Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my good friend and colleague Carole Groom as she departs the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors after 13 years of service. The people of San Mateo County are losing a champion of children, healthcare, economic justice, and the environment.

Carole began her public service career on the City of San Mateo's public works and planning commissions. She was appointed to the city council in 2000 and won election to a full four-year term in 2001. She twice served as Mayor. Carole and her colleagues skillfully guided the Bay Meadows development through public reviews and controversy, and the result is a spectacular 83 acres of mixed-use development adjacent to a major rail station. It hosts 1,250 residential units and 1.25 million square feet of office space. She also supported the overlapping Rail Corridor Specific Plan that covered the area from Hillsdale Boulevard to the old Kmart site. That plan produced hundreds of new housing units, retail and office buildings at the old Kmart shopping center, serving as a regional example to emulate. As an avid booster of downtown San Mateo, she coined the saying, ``If you can't find it in San Mateo, you don't need it.'' This remains an unofficial slogan of the city.

Carole was appointed to the Board of Supervisors in 2009 and formed the first board with women in the majority. She won a full four-year term in 2010. These were the darkest days of the housing recession. In her first comments as a member, she noted that she wanted to continue her work on the county's budget deficit and universal health coverage. Carole's priorities also included protecting parks and open space.

In 2009, she launched ``Active San Mateo County'' which convened an annual Fall conference exploring health and wellbeing, and that planned an annual countywide event, ``Streets Alive! Parks Alive!'' The county's parks and recreation directors recognized her with their ``Champion of the Community'' award in 2012.

Perhaps Carole's signature effort to boost economic justice in San Mateo County came through an innovative program known as ``The Big Lift.'' It was a big lift to consider a countywide program to increase the percentage of third graders reading at grade level from 58 percent to 80 percent, but Carole, her board colleagues and the county's superintendent of education took on the task. Key interventions included access to preschool, inspiring summer experiences, reducing chronic absenteeism, and increasing family engagement from preschool to third grade. The pandemic struck a blow to this noble effort, but it continues and undoubtedly paid off for thousands of children from 2013 to 2020 when classes were greatly disrupted.

Peninsula Clean Energy was the brainchild of Supervisors Pine and Groom. This countywide energy aggregator buys clean, renewable energy on the market and sells it to most businesses and households at 5 percent below the rates of our local utility. We all search for ways to reduce the cost of living and to improve the environment. The two Supervisors found a remarkable way to do both, and today the agency has expanded its offerings to include grants for purchases of energy efficient appliances.

Carole has deep roots in the health care system, having served as Vice President of Mills Peninsula Hospital for 18 years. She presently serves on the Board of Directors of the San Mateo County Hospital Board, the governing body for the San Mateo Medical Center. The hospital is a gem, and Carole Groom, as a skillful board member, is one of the finest jewelers in our community.

In addition to her work on the Board of Supervisors, she serves as a member of the California Coastal Commission, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and on the board of our local transit agency, Samtrans. If it thrives on our coast, Carole protects it. If it pollutes the air, Carole opposes it. If it glides on big axels down the El Camino Real and gives essential mobility to the disabled, our working poor and the elderly, Carole celebrates it.

Madam Speaker, we now say goodbye to a woman who everyone welcomes with joy when she walks into a room. We know that her heart was focused on policies that were fair and that protected the most vulnerable. It is said that on a clear day you can see forever. Carole saw the good in people, and her vision built a better life for millions over more than twenty years that she served our community and state. The woman who promoted reading to promote justice is now retiring. San Mateo County owes Supervisor Carole Groom its eternal appreciation. While she will be out of the limelight, Carole will remain in the hearts of all of us.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague San Mateo County Board President Don Horsley as he departs the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors after 12 years in this phase of his service to the public. His is a remarkable career.

Don graduated with honors from San Francisco State University in 1969. He worked as a juvenile counselor with the San Mateo County Probation Department and as a classroom teacher in middle school. When he decided to become a police officer, one of his earliest jobs was in the City of Pacifica. He subsequently joined the San Mateo County Sheriffs Office and began his patrol work in what would eventually become the City of East Palo Alto.

While in the early phase of his career at the Sheriff's office, Don helped plan and oversee the construction of a new county correctional facility. The new building transformed incarceration in the county, featuring mental health and medical facilities onsite. In the jail, he promoted direct supervision, a practice in which deputies and correctional officers worked directly with detainees. Don's innovative work resulted in a substantial reduction in violence.

Don was elected Sheriff in 1993 in a hard-fought campaign against the status quo. After

his election, he got to work reducing violence in our most vulnerable communities. The new Sheriff pledged a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement taskforce that helped the City of East Palo Alto to dramatically reduce the number of homicides. This support for East Palo Alto continued throughout Don's nearly 14 years as Sheriff.

He later established the Sheriffs Activities League to help kids become successful in school and to keep kids out of gangs. He recruited qualified women and diverse officers into the department and put them into neighborhoods through both patrols and community events.

When Don retired from the Sheriffs office, he ran for the Sequoia Hospital District Board of Trustees. During his service, he advocated for increased funding for the North Fair Oaks Clinic and a community grant program that supported improved healthcare outcomes, particularly for children, throughout the district.

In 2010, Don ran for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and won. He served three times as Board President. His work has been extraordinary, focused in part on coastal agricultural issues and healthcare.

He is a staunch advocate of thoughtful public safety. He supported the construction of a new county jail facility that allows even more space for mental health and vocational services for detainees.

While all board members support affordable housing, Don and his colleague Warren Slocum were assigned to the Jobs Housing Task force. Thanks to millions in county funding and an influx of federal and state funds during the pandemic, Don and his colleagues purchased five hotels and are presently in construction on a 240 bed navigation center. The objective is to reach functional zero homelessness by the end of 2022. San Mateo County is well on its way to meeting this objective. For example, in October 2022, there were 262 more homeless persons contacted when compared to October 2021. By 2023, the number of interim shelter beds will have increased by 91 percent when compared to 2019. Since October of 2021, 733 formerly homeless persons have been moved into permanent housing. Starting in 2023, $4 million in county funds will be devoted to paying the rent of those facing evictions.

Don Horsley also serves on the Board of Directors of the Health Plan of San Mateo, a Medi-Cal managed health plan. 150,000+ San Mateo residents have coverage through this locally managed organization. Don's dedication to human dignity is rooted in the basics: health and housing. He is also a staunch advocate for sensible gun violence prevention and recently led the effort to fund county positions to remove guns from the homes of those otherwise prohibited by law from owning weapons.

Madam Speaker, Don Horsley is wise. He is gracious. He is sensible. He cares. As he leaves public service for what will likely be the last time, we wish him well. The teacher turned lawman turned community steward has devoted his life to the people he served. Lives have been saved and enriched by Don Horsley. Futures were created because he took a moment to offer a thought. We won't find his face chiseled onto a mountainside but Don Horsley's impact upon us all will last for decades. An overall quiet man, he roared on the field of public policy. Now his wife Elaine, his children Matt, David, and Christine, and their families will have time of their own with Don. We relinquish him to their care with our thanks for a job exceedingly well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague Belmont City Councilman Warren Lieberman upon the occasion of his departure from the Belmont City Council after 22 years of remarkable service to Belmont, including three terms as Mayor. He served for 17 years on the council and for 5 years on the city's Finance Commission. He has lived in Belmont for over 20 years. He and his wife, Gracie, raised two children in Belmont, Vanessa and Max.

Warren graduated from Yale University with a Ph.D. in Operations Research and from SUNY Binghamton with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science. He is President of Veritec Solutions, and helps companies improve pricing and revenue management practices.

When first elected to the city council in 2005, Warren focused on improving opportunities for youth sports and recreation. He was a coach in AYSO Soccer and Little League and realized that Belmont needed improved facilities. Substantial improvements were made to the city's sports complex.

Given its steep, wooded canyons and grassy areas, Belmont is at risk of a catastrophic wildfire. As a councilmember, Warren worked hard to ensure that residents were always served by a fire department with adequate personnel and equipment. He joined the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department Board and negotiated to restructure the obligations of his city so that they were fairer to Belmont residents. He was later selected by his colleagues on the city council to negotiate entry of Belmont into the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department. He serves on its governing board.

As a councilmember, Warren Lieberman also supported numerous efforts to stabilize and then grow Belmont's tax base. Business development was his central focus, but he also supported increasing the hotel occupancy tax and a local sales tax measure, both of which were approved by voters. As COVID ravaged the community, then acting-Mayor Lieberman led virtual meetings of the council and helped direct student energies in a positive manner during protests originating at Carlmont High School.

Affordable housing is a challenge for all communities in my district. Warren voted to approve developments and made the case to the community that Belmont's success hinged on families of all income groups being able to feel secure in their housing. When residents objected to placing cannabis businesses near their homes and schools, Warren listened patiently. The council eventually voted to ban these businesses from school routes and neighborhoods.

At the time that Warren joined the city council, its meetings were often fractious. He has worked hard to build relationships with other councilmembers so that the city's governance is more sure-footed. In 2014, he led the Council's effort to develop and implement a Code of Ethics and Conduct for Elected and Appointed Officials. The public appreciates his focus, and that of his colleagues, on policymaking rather than disputes. In part due to this focus, the city's infrastructure is being upgraded, affordable housing was constructed and is in the pipeline, and the city's budget has weathered the challenges of COVID and recessions. Growing families now may also utilize city rules that are more friendly to remodeling.

Other council accomplishments during his time in office include: creation of a construction time ordinance; development of a better relationship with Notre Dame de Namur University; creation of the Beautify Belmont Awards; and, conversion of Davey Glen Park from a passive park into an active park.

Madam Speaker, I note that this longtime civic leader will now return to private life so that he may concentrate on personal and business affairs. City Council work is a volunteer job, and it takes quite a bit of time away from one's family. I know that Gracie, Vanessa and Max will appreciate having more time to hear from Warren, and time for him to participate in family events. I wish Warren a wonderful life in the many years ahead. He made a difference, and as he travels around Belmont his accomplishments will stand before his eyes everywhere that he goes.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Linda Martin Mason who served on the San Bruno City Council for three years, the last one as Vice Mayor. The timing of her term was truly challenging because the majority of it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, a once-in-a-century event that no city council candidate could have possibly foreseen. Linda, her council colleagues and city staff rose to the occasion and found ways to keep San Bruno residents as safe as possible and to assist small businesses through these difficult years.

The challenges of the pandemic played out in the Mason household. Linda, as General

Counsel and Chief People Officer at the Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco, was an essential worker and required to work from her office. So too was her husband, Andrew Mason, as the President of the San Bruno Park School District Board of Trustees. Linda and Andrew have two young children, Fabian and Gabriel, now ten and six. Balancing their duties as a council member and trustee while alternating who was working remotely or from the office while also caring for their children whose daycare had been closed due to the pandemic was very difficult and stressful, but with the support of each other, Linda and Andrew managed. We owe them both a big debt for their unwavering service.

During her time on the council, Linda and her colleagues were very productive. They negotiated a community benefits package with one of San Bruno's top employers, YouTube, that will result in $54 million coming to the city and create a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly office park and community space in the Bayhill neighborhood. The construction of the new Recreation and Aquatic Center, funded by a PG&E settlement after the tragic pipeline explosion in 2010 that killed eight residents, is on time and within budget. The council successfully placed a transit occupancy tax measure on the ballot that will bring the tax to industry standards. They also negotiated with WalMart to bring over $3 million in additional tax revenue to the city. This year I was pleased that the House of Representatives approved almost half a million dollars in Community Project Funding for wildfire prevention for the cities of San Bruno and Belmont. Additionally, we voted to approve $2.4 million to the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County that would address flood control issues in San Bruno. It's now up to the U.S. Senate to approve this funding.

The council enacted an emergency ordinance to protect small businesses from being evicted during the pandemic. Outdated rules were updated so that small restaurants downtown are now allowed to open without having to create parking. The council created a much-needed street paving schedule and supported $6 million in funding this year.

Linda didn't hesitate to initiate or lead projects. Local press reports that Linda jumpstarted the negotiations with Artichoke Joe's which will provide about a million additional dollars to the city. She was also instrumental in securing $200,000 in county funds to beautify Posey Park and to fix a non-working fountain. Linda was a strong proponent for 12-year term limits for council council members and mayors, a measure that passed by more than 80 percent.

Always advocating for transparency, equity and good governance, Linda has successfully pushed for more diversity on committees. commissions, and boards. She also advocated for stricter accountability measures from the San Bruno Foundation to assure grants are utilized as intended. Thanks to her, all foundation meetings are now recorded and available for public viewing. As a parent with children in public schools, Linda pushed for open communication and partnership between the school district and the city. The city manager and superintendent now meet regularly and during the pandemic, the city provided its internet service to low-income students who lacked internet access during the lockdown. Linda introduced the idea of the Peninsula Museum of Art moving into Tanforan Mall and repurposing additional empty mall space as working artists' studios.

Linda is a San Francisco native. She earned a double major BA in Political Science and Spanish from San Francisco State University. She completed most of the coursework for her BA at Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain. She received her JD from San Francisco Law School.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Vice Mayor Linda Mason for her service to the residents of San Bruno who are among the most resilient constituents in my Congressional District. I have no doubt that Linda will stay engaged in public life and continue to contribute to the community she loves.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize San Mateo Deputy Mayor Diane Papan as she leaves the San Mateo City Council to become a member of the California State Assembly. The voters of the district have elected a strong leader who has always been attuned to the needs of her constituents.

Diane Papan grew up in Daly City and Millbrae and then moved to the City of San Mateo. She was President of the Baywood Owners Improvement Association, Second Vice-President of the United Homeowners Association, and Chair of the Baywood School Site Council. She also worked on the San Mateo Downtown Master Plan and Parking Plan.

She is a proud graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, where she received her bachelor's degree in Political Science in 1985, and of my alma mater the University of California Hastings College of the Law from which she graduated in 1988. As an attorney, she began her legal career litigating public works projects. Today, she has her own commercial law practice representing small businesses. She also serves as the administrator of her family's charity, John's Closet, and a scholarship named for her late brother, the John Papan Memorial Scholarship.

Diane is deeply concerned about climate change and has been instrumental in helping San Mateo County adjust to this new reality through her service on OneShoreline, a countywide district that creates projects to deal with sea level rise. As an original board member, she recognizes that San Mateo County is the No. 1 county in California at risk of damage to property and infrastructure. Together with her fellow board members, she has overseen the implementation of a project in Redwood City and Menlo Park to relieve flooding for hundreds of low- income residents of mobile homes. She and her colleagues are also guiding a project that will protect businesses and infrastructure in an area from the border with San Francisco International Airport through Burlingame to San Mateo. Some in San Mateo County questioned the need for a countywide agency to deal with climate change and sea level rise. Diane saw the aim of this agency and has always strongly supported it.

As a councilmember and Mayor, Diane pushed to establish the 101 Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority so that San Mateo County could implement toll lanes along a lengthy stretch of our main freeway. The project will be completed next year but it promises to reduce carbon emissions and to speed commuters through a heavily congested corridor. She also represents the city on the board of the consolidated fire district.

Diane has been a strong supporter of more housing within the City of San Mateo. For example, while on the council, she voted to allow two additional levels and 61 additional units to the city's Kiku Crossing development, an affordable housing project presently under construction. It was a controversial decision because it relied on recent changes to state law. Using state authority to create these units illustrates the important role that the state legislature plays in creating economic opportunity despite the opposition of some.

Diane Papan's father, Lou, served in the State Assembly and she is therefore steeped in the history of the institution. However, I know that she will be her own person, as she has proven to be during her time on the city council. In fact, some lobbyists may ignore her individuality and attempt to ingratiate themselves by appeals to her father's memory and sensibilities, Diane, as intelligent and talented as she is, may wish to remind them of their folly by keeping a desk sign close at hand. It might read: ``Diane Papan: Proudly Lou's daughter, not his clone.''

Serving in elective office is a privilege. It is especially so when you are able to see the immediate impact of your work as is possible when you serve in the California legislature. In our present times, so much depends upon state law. Diane is a strong supporter of the reproductive rights of women, a supporter of California's assault weapons ban, and wants California to invest in wildfire prevention. She will be able to see these priorities and others turned into concrete action in the years ahead.

I wish Diane Papan, her husband Dan Latini, and their daughter Alexa, all the best in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague Belmont City Councilmember and former Mayor Charles Stone as he concludes his term of office on the city council. The city is losing a truly conscientious and forward-looking leader.

Charles Stone is a lifelong resident of San Mateo County and a resident of Belmont since 2004. He was first elected to the city council in 2013 and then was re-elected in 2017. He is a graduate of Hillsdale High School, the University of California at San Diego, where he received his degree in political science, and Santa Clara University School of Law. He practices law at the Law Office of Katherine R. Moore in Redwood City.

Prior to joining the city council, he served on the Board of Directors of School-Force!, a nonprofit raising funds for Belmont and Redwood Shores schools. His interest in city policy began as he noticed a lack of cooperation between the city and school district. As he put it, ``It was more like two fists pounding together than two hands being aligned and I didn't like that.'' In 2013, he threw his hat into the ring to create more family-friendly policies and those more amendable to working families.

Throughout his time on the city council, Charles Stone has been focused on housing, transportation and economic development. After two terms on the council, and after many long nights discussing housing and the city's general plan, Belmont is one of the few cities in San Mateo County that is on track to meet its state-mandated goals to produce affordable units. The most recent development, Firehouse Square, is 100 percent affordable and has 66 units adjacent to the Belmont Caltrain Station. There are 331 units of affordable housing built in recent years or in the pipeline, along the El Camino Real transit corridor. Charles has been a leader in making this new housing a reality.

As a councilmember, he serves as the council's representative to seven intergovernmental agencies and to multiple nonprofits. He has six council committee assignments.

However, his most time-consuming assignment outside of the council chambers is his role as a member of the board of our local transit agency, Samtrans, and as a board member of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain). He is an undisputed regional leader in transportation. He successfully negotiated, along with two other local leaders, for the payment of $35 million to Samtrans for its 1991 purchase of the Caltrain right of way on behalf of three counties. For more than a year, and in the midst of confusion and finger pointing by leaders in other counties, Charles repeatedly and publicly read the terms of the longstanding contract and demanded that the terms not be changed without appropriate repayment of the outstanding debt. The money and new terms were approved this year, marking a rare moment when San Mateo County and its transportation interests were treated equally by the other two counties.

Charles fought successfully to raise the minimum wage in Belmont. He twice served as Mayor. He worked with a neighboring community to end traffic gridlock near a high school. He supported his police department while embracing the need for change to ensure equity. He also supported the arrival of Stanford University to the campus of a small liberal arts university long located in Belmont. During his time on the council, bioscience discovered Belmont. Councilman Stone supported conversion of office space to lab space and the construction of new labs. During the darkest days of the pandemic, Charles and his colleagues created a $100,000 fund for local businesses, adding to state and federal small business funds. He also appropriately chastised the federal government's business pandemic relief programs for leaving too many behind and for operating with insufficient controls. ``Had [the federal government] dug in a little more and spent more time on this I think we'd be in better shape today,'' he noted in April 2020. I think the GAO auditors tracing fraud would agree with Councilman Stone.

It is now time for Charles Stone to step down from the city council and to regain time to hike with his daughters, Sophia and Sara, around Waterdog Lake. I want to thank him for putting his astute mind to use on behalf of working and middle-class families in San Mateo County for over 10 years. He can honestly state that the difference he made is cast in concrete, framed in steel, and sits within a beautiful city blessed with green hills and oak trees that he cherishes. He improved the lives of tens of thousands. This ex-rugby player is temporarily leaving the field, but the score on the board shows that, despite occasional injuries and perhaps a few involuntary blood donations, he was key to delivering a win for the people of Belmont.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague Regina Wallace-Jones as she steps away from the City Council of East Palo Alto. Her service will influence the course of the city for decades to come.

Regina was raised in West Covina in a family with multiple requirements: Obtain an excellent education, clean the house on Saturday, go to church on Sunday, and give service to the community. She noted on her campaign blog that Family Pizza Fridays were a must. In her 200-word candidate statement she mentioned that she is the daughter of union laborers and that she understood the struggle for livable wages and affordable housing. Upon reviewing the statement, her father asked if she would substitute Communications Workers of America for union laborers. She acknowledged that his change would be better, but then she would be two words over the limit. The proud union member relented.

Regina received her bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and her Master of Science in Public Policy from the University of California, Los Angeles. She specialized in telecommunications and technology policy.

She and her husband, Sheffond Jones, moved into their home in East Palo Alto in April of 2002, part of a new development known as Shorebrezze Runnymede. It's a small cluster of homes where neighbors fix their broken fences together, deal with infestations of field mice, help out with childcare, and stay friendly over time.

In fact, friendliness is a word that describes East Palo Alto. Its people work hard across its 2.2 square miles, and often help out each other when times are difficult. It's a community where the median household income is $96,000, about 70 percent of the countywide median. It also sits side-by-side with Meta, and gentrification of the community is a significant concern.

It was into this community that Regina advanced in 2018 with her 500 campaign signs and dozens of volunteers, offering to take up the challenges of being a city councilmember. She advocated for closer relations with the school district, technology training for residents, decreased traffic, economic development, and building affordable housing.

The Ravenswood Business District is the city's largest opportunity to create new laboratory and office buildings. In 2019, the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration made a $4.4 million investment as part of an economic renewal project in this district. Regina has supported responsible development of the area to bring thousands of new employees to what will eventually be a new downtown. For the entire city, she supported obtaining water from neighboring communities to cure reliability problems that plague the existing water system. During her time in office, she strongly supported new infrastructure, including a new bike bridge over Highway 101 to connect residents on the west side of the city with the eastern side that has most of the stores and services.

Regina was Mayor in 2020. Many of the residents of East Palo Alto are front-line essential workers. In September 2020, the city had a test positivity rate of 15 percent, more than three times higher than the countywide positivity rate. At a council meeting that month she noted, ``One of the biggest solutions that helps people recover is early identification and early intervention. And that comes from testing,'' As the pandemic sickened and killed residents, Mayor Wallace-Jones and her colleagues used city funds to first establish widespread testing and then to support outreach and staffing for a large vaccination program. Culturally competent outreach and volunteer efforts spread throughout the community. She and her council colleagues also had to grapple with a significant decline in tax revenue. Careful management of vacant positions and an infusion of federal aid helped bridge the gap.

It is now time for the mother of Addison and Jocelyn to return to evenings with her family. It will not be easy, as Regina is also a CEO of a non-profit. However, this busy executive, daughter, mom and spouse deserves time to spend with her family. On our recent election day, when she had chosen not to be on the ballot, she reflected online, ``I loved my opportunity to serve. And I hope that more get out there and do the same. The end is only bitter when you've got nothing left. I'm grateful for every vote and every dollar that supported me.''

Madam Speaker, the whirlwind of Shorebreeze Runnymede will be remembered as a woman who made a difference. We are grateful that she was in leadership when a crisis hit her community and that she will remain an active resident as we edge our way into more normal times ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague Millbrae Mayor Anne Oliva as she steps down from the city council at the end of her present term, and after serving nine years on the council. She has distinguished herself by doing outstanding work while in elective office.

Anne has lived in Millbrae for more than 20 years. She was appointed to the Millbrae City Council in 2013 to fill a vacancy and was elected to a full four year term in November of that year. Her top priorities at the time were building economic strength and sustainability, protecting private property rights, and ensuring public safety. Millbrae was emerging from the housing recession and its downtown business district was suffering. Hotel occupancy taxes, a major source of city revenue, were significantly depressed. The city's budget had been cut repeatedly and difficult decisions lay ahead.

In subsequent years, Anne and her colleagues made tough choices. They contracted for police services from the San Mateo County Sheriff's office, a decision that was discussed at great length due to the affection that the people of Millbrae had for their own department. Economic growth came with controversy. Millbrae is a major transportation hub with a combined BART and Caltrain station serving thousands of daily commuters. The council approved a large development on the BART parking lot, delivering hundreds of units of needed housing, a new hotel and accompanying tax revenue, offices, and retail to serve all. Anne supported the development as part of her promise to build the economic strength of the city and the sustainability of its budget.

Her experience as a real estate agent and broker has informed her public service. She served on the Board of Directors of the San Mateo County Association of Realtors, including on its legislative committee and as President. She also served on similar legislative committees for the California Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. When the County of San Mateo sought assistance from property owners and managers to find apartments for persons holding

federal housing vouchers, Anne worked with my office and San Mateo County to identify willing owners and managers. She and her brother also manage hundreds of apartment units and homes. They encourage property owners to accept federal housing vouchers and many do, thus helping low-income households throughout San Mateo County.

At least part of her dedication to ending homelessness arises from personal experience. Anne once noted that, ``One of the most impactful and tough experiences in my life was the night my husband Jose and I received a call that we will never forget. We learned that our son, who suffers addiction and mental health issues, was living on the street. We are blessed that he is fine now and doing much better. But my family's story is all too typical. I refuse to accept the status quo on homelessness. We cannot continue to let people live and die on our streets.''

Over her 20+ years as a resident, Anne has been a volunteer for the PTA, the Mills High School Athletics Booster Club, and the Italian- American Women's Guild. She is a local coordinator for the Coats for Kids program, and in 2010 she was awarded the Community Service Award by the realtor's association. She also fundraises for the San Mateo County Historical Association.

We thank her husband Jose, daughter Francesca, and two sons Joey and Marco, for allowing Anne time to serve the public. Her presence will now be more predictable, and they have the satisfaction of knowing that Anne's occasional absences were needed to build a better Millbrae for everyone. Most importantly for Anne, she will now have time to spend with her two new grandchildren, Carolina and Isabella, born October 10, 2022. It may be a step down from public service to leave a city council, but it's a step up in service to humanity to become a grandmother. Anne is very fortunate to have received a promotion at this point in her life.

It is now time to say farewell to Anne Oliva as she leaves public life, but thankfully she isn't moving away. Her ever-present smile and can-do attitude will be evident in her community, and her willingness to volunteer will endure. When local businesses seek an advocate, they will always have Anne as an ally. Importantly, she will continue to work her magic in the real estate market, providing housing to those who need it, opportunities for those who seek the American Dream, and fair returns to owners. The wind and fog that occasionally sweep through Millbrae will continue to have their rival in Anne's energy, and the optimism about the future that she exudes will be remembered as a major force for good during the nine years that she served Millbrae, a community that she loves.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague Ray Mueller who served on the Menlo Park City Council for ten years, two terms as mayor, as he is entering a new chapter in his public service career. Ray was just elected as the San Mateo County Supervisor for the 3rd District where he will undoubtedly continue his outstanding and dedicated service to the community.

Ray was first elected to the council in 2012. During his tenure he was always focused on improving the quality of life and safety of residents, the economy and the environment. As the father of two teenagers, Max, 16 and Elle, 12, he is particularly driven to work towards policies that will ensure the future of his and all children. He is married to his high school sweetheart Kristen Shima. I have known Ray for a decade and have always been impressed and inspired by his can-do attitude, resourcefulness, and optimism.

Ray is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and he received his JD from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He now works as an attorney in the emergency response and services sector. His legal acumen and analytical mind have certainly served the city of Menlo Park very well. Along with his council colleagues, he has been able to balance the city budget for eight consecutive years and to maintain the city's AAA bond rating since he was elected. He and the council have also saved taxpayers millions of dollars through smart policies.

Menlo Park, like the rest of the Bay Area, is plagued by a lack of affordable housing and traffic congestion. Ray has strongly advocated solutions for these interconnected issues. During his time on the council, Menlo Park adopted two housing elements. He was appointed and served on the State of California Tax Credit Allocation Committee which administers the federal and state low-income housing tax credit programs. Menlo Park set aside housing units with rental subsidies for teachers and other community-serving professionals in housing development approvals. Ray worked with Facebook to add housing units on its proposed campus expansion. During the pandemic, Menlo Park made $100,000 available in grants for emergency rental housing assistance. Ray served on the board of LifeMoves, one of the largest homeless services providers in Silicon Valley.

He and his fellow council members also developed and approved a citywide Transportation Master Plan which focuses on traffic mitigation, safe routes to schools and across freeways, street resurfacing and sidewalks, and improved rail service.

Ray is particularly passionate about our youth. When he was mayor in 2019, he created a youth advisory commission. He launched an after school homework center at the Belle Haven Library bringing in skilled volunteers to provide one-on-one support. He also hosted several civics days at city hall and taught leadership classes at the Boys and Girls Club. During the pandemic, he reactivated childcare centers and transformed after-school programs into learning pods for distance learning.

Ray fully understands that without climate change mitigation our planet and the future of our youth hangs in the balance. In 2020, Menlo Park adopted its first Climate Action Plan. Four years prior, he voted to enroll all city facilities in ECO 100, a program that provides 100 percent renewable energy for city buildings, streetlights and charging stations. As mayor in 2014, Ray prioritized the formation of Menlo Park Spark to promote regional climate action policy. He is also a staunch defender of our open spaces and parks. Despite his extensive work hours as an attorney and council member, he manages to find time to volunteer for the San Mateo chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. An avid surfer himself, Ray has a deep love and respect for the awesome power of nature. He is currently taking a hiatus from the sport to allow a serious neck injury to heal.

Madam Speaker, I ask the Members of the House of Representatives to rise with me to thank Ray Mueller for his exemplary service on the Menlo Park City Council and to wish him continued success and stamina for his upcoming service on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. His contributions will keep shaping our beautiful county and coast.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Millbrae Councilman Reuben Holober as he leaves the City Council. Reuben was 25 years old when first elected in 2013. He grew up in Millbrae, received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Washington and his Master's Degree in Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley. Prior to joining the council, he served on the city's Sister City Commission. He also served as an intern for the late Congressman Tom Lantos. During his youth, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

Millbrae is a small town of 22,000 stretching from the edge of the bay adjacent to San Francisco International Airport to the wooded hillsides of the Peninsula. Its businesses are almost all small companies. Historically, they largely served local residents, travelers and the airport. In the wake of the housing collapse, Millbrae businesses were hit hard. It was during recovery from that recession that Reuben first ran for public office. He noted in his candidate statement that while the first priority for residents was public safety, the city's tax base needed to grow to support the goal of safety. Developing the areas around the BART/Caltrain station was key to generating revenue.

Today, at the site of the station, construction companies are putting the final touches on 840 units of new housing, 50,000 square feet of retail, and a new hotel. Reuben supported this addition to Millbrae, and it will undoubtedly become a template for similar sites around the country.

The city council made many difficult decisions during Reuben's time in office. When a fire consumed the beloved Millbrae Recreation Center, he and colleagues secured the funds to build a beautiful new facility. In recent years, water rates have escalated because of

aging infrastructure as well as price increases by the city's water supplier. It fell to then-Mayor Holober to note these painful increases in his 2020 reports to the residents, but he also explained all the wonderful work that was done by the public works department, including replacement of many pipes that were more than 50 years old

A new biotechnology building is under construction near the BART/ Caltrain station. Due to the openness of Reuben and his colleagues to new business development, the city is known as a place where companies with the right ideas can get projects successfully through the approval process.

When he joined the council, he was half the age of a typical councilmember. With youthful optimism, he joined the council's Technology Subcommittee and Infrastructure Task Force. His colleagues also assigned him to be the council's representative to the Millbrae Chamber of Commerce, the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, the San Mateo County Library Joint Powers Authority, and the Caltrain Local Policy Makers Group. Millbrae Community Television, which broadcasts local events, also benefited from his service on its Board of Directors

Reuben was Mayor in 2020 when COVID arrived. It is almost painful today to read his remarks to colleagues, delivered in November. He noted, ``2020 has been an extremely difficult year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From job losses and economic decline . . . to feelings of isolation and depression . . . due to necessary shelter-in-place and social distancing orders. In many ways . . . we were not prepared for the pandemic.'' He and his council colleagues rose to the challenge. He noted that the council provided grants to local businesses and helped them apply for greater funding through the SBA. He fulther noted that 409 businesses received PPP loans that saved 2,600 jobs, The council also passed ordinances to allow curbside dining outdoors, expedited construction permits, closed streets to allow residents and visitors to stroll, and limited fees charged by DoorDash and others so that restaurants could survive without customers being gouged by delivery charges.

All of this was done even though at the time the city's budget took a $6.5 million hit due to revenue reductions. By cutting other expenses sharply, the deficit was reduced to $1.3 million, but this left the city operating ``on a shoestring budget'' according to then-Mayor Holober.

With completion of the new recreation center, major development at the Caltrain/BART station, and commencement of development of a nearby biotechnology complex, Millbrae is finally poised to soar. Reuben Holober can be confident that his quiet and effective leadership was crucial to building a bright future for the city he loves. I wish him, his wife Amy and his son, Nolan, all the best in the years ahead. Reuben Holober, the 25-year-old who wanted to serve, has done a wonderful job for his city and his neighbors. He's now earned the ultimate badge towards the rank of Eagle Scout: Civic duty. Democracy in Millbrae is better due to his time on the council.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize one of the most extraordinary city managers I have ever known. My friend and colleague Charles Michael ``Mike'' Futrell leaves his position as city manager of South San Francisco, my hometown, after nine years of exemplary service. Mike has proven over and over again that he is one of the most productive, most creative, and most professional community leaders in the region. He superbly led this city of 67,000 people with a budget of over $400 million and set it on a path to success.

Most residents of cities don't realize how much impact a city manager has on every aspect of their lives. Mike led 900 full and part-time personnel across all departments: police, fire, emergency medical services, emergency management, public works, parks and recreation, library, human resources, finance, communications, and economic and community development. He greatly improved South San Francisco's finances earning the city its first ever AAA bond rating. During his tenure, the city yielded budget surpluses every year, and he delivered record budget reserves.

To appreciate how much Mike brought to the table when he started his job as city manager, it helps to know his background. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Louisiana State University, a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts. Amherst, and a JD from Louisiana State University Paul M. Herbert Law School. He was a Ph.D. scholar in Management of Complex Systems at the University of California, Merced, and he received a Learn, Engage, Accelerate, Disrupt (L.E.A.D.) Certification in Corporate Innovation from Stanford.

Mike did not confine his accomplishments to academics. He also served in public office and held other senior administrative positions in both the public and private sectors. He was an elected member of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council, an elected member of the

Louisiana House of Representatives, a state director for a U.S. Senator, the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Baton Rouge, a U.S. Navy Captain at the U.S. Pacific Command, and an Executive Vice President for Hawaii Gas. As you can surmise from this impressive background, there isn't any situation or problem Mike can't tackle.

Among the most visible changes in South San Francisco during his tenure are the increase in the construction of housing units and the revitalization of the downtown, both priorities for Mike. More than 4,500 new residential units will be built in the next five years, a significant effort to address the crushing housing shortage in the Bay Area. Press reports indicate that, under his leadership, the city's biotechnology employers are expected to more than double their square footage. from 12 million to 25 million square feet, within the next few years.

Madam Speaker, South San Francisco is a remarkable community, and Mike contributed greatly to its success. He will now take his talents to Riverside, California, where he will also be closer to his children. We wish Mike and his wife, Susan Freeman, our very best for a successful future in their new home. Both will be missed, but fondly remembered, in the years ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague the Honorable Giselle Hale as she concludes her service on the City Council of Redwood City. Serving from 2018 to the present, Giselle helped shape a remarkable period in Redwood City's history and development.

Giselle had a lot of experience before joining the council. She was a planning commissioner for four years prior to her election, and during that time she strongly supported housing development in a city with explosive job growth. For example, she voted for the development of 131 townhouses at 1548 Maple Street. noting that, ``There are very few three-bedroom units and ownership opportunities, and I think it's a fabulous opportunity . . . [and it is] activating a part of the waterfront to make it a destination.'' Countless families. recently moved to town. have in part Giselle Hale to thank for their opportunity.

n 2018, council candidate Hale's ballot statement said that, if elected, she would work hard to make streets safer, to ensure unmatched police and fire services, support local businesses, provide housing for all income groups, promote excellent schools, and increase childcare options. She also indicated that she would draw on her business experience, including nine years in global marketing and additional years in other positions, to keep the city fiscally strong.

During the campaign she broke her foot while precinct walking. Unfazed, she went door to door using a knee scooter, and posted a video on social media to prove that she wasn't going to stop campaigning for any reason. In that election, she received the highest vote total out of three successful candidates at 12,723.

In 2019, the city adopted a maternity leave policy at the same time that it required improved attendance by members of boards and commissions. Councilwoman Hale made the case for the policy. In 2020, she again worked with her colleagues, this time to create a city requirement for the installation of electric appliances in new construction. ``What are the biggest opportunities to slow down climate change?'' remarked Giselle. ``In terms of what the city can address, they fall into two buckets: transportation and buildings.'' The measure was adopted.

When COVID hit, Councilwoman Hale supported a rent relief fund and changes to city ordinances and practices to support local businesses. Like so many others, she also worked hard to educate her two children. In August 2020, she wrote an opinion piece in our local newspaper advising adults to be kind to children as they went back to school largely online. She pointed out their losses of friendships and social time, and the impact the pandemic also had on teachers who were struggling with Zoom classes and uneven access by students to technology.

During the early months of the pandemic, other problems in the community did not subside. Giselle urged developers to provide childcare for working parents and worked with allies across the county to find money to assist childcare providers as the industry suffered from COVID. In 2020, she worked to establish a safe parking program for people living in RVs, moving them off the streets and into mental health and other needed services.

In 2022, Mayor Hale worked to end encampments along state rights of way and to bring people in from the cold. The county and city teamed up to purchase and renovate a hotel located close to a major encampment. A 240 bed county-led navigation center will soon open in Redwood City. Mayor Hale strongly supported the center. Also in 2022, the Mayors Mental Health Initiative, established by Mayor Hale and San Carlos Mayor Sara McDowell, was established to train residents across the county in ways to help neighbors experiencing a mental health crisis.

Madam Speaker, serving on a city council is essentially a volunteer job. It's quite common to spend twenty or more hours per week on city matters, particularly when counting related meetings on regional agencies that inevitably oblige a councilmember to leave hearth and home to once again give back to the community. I want to thank Giselle's husband, Brian, and her two daughters, Lucretia and Vivienne, for allowing her to serve her constituents. Four years of solid success mark her time on the city council of Redwood City. Giselle will be able to point to her accomplishments for many years to come. I hope she remains involved in Redwood City. Her community can always use a great leader to ensure that it remains healthy and that it thrives.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Laura Parmer-Lohan as she departs the City Council of San Carlos after serving in this position from 2018 to 2022. Her years of service span a remarkable chapter in the history of her community.

When she took the oath of office in late 2018. the county of San Mateo had an unemployment rate of 2.1 percent. As she leaves office, the unemployment rate is 1.9 percent. Unemployment is generally a key indicator of the quality of life in a community. If a visitor from space judged community history from only those two numbers, they would think that nothing changed in the years that Laura served her neighbors. As we all know, one would have to be a visitor from space to have that point of view.

Her colleague, Councilman Ron Collins, made this comment about the year 2020 when he served as Mayor and Laura served as Vice-Mayor. ``During that tumultuous year, Laura earnestly sought out community and business leaders to understand their COVID-related issues. She was then instrumental in securing the practical help we needed as neighbors and business owners.'' The record backs him up. Laura and her colleagues offered city financial support to businesses and residents, closed portions of the downtown to ensure the survival of restaurants, and adapted their plans on the go to accommodate as many needs as possible.

A note within the city's 3rd quarter financial report of fiscal year 2019-2020 contains this historic understatement, ``The COVID-19 related emergency declared in mid-March began to affect revenue and expenditures towards the end of the third quarter, but the effects had little impact on the usual trends. The effects will primarily be seen in quarter four and beyond.'' Laura works in the private sector. To her that language was financial-speak for, ``Head for the high ground. A tsunami is coming.''

She and her colleagues ably guided city finances despite enormous uncertainty. San Carlos is recovering from the pandemic with strong finances. As city residents take stock of their high-quality police and fire services, beautiful parks, and restoration of much-beloved public events like Home Town Days and the downtown Art and Wine Festival, they can in part thank Laura and her colleagues for wrestling community success from the jaws of the COVID-19 alligator.

Of course, her term of office should not be defined by the pandemic. Laura worked hard to establish a higher minimum wage, voted for affordable housing construction, and supported a plan for the city's eastside industrial area that will lead to the creation of thousands of life science and other high technology jobs over the coming years. She is a strong advocate for affordable childcare, voted to ban the sale of flavored tobacco in San Carlos, supported linkage fees to create community benefits from commercial development, and supported using city funds for gun buybacks. One colleague remarked that she also did a great job running city council meetings. If there was an Emmy Award for Zoom city council meetings that run on time and still hold the public's attention at 11 p.m. on a work night, Laura would accept in the role of best director, with appropriate recognition given to staff and her colleagues.

Laura was born in West Virginia and raised in San Diego. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz and her MBA from the University of California at Berkeley. She and her family moved to San Carlos in 2011, and then deeply embedded themselves in the life of this small community. Laura's wife, Kathy, is the widely respected Executive Director of the San Carlos Education Foundation, and their two sons, Bradley and Gregory, attended local public schools.

Laura can often be seen riding her bicycle around town. She is an avid athlete and her energy in public office reflects her stamina. She will soon have more time for her family and friends, a just reward after so many evenings donated for public benefit. We should all thank her family for their support of her service.

Madam Speaker, John Denver memorably described Laura's birthplace, West Virginia, as ``almost heaven.'' We shouldn't put Laura on the spot to compare San Carlos to the Blue Ridge Mountains, but we're thankful that she and her family settled on Howard Avenue rather than on the banks of the Shenandoah River. Denver also sang that life is old in West Virginia. Proudly, San Carlos is quite young and vibrant. This also describes the spirit of Laura Parmer-Lohan. She is a public servant who in 2018 signed up for a volunteer job on a few nights a month. She ended up doing enormous overtime in defense of our lives and welfare for four eventful years. Job well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my friend and colleague school board trustee Marie Brizuela as she departs public service after forty-one remarkable years in elective office.

As noted on the district's website, ``The Jefferson Elementary School District serves Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade students from four contiguous areas in San Mateo County--the city of Daly City, the Town of Colma, unincorporated Broadmoor Village, and a small section of the city of Pacifica . . . the population of the four communities has a wide socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural diversity.''

Marie Brizuela is the ``Guardian in Chief of the School District.'' For forty-one years, she has been entrusted by her community with guiding the education of its students. She has been passionate in her advocacy during her entire time on the school board. During my service in the California legislature, Marie was a regular caller, letter writer and advocate for school funding. She knows the impact of every dollar sent by California to her school district. She is intimately familiar with California's complex laws on school finance, staffing and board governance. When you walk into a library and you can't immediately find what you want to locate, you go to the reference librarian. When you are elected to the state legislature and need to know something about the schools, you go to Marie Brizuela.

The Kent Awards are a countywide award for innovative school programs. Her fellow trustees from San Mateo County routinely selected Marie as a member of the team that determined who would receive this annual, prestigious, award. Her fellow trustees selected her as a representative to the California School Boards Association. She was a member of the district's personnel committee, the member-parent involvement committee, and the executive board of the PTA.

Marie is also an adult education teacher in a nearby district. She has also served as a member of the California School Employees Association and on its board.

As if all of this was not enough, Marie has owned a dance academy and served as Wardrobe Mistress at St. Ignatius High School.

It is unusual for a person to hold two elective positions but nothing about Marie is typical. Her neighbors in Broadmoor Village elected her to the Broadmoor Police Protection Commission and she served as Secretary of the Broadmoor Property Owners Association. She was president of the Friends of the Daly City Library, Secretary of the History Guild of Daly City, and Past President of Westlake Catholic Women and the Daly City Civic Ballet, as well as the Mission Merchants Association. Somewhere in this whirlwind of activity across more than four decades she also found time to be a wife and mother. I want to thank her husband, Robert, and her children Anna Marie, Robbie, Angela, and Andrea for their willingness to share Marie with the community throughout her time in public and volunteer positions.

The community served by the Jefferson Elementary School District is composed of working and professional families who love the sense of belonging that comes with living in their neighborhood. Marie is a person widely regarded with respect and affection because she is singularly focused on building community.

On most days, the fog of Daly City and Broadmoor reliably burns off or moves offshore and the sunshine arrives. Marie Brizuela reliably shows up and volunteers or raises her hand to be sworn into public office. Both the predictable weather and Marie are welcomed by residents as leading indicators that the community is operating well. We thank her for her friendship and the enormous respect she has shown to others through her willingness to sacrifice on their behalf. If she's taking a break at her age, it's only to allow others to lead. They would do well to follow her outstanding example.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize a giant sunflower in a field of wildflowers. Diana Reddy, councilwoman in Redwood City, is leaving office. I am saddened to see her retire.

As a public policymaker she stands out because of her willingness to consistently advocate for low-income families across multiple issues, most importantly housing. Her support of these families led powerful forces to oppose her initial election. She prevailed, and her message of social justice, delivered from the dais in the years since, is a call that all fair-minded persons should heed.

Diana spent 35 years working in the administration of the Sequoia Union High School District, starting in 1972. The city changed enormously during that time. From that change, she drew many lessons that she applied to her city council service.

When Diana first worked for the school district, Redwood City had about 56,000 residents and median household income was about $10,000, equivalent in 2020 to $63,000. By 2020, the median household income was $123,000 or almost double what it would have been if virulent housing inflation had not created a wave of gentrification that swept over Redwood City in the intervening decades.

Upon retirement, Diana went to work for Peninsula Interfaith Action and became the face of this group before many peninsula city councils. She advocated for affordable housing, transportation services and healthcare for all residents.

In 2010, she wrote an opinion piece in our local newspaper entitled, ``Why Affordable Housing Week Matters'' and noted that two affordable housing developments had recently opened in San Mateo County. One had 119 apartments and 1,500 applications, while the second had 68 apartments and 1,000 applicants. Each year, she noted, San Mateo County and two other nearby counties competed nationally for the dubious distinction of being the metropolitan area where housing costs and household income are most misaligned. This situation was simply unjust.

As she noted in comments made during her council campaign eight years later, ``At first, the displacement we were seeing affected service workers, low-income seniors, and veterans and has evolved into our teachers, highly trained crafts workers, nurses and others critical to our community. We are the heart of one of the wealthiest areas in the country. That wealth was created on the backs of working people who are not able to benefit from their efforts.''

Today, the city's focus has changed dramatically. When discussing city policies, staff and council are now committed to grappling with the question of how the policy impacts disparate groups within the city. Councilwoman Reddy and two other councilmembers served on a council subcommittee to hammer out a proposed equity plan for the city. This changed focus is one of the outcomes. She

even helped paint the community's Unity Mural.

In addition to her support for affordable housing and tenant protections, Diana has supported measures to address climate change, and is a strong supporter of public transportation improvements and of health care services for the entire community. Her Facebook page promotes community festivals and activities like Port Fest, coastal protection, Music on the Square, gun buyback and gun lock programs, and the Diane Howard clothing sale to benefit Kainos Home and Training Center.

During the height of the COVID pandemic she supported city resources to aid families and to protect tenants from evictions. As Redwood city responded to business requests for COVID changes to ordinances, she generally supported them.

At this point, it is easy to see why Redwood City Councilwoman Diana Reddy is a sunflower amidst a field of wildflowers. Wildflowers are beautiful, but sunflowers stand out. As one surveys the field, the eye fixes on the sunflower and its message: life is bursting forth. It is beautiful. It should be lived vividly. We thank her grandchildren Lahki Reddy and Ronan Gantes for allowing Diana to serve, no doubt sometimes at the expense of family time.

As a proud advocate for working families throughout the area, and as a councilwoman, Diana Reddy stood out. Tens of thousands will never know the debt they owe her but, in a democracy, it is enough that the effort was made, that it met with a measure of success, and that the example now exists for all who follow in service to this community. Diana Reddy is leaving the official field of public policy. She will remain a sunflower as a private advocate because her remarks into a public microphone will always stand out. As in the past, so in the future, for when she concludes her remarks, thousands will utter a quiet ``thank you.'' l would like to say thank you, dear friend, for an extraordinary contribution to humankind.