of the barns, milk
houses, pasteurization plants, slaughter houses and
packing plants. The volume and quality as well as the
safety of both milk and meat has greatly increased during
the past 25 years under your skillful guidance. All of
this good work has been done without hurry and fuss,
without irritating those you work for and with. Both
the milk plant operators and meat packers have said they
are perfectly satisfied with your past and present
services and hate to see you leave this position, for
they all say they know that it will be impossible to
replace you with a doctor of veterinary medicine who
has the patience, firmness, know how, and graciousness
that you have displayed for the past quarter century.
We all regret to lose you but realize you have long been
entitled to a promotion and raise in your salary. We
are sincerely grateful to you for your faithful services
to the City government, the people of Little Rock and
to the staff of the City Health Department. We are happy
to know that you are to remain in Little Rock as Director
of Central Arkansas Milk Producers Association, for we
know that you will do everything possible to improve and
protect the Little Rock milk supply. We could not find
a better friend to hold this position. We wish you God
speed and happiness in your adventure. We are confident
of your success.
/s/ William P. Scarlett
City Health Officer"; and
WHEREAS, following his resignation as Director of the Meat
and Milk Control Division of the City Health Department, T. M.
Dick continued to serve the public as veterinarian consultant
for the Meat Department of the City of Little Rock until 1953;
and
WHEREAS, on January 14, 1953, T. M. Dick returned to the
employ of the City of Little Rock as veterinarian and Director
of Inspections of the City Health Department and has served in
that capacity until his resignation on July 31, 1961; and
w
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WHEREAS, T. M. Dick proposes to assist the State of
Arkansas in the improvement and stabilization of milk and meat
inspection which will inure to the benefit of the citizens of
Little Rock and the State of Arkansas;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS:
SECTION 1. T. M. Dick, D.V.M. , affectionately known as
"Dr. Dick, " is hereby extended the highest and most voluble
commendations, thanks and appreciation of the Board of Directors
of the City of Little Rock for his continuous, maximum efforts
and phenomenol and exceptional accomplishments for and in behalf
of the citizens of little Rock, Arkansas, in his total of thirty-
nine years and two months of service as a public servant.
SECTION 2. T. M. Dick, D.V.M. , is considered by the Board
of Directors of the City of Little Rock as one of the greatest,
most sincere, dedicated and capable public servants in the
history of Little Rock and, to its knowledge, in the State of
Arkansas, and declares, without equivocation, that the benefits
to the public, not only of Little Rock, but of Pulaski County
and the State of Arkansas, as a result of the efforts of T. M.
Dick, will be gratefully appreciated and forever acknowledged.
SECTION 3. The resignation of T. M. Dick, D.V.M. , effective
July 31, 1961, is hereby accepted with regret.
SECTION 4. This resolution shall be in full force and
effect from and after its adoption.
ADOPTED: July 17, 1961
ATTEST:c„-x 1.1 I APPROVED: A
e.1s�•cJ . `
City Clerk Mayo, •