In a one-minute speech on the House floor , Congressmember Joe Morelle paid tribute Wednesday to Lucien Morin, Monroe County's first elected executive.
Morin died in September. He was 104 years old.
An Army and World War II veteran, Morin moved to the Rochester area in the 1950's and had a political career that spanned decades.
"Lou was a Henrietta town justice who literally held court in his own home, served in the very first Monroe County Legislature, and as Monroe County manager, and spent his entire life answering the call to serve," Morelle said in his remarks, which were read into the Congressional Record.
His legacy included the landmark Morin-Ryan sales tax revenue sharing agreement between the county and the city of Rochester. Morin, a Republican, and former Rochester Mayor Tom Ryan, a Democrat, hammered out the agreement which remains in place today, though it's been modified a few times.
During his political career and after, Morin earned the respect of people and elected officials in the Republican and Democratic parties.
"Lou Morin leaves us a legacy of integrity and a deep faith in our community," Morelle said at the end of his remarks. "It was an honor to know him and work with him. May we continue to carry his example forward.”
