Richard Perchlik
Mayor of Greeley, Colorado
In office
1969–1971
Personal details
BornApril 11, 1928
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedApril 24, 1988 (aged 60)
Greeley, Colorado, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
RelationsJohn Prchlik (brother), Aurthur Prchlik(brother),Ruth Prebel (sister)
Children4, including Andrew
EducationOhio State University (BBA, MEd)
University of Colorado Boulder (EdD)
Military service
Branch/service United States Army
Battles/warsKorean War

Richard A. Perchlik (April 11, 1928 – April 24, 1988) was an American politician and academic. A Democrat, he served as the mayor of Greeley, Colorado from 1969 to 1971.

Early life and education

Perchlik was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Bessie (Kral), and John Prchlik. His siblings included John, Arthur, and Ruth. He received a bachelor's degree in business from Ohio State University and served in the United States Army during the Korean War. After an honorable discharge, he attended Harvard University. He went on to receive a master's degree in Education from Ohio State University and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Colorado Boulder. During his studies, he added an 'e' to the spelling of his Czech name.

Career

In 1961, Perchlik became a professor at Colorado State College (now the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). He was the first Chair of the Political Science Department, a post he held for over two decades. He also helped found the UNC Faculty Senate and participated in the university's Educational Planning Service.[1] After his death, the university created a Richard A. Perchlik Political Science scholarship.[2]

Active in the Democratic Party, Perchlik attended several local and state party conventions as a delegate, and was an alternate delegate at the 1972 and 1980 Democratic National Convention.[3] Perchlik served as Chair of Colorado Common Cause from 1973 to 1975. He was a member of the board of directors the state board for Colorado's American Civil Liberties Union and the Colorado Commission on Respect for Law, as well as the National Council on Social Studies.[4]

Perchlik served as mayor from 1969 to 1971.[5] As mayor, he initiated several public works projects. Most iconic of these was Bittersweet Park, which provided flood control to low-income neighborhoods and an asset for the development of an upper-middle-class neighborhood. Also, to make the city's government more accessible, he began broadcasting City Council meetings on local radio.

In 1970, Perchlik ran for the Democratic nomination against incumbent U.S. Representative Wayne N. Aspinall in Colorado's 4th congressional district. Aspinall was a conservative Democrat, while Perchlik ran on a platform that emphasized environmental conservation.[6]

In addition to his academic and political careers, Perchlik was owner and operator of the Sharktooth Ski Area, a local family-oriented recreation area, from 1970 to 1985.[7]

Personal life

While working on his doctoral degree, Perchlik married Sylvia (Marston) Perchlik. They had four children, including Andrew Perchlik, a member of the Vermont Senate.

Perchlik died of cancer in Greeley, Colorado on April 24, 1988.

References

  1. ↑ University of Northern Colorado Archives
  2. ↑ University of Northern Colorado Office of Financial Aid
  3. ↑ Political Scientists and the 1980 National Party Convention Kathleen L. Barber PS, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Winter, 1981), pp. 6-8
  4. ↑ Greeley Tribune, "Obituaries," Tuesday, April 26, 1988
  5. ↑ "2D CITY REQUIRES POLL ON MANAGER (Published 1972)". The New York Times. 1972-05-28. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  6. ↑ Politics, Ernest Luning, Colorado (3 May 2019). "TRAIL MIX | Can Crisanta Duran repeat AOC's feat?". Colorado Politics. Retrieved 2020-10-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Greeley Tribune newspaper article on local place names
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